On the Use of Mobile Apps in Education: The Impact of Digital Magazines on Student Learning

Abstract

As the use of technology evolves in education, an extensive range of new smart devices and digital applications is becoming available to academics. Digital magazines are an example of such technologies, which can help educators to improve the learning experience of their students inside and outside of the classroom. Digital magazines are widely available and some can be further customized and curated by instructors using mobile apps. This article explores the impact of curated digital magazines, created and distributed via a mobile app—Flipboard, in enhancing students’ engagement, enjoyment, and learning of class-related content. Overall, students responded favorably to the adoption of this technological innovation. Students exposed to the digital magazines and mobile app displayed higher levels of enjoyment with class content and performed better on a knowledge assessment, relative to students in a control condition. The article concludes with a discussion of results and implications for future research.