A Psychological Perspective on Mobile Learning

Abstract

The mobile internet offers 24/7 access to a wide range of social, commercial, and educational opportunities. If the educational opportunities are to be maximized, then a full understanding of user skills, motivations, preferences, and learning profiles is required. The authors propose that this detailed understanding is best informed by adopting a psychological perspective on the mobile learning process. Therefore, this chapter considers the insights that can be derived from viewing mobile learning through a psychological lens: in particular the psychological challenges that mobile learning presents and the importance of considering individual differences in learner skills and behaviors. They also consider the insights that psychology offers in addressing these challenges, especially the importance of media literacy skills, the presentation of learning resources in a way that considers the limited cognitive resources of the learner, and the importance of context and contextualized behavior.