Mobile phone appropriation and pedagogical mediation by students
in educational contexts
Adelina Moura
University of Minho
Braga, Portugal
[email protected]
Abstract
The main objective of this research is to help
understand students’ perceptions about using
mobile phones as a learning tool. We conducted
a study addressing how mobile phones are used
in different learning settings, inside and outside
the classroom, both in Portuguese and French
classes, in a high school. A qualitative research
methodology was used. The study includes four
case studies that examined the use of mobile
phones in the following contexts: i) as a
repository of learning contents; ii) as a
production tool: for writing and reading and
exploring the multimedia features (audio, video
and image) and iii) as an SMS-based learning
scenario in Portuguese and French language
(courses). The analysis of the four case studies
focused on understanding tool appropriation and
tool mediation. The Activity Theory principles
framed the analysis in the study and were used
to identify the socio-cultural aspects that
influenced the process of mobile phone
appropriation and determined how mobile
mediated activities introduced new learning
possibilities. Results showed that students’
competences (writing and reading) in French
had benefited from mobile phone use and
students’ engagement in learning Portuguese
and French language courses was enhanced.
We noted an increase in students’ motivation
and satisfaction in both individual and
collaborative learning.
Keywords: mobile learning, appropriation,
mediation, mobile phones, languages learning
1. Introduction
Today, we are witnessing an increase in
Internet access using mobile devices. Mobile
technologies are enabling the creation of
educational
environments
to
develop
Ana Amélia Carvalho
University of Minho
Braga, Portugal
[email protected]
appropriate learning activities inside and
outside the classroom. Tim Berners-Lee, cocreator of the World Wide Web (WWW)
predicted in 2007 that in the future the Web
would seem to be everywhere because access
to the Web would not only be on desktop or
laptop computers, but also on mobile devices.
Mobile technologies eliminate the idea of
“learning happens only in the classroom” by
providing access to learning materials
regardless of the place and time. They allow the
extension of the school boundaries and thin
classroom walls. The evolution of mobile
technologies underlies the emergence of mobile
learning, a new educational paradigm. Both
were fuelled by the human need for mobility.
Although, there is a variety of projects and
approaches, mostly partial, in this area, there is
urgency to reconceptualise learning in the
mobility era (Sharples et al., 2005), through a
theoretical consolidation and the emergence of
an m-learning theory giving relevance and
separating it from the e-learning concept.
Different definitions of m-learning have
emerged during the last decade, shifting the
initial focus on technology, but there are a
multiplicity of meanings on the word “mobile”
such as the mobility of learners, learning,
content, allowing learning through different
contexts
and
times
(Kukulska-Hulme,
2009). Torrisi-Steele (2009) defines m-learning
as the use of mobile devices in the curriculum,
to facilitate active learning and create meaning
through the creation of learning spaces,
extending beyond the limitations of time and
space of the traditional classroom. These
learning places (m-learning spaces) are
characteristically dynamic, collaborative and
focused on the individual needs of learners in
the current context.
The teaching strategies for m-learning
should involve a number of factors: mobility,
context, informal, lifelong learning and tool
ownership (Traxler, 2007). However in a
pedagogical context adapted to this paradigm
three dimensions should also be present:
learner, social dimension and artifact. The
Activity Theory is an appropriate theoretical
framework for understanding technological
innovation as part of the overall process of
cultural evolution in which the artefacts mediate
human activity (Bellamy, 1996).
The aim of our investigation is to analyze the
tool appropriation and the pedagogical
mediation to better understand how a new tool
can engage students in learning. In this chapter
we will see how students used a personal and
portable technology such as the mobile phone in
different activities to learn and improve
achievement.
2. The mobile phone as a learning
tool
Mobile technologies are familiar in the lives of
most students and teachers around the world. In
recent years, there have been various studies
on the use of mobile phones to support activities
in an educational context (Twiss, 2008, Song,
2008, Moura & Carvalho 2009). The new mobile
phone multimedia features are transforming
these devices into a potential tool for
learning. However, the mobile phone for learning
is only one adjustable part of the educational
model. For the moment, this is not a standalone
tool in the classroom (Prensky 2003, Sharples et
al., 2009).
