Usability Mobile Devices in Distance Learning and Effectiveness of Communication
Project no. 839 · Status: Kapanmış · 2015
Summary
Distance learning has leaded to create new techniques and strategies in teaching and learning through new technologies. However, these emerging technologies might cause new problems in the integration of the interaction between teacher and student. Communication is also one of the most important problems. The online communication of faculty members and their attitudes towards this process also might affect the quality of learning and teaching process. Another factor of affecting this process is the effectiveness of learning environments and the most efficient use of those. The aim of this study is to understand the effectiveness of learning of mobile devices used in distance learning environment. In this context, the research was started by informing the students in the fall semester of 2015, and the students who took the course were included in this research. In this process, three lecturers who gave three courses in two undergraduate and one graduate courses, one expert who supported the distance education process and all the students taking the course included. Totally, 3 lecturers and 1 research assistant expert participated in this study. During this mixed model research, data were collected both qualitatively and quantitatively. An evaluation form was prepared by the researchers. Categorization of the screen sizes of mobile devices and operating systems were evaluated. In order to increase the richness of the data and the significance of the research, open-ended questions were prepared for understanding of the effectiveness of the distance learning process of the mobile devices used by the students and instructors. Research results showed that screen sizes were an important factor of effectiveness the learning process and large screen sizes were found to be more effective. Depending on the screen size, there was a limitation on the effective use of cameras and embedded keyboard to communicate in distance learning. However, although large screen sizes provided better quality images and video-chat compared to small screen sizes, they were ergonomic issues to carry mobile devices because of their bigness and heaviness. Operating systems in mobile devices didn’t have a meaningful effect on the quality of distance learning and teaching process. The research will contribute to the students and instructors who are planning to use mobile devices in distance learning. The literature showed that There is no or limited studies specifically on this subject. Therefore results of this study assume to help researchers to create new researches in which different perspectives of mobile devices in distance learning.