Analyzing the Effects of Context-Aware Mobile Design Principles on Student Learning

Abstract

The adoption of mobile technology is rapidly transforming how individuals obtain information. Learning occurs when content is accessed in a recursive process of awareness, exploration, reflection and resolution within one's social context. Specifically, the most visible, current definitions of mobile learning provide an overview of the learning theory and device characteristics informing mobility, but do not focus on how people interact with mobile devices in their everyday lives. The purpose of this study was to test the effects of context-aware mobile design principles on student learning. The study had 60 participants randomly assigned to treatment and control conditions. The results indicated that the treatment group scored a significantly higher mean score than the control. The data suggests that mobile learning is more than just an extension or luggable form of electronic learning. It requires a designer to understand instructional and software design, mobile human-computer interactions, and learning theory.