Some authors (Waycott et al, 2005, KukulskaHulme and Traxler, 2005) consider that the use
of mobile technologies such as mobile phones
or PDAs have the potential to revolutionize
learning. Cherian and Williams (2008) recognize
that the mobile revolution is a reality and no
demographic context is immune to the
penetration of mobile devices. These authors
even consider that m-learning is the beginning of
the end of learning in the classroom. Mobile
technologies, particularly mobile phones are
personal and portable and can provoke a sense
of personal ownership of learning tasks and
technologies used to support learning in learners
(Waycott et al., 2005).
2.1. Activity Theory
Activity Theory (Engeström, Y. 1987,
Kaptelinin et al. 1999) consists of a set of
concepts that underlie a model of practice, both
individual
and
social,
as
development
processes. This theory has its origins in sociocultural Soviet philosophy founded by Lev
Vygotsky and his colleagues Leont'ev and
Luria. In this theory, an activity is formed by an
individual (or group) that performs an action
directed at an object (motive). The subject’s
motivation is the transformation of the object
into a result. Objects can be concrete (like a
program, a new tool) or more abstract (an idea).
Mediation tools, such as a word processor,
e-mail, or a mobile phone, are artefacts used to
assist in the transformation of the object into a
result. Tools can be used to manipulate and
understand the object (goal), or to improve the
individual’s communication and motivation.
Human practices are always included within
a social context. In Activity Theory, the systemic
relations between the person and its
environment are represented by the concepts of
community, rules, and the division of
labour. The community is comprised by all who
are interested in the activity. Social rules are
the norms and social conventions established
within the community. The division of labour
refers to the community organization linked to
the process of transforming the object into a
result. Human activities are not isolated from
each other. The real situations evolve in an
interconnected activities network, visible in the
activity system diagram (fig. 1) presented by
Engeström (1987:78).
Figure 1 – Engeström’s activity theory diagram
2.2. Tool
appropriation
mediation
and
tool
When people begin to use technology, they
can create new ways to use it not predicted by
the tool creators. For example, in a mobile
phone, the personal notebook can serve as a
repository of contacts, but it can also be used to
create a custom dictionary, as was done in this
study. To Salovaara (2008) "appropriation
refers to the processes that take place when
new uses are invented for tools and when these
uses develop into practices and start spreading
within the user community". In this chapter we
define tool appropriation as the integration of a
new tool in learning activities. Tool mediation
refers to how tools are used to achieve certain
educational objectives.
This notion of tool mediation contains the
idea that tools are typically used in activities
oriented by objectives (Waycott, 2004) and can
modify activities. It means that when a new
technology, such as a mobile phone, is
incorporated as a tool to facilitate a particular
activity, it has the power to modify it as indicated
by Bellamy (1996: 124) "any artefact,
technological or otherwise, has the potential to
change activity”. We follow this idea of tool
mediation to develop the study reported here.
The concepts of tool appropriation and tool
mediation both describe the two-way process by
which new tools are integrated in existing
activities. This means that when users integrate
(appropriate) new tools into their activities, they
change (mediate) those activities in various
ways (Waycott, 2004).
2.3. The teaching and learning process
based on SMS and Podcasts
In this investigation, we proposed a set of
educational activities based on Podcasts, SMS
and other phone features (text, video and
image) to students. Supported by the principles
of Activity Theory, we have created the following
models of analysis.
Figure 2 shows the pattern of activity
corresponding to the "Learning activity by SMS"
context implemented on our investigation and
based on the systemic model of Engeström
(1987). The teacher designs a learning context
by SMS and builds the information units which
will be sent by SMS to students. In collaboration
with the students, they define the timing and the
number of messages sent per day. The three
scenarios are the subject (reason) for learning
activities by SMS that students undertake during
a given period of time, supervised by the teacher
at distance.
Figure 2. Activities for language learning by
SMS
The second model corresponds to the use of
the podcast for the study of curricular content.
