How Biomedical Science Students Use Their Mobile Devices for Learning

Abstract

Learning occurs in many forms, and learning through mobile devices is becoming increasingly common in higher education. Potentially, there are many ways students may implement mobile learning to enhance learning, and this may be influenced by students' confidence and preferences. To identify mobile learning behaviours, biomedical students (n=189) were asked in meta-learning assessment tasks to report on self-initiated ways they used mobile devices for learning. Thematic analysis of responses showed students were confident using mobile devices for learning, but students of all confidence levels had similar usage levels. Students most commonly reported using laptops for note-taking, watching lecture recordings, and planning, and using phones for looking up concepts and using applications. This contributed to their self-regulation primarily by aiding students' keeping of records and information seeking behaviors. Students also implemented many new ways of using devices during semester, demonstrating adaptability. Surprisingly, they rarely reported seeking social assistance via mobile devices.