This model differs from that showed in figure 2,
only in what concerns rules, where students
must follow the teacher’s guidance. In the
podcast model, the teacher starts by individually
recording podcasts. From the podcasts made in
the first activity, the teacher offers students the
possibility to learn using audio files. Both
teacher and students define: i) the type of
technology used to listen to podcasts; ii) how
they will be able to access the podcasts
(Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Web connection); iii) the most
relevant episodes and, iv) podcasts’ goals. This
plan served as the object (motive) for the
achievement of curricular activities, and guided
students. Students use the podcasts inside and
outside the classroom as a supplement to the
learning activities that take place in school, and
to improve French pronunciation. The teacher
guides students to optimize the use of podcasts
as an educational resource. For each activity,
the elements that structure the actions are
presented through the systemic model defined
by Engeström (1987) as showed in figure 3.
Figure 3. Podcasts for learning Portuguese
literature and improve French pronunciation
Several possibilities were used to transfer
podcasts files between teacher and students’
devices. Such as Bluetooth, between students
and teacher mobile phone, from teacher’
netbook to students’ mobile devices (mobile
phone and MP3 or MP4 players) and from the
Web.
The creation of SMS learning activities as
well as the Podcasts was motivated by the
intent of transforming these resources to
support study and improve students’ learning,
because both technologies are a part of
students’ everyday life and are generally well
accepted by them. Both contexts contain social
rules, or norms, which state that students must
respond correctly to the tasks by SMS and
listen to podcasts following teacher guidance. In
turn, the teacher presents the project, guides
students, resolves conflicts, and students agree
to participate in this project. In general students
liked the activities proposed. Students who
followed the rules participated more in the
inquiry activities by SMS and listened more
often the podcasts, taking satisfaction in the
activities and learning improvement.
3. Study Description
This research aimed to contribute to
characterise learning environments supported
by mobile technologies such as mobile phones
as
well
as
user
acceptance
and
appropriation. We
used
a
qualitative
methodological approach, with multiple cases
(Yin, 1984). This approach is indicated for the
study of innovations developed in a school, such
as the use of new educational technologies, as
happened in this study, by the integration of
mobile phones as a learning tool.
The choice of this technology relates to the
fact that: i) all participants in this study own at
least one mobile phone model; ii) it is the
student’s preferred mobile device; iii) the latest
models have a set of multimedia features that
can support learning. By opting for students own
devices, we wanted to overcome any restrictions
on mobile phone use as a learning tool and
explore
uses
compatible
with
different
equipments owned by participants of different
educational levels and age ranges, and also by
using only features with no related costs for
students. We took advantage of the free SMS
plans that students have to develop the activities
by SMS.
To illustrate the potential of mobile
technologies to support learning, we developed
several scenarios of mobile learning where
mobile phones served as a mediating tool. We
explored different mobile phone possibilities: a)
as a content repository b) as a tool for writing,
listening, and viewing c) as a production tool:
text, audio, video and photo. From all activities
carried out this paper focuses on the use of
SMS and Podcasts. We only highlighted the
results of using podcasts to learn curricula
content in their native language (Portuguese)
and improve pronunciation in the French and the
development of a learning environment for SMS
to supplement learning and collaborative work
outside the classroom. Three scenarios were
created to include SMS in teaching practices
outside the classroom (table 1).
Scenario 1
Learning units
to read and
store
- Thoughts
- Curriculum
Contents
- Word of the
Day
(iDictionary)
Scenario 2
Inquire
Activities
Scenario 3
Collaborative
Activities
- Quizzes
- Writing a
- “Who Wants collaborative
to Be
micro story at
Millionaire"
distance
- Read Daily - - Writing a
(fables)
collaborative
- Riddles
micro story
- Proverbs
face-to-face
Table 1. SMS learning activities scenarios
The learning units of Scenario 1 were sent to
students for reading and storage on mobile
phones for future access: thoughts for reflection,
curriculum contents (grammar) for reminders,
and an iDictionary creation. Scenario 2 learning
units consisted in sending general knowledge
quizzes, complementary curricula contents,
fables for reading and responding to the moral
lesson story, the game "Who Wants to Be a
Millionaire" with ten multiple choice questions
(one sent per day), proverbs for completation
and riddles. Scenario 3 was a collaborative
assignment, proposed to create micro stories
from proverbs, at a distance or face-to-face by
SMS. To accomplish these scenarios, we used
the Vodafone service “SMS byMail” to send SMS
learning units to students’ mobile phones from
teacher laptops. Students answered questions by
sending the teacher an SMS. Figure 4 represents
the infrastructure of this experiment.
Figure 4. SMS Learning activities infrastructure
The podcasts files consisted of recording
small episodes regarding Portuguese Literary
authors. Theses episodes complemented
classroom activities. The students also
recorded podcasts, as well as poems lecture,
dialogues, interviews and debates. To practice
French pronunciation, the teacher recorded
texts found in students’ textbooks, and students
could practice their reading outside of the
classroom. Students who trained their texts by
reading showed a considerable improvement in
pronunciation and lecture speed.
3.1. Data Collection
Data collection was conducted using four
questionnaires, individual interviews and focus
groups. Questionnaire I was answered at the
beginning of the study, Questionnaires II and III
at the end of each learning experience (SMS
and Podcasts), and Questionnaire IV, individual
interviews and focus groups at the end of the
study.
3.2. Participants characterization
This study took place in the academic year
2008/2009 and was attended by four groups
(table 2), aged 15 to 20 years in groups A, B,
and C, and ages 22 to 56 in group D. This study
analyzed a total of 68 participants, 46% female
and 54% male. Participants from group B were
from a vocational school and the other groups
from a public high school. Participants from
group A were composed only by male and group
B only by female and both attended Portuguese
classes (native classes). Groups C and D were
mixed-gender and attended French classes
(foreign language). Participants from group D
are adult students who abandoned school and
returned to continue their studies in evening
classes.
Groups
Gender
Female
Male
A
(n=27)
f
%
0
0
27 100
B
(n=18)
f
%
18 100
0
0
C
(n=18)
f
%
10 56
8 44
D
(n=5)
f
%
3 60
2 40
Table 2. Participants’ profile
All respondents have a mobile phone, and
most of them have a Nokia brand. Vodafone is
the
preferred
provider
by
most
participants. Some students also owned other
mobile devices such as MP3, MP4 players, PSP
and laptop. The services and mobile phone
functionalities commonly used by participants
are SMS, audio, video and camera. Most
students show great dependence on their mobile
phone, they never turn off the device and feel
"uncomfortable" when they do not have it in their
pockets. Most students report that they never
used their mobile phones as a tool to support
learning but they would like to do so.
3.3. Data analysis
The following data were collected from four
questionnaires: i) Characterization ii) podcasts
as a learning resource; iii) Learning units by
SMS and iv) the mobile phone as a learning
tool. The data obtained from individual
interviews and focus groups confirm data
obtained from questionnaires and provides
reliability on the information presented here.
The concepts of Activity Theory were used to
interpret data about how the use of new tools is
shaped by cultural factors and how mobile
phones seem to change the activities
supported. Using Activity Theory, we can see
how the possibilities and constraints introduced
by the mobile phone have an effect on existing
activities with learning objectives.
3.3.1. Mobile phone appropriation and
mediation as a learning tool
3.3.1.1. Tool for reading and writing
Although the mobile phone has been used in
different learning contexts, it seems that there
are similar factors that influence the use of this
device as a tool for reading and writing (table 3).
Dimensions
Satisfaction
Ease
Writing
support
Writing type
Writing
features
Yes
No
Yes
No
Mobile
Paper
Full text
SMS
Pad
Draft
SMS
A
(n=27)
F
%
23 85
4
15
27 100
0
0
16 59
11 49
16 59
11 49
10 37
10 37
7
26
B
(n=18)
f
%
18 100
0
0
18 100
0
0
14 78
4
22
14 78
4
22
4
22
14 78
0
0
C
(n=18)
f
%
17 94
1
6
17 94
1
6
10 56
8
44
10 56
8
44
3 17
7 39
8 44
D
(n=5)
f
%
4
80
1
20
3
60
2
40
1
20
4 80
5 100
0
0
1
20
2
40
2
40
Table 3. Mobile phones as a reading and
writing learning content tool
In all groups the majority of participants is
pleased to read and write curricula contents
(both Portuguese and French languages) on
mobile phones and found it easy to perform
these actions. Most respondents from group A
(59%), group B (78%), group C 56%) prefer
writing on the mobile phone, however, most
respondents from group D (80%) say they
prefer writing on paper (these participants are
adults unfamiliar with the writing and reading on
mobile phones). Although the mobile phone
presents itself as a new medium for reading
and writing, technical limitations restrict these
actions, forcing students to adapt and find new
ways to use the tool for reading, such as
exploring the horizontal position of screen. In
the other groups, it seemed that the small size
of the buttons or the screen does not hinder the
reading and writing activities. This is also due to
the fact that the members of these groups are
familiar with texting (SMS) and reading on
mobile phones and adults from group D are not.
Despite the preference for mobile phones as
a support for writing, there is a significant
percentage of respondents who prefer writing
on paper. In the interviews, one student from
group B showed a clear preference for this
support by stating that "only if it is the only
option I have ... because I still prefer
paper”. Other participants said "it is different
from writing on paper"; "on paper we developed
writing skills"; "I have always written on paper";
"I would not trade paper for anything, I like
writing and keeping my drafts”. The preference
for this traditional support can be justified by
socio-cultural factors. Students are still stuck
with tools that have been traditionally used to
support writing: paper and pencil. Using a new
tool introduces new operations on the activity. It
is difficult to use new tools when users have
experienced reading and writing using a paper
support. If we gave students the possibility to
learn supported by a new tool, we need to
prepare students for a new technological
environment. The adaption and adoption of any
technological tool in a learning context, must
consider an adjustment time in order for
students to adopt the new tool.
From observations, students who use mobile
phones for reading and writing more often seem
to get a greater satisfaction from these activities
in comparison to those who do not, or have
older mobile phone models with several
limitations such as small screens, poor memory
or basic services. Those who preferred writing
on mobile phones, argued that the advantages
are speed, ease and comfort. Others reported
that they can use Smart Dialing to support them
in full text. French students found this
functionality very useful when they don’t know
the correct French word, and it is also a way to
learn vocabulary.
A tool such as the mobile phone can create
new ways of writing and reading. Due to the
variety of mobile phone models owned by
students, each student found the best storage
and text writing strategies allowed by that
specific mobile phone. The majority of
respondents from group B used the draft
function to write. In other groups, the choices
were divided into all three applications. Block
notes and draft functionalities were used by 37%
of participants from group A while in group C
44% used SMS and 39% used draft and 40% of
respondents from group D also used these two
functionalities.
A benefit of mobile phones use for writing or
reading indicated by students is the possibility of
combining this device with other technologies
such as computers which allows the transfer of
data when the memory is full, without having to
write everything again. This possibility changes
the accomplishment of activities, because it
enables students to continue and expand texts,
as well as share data with classmates.
3.3.1.2. Tool for recording and listening
to podcasts
The mobile phone was used by students to
listen to podcasts in a Portuguese course.
These podcasts contained curricula contents
and texts recorded by the teacher for
improvement
of
French
language
pronunciation. Students also recorded their own
notes, discussions, interviews, poem recitals,
individual or group recitals.
The data presented below concerns the
1
pedagogical value of podcasts (table 4) .
1
Scale: A - Agreement; I - Indecision; D Disagreement
Items
Podcast
help A
learn contents
I
D
Podcast
A
improve grades I
D
Podcasts value A
lessons
I
D
Podcasts are
A
lessons’
I
supplement
D
I like podcasts
A
mobility
I
D
A
(n=27)
f
%
0
0
4
17
19 83
2
9
8
35
13 56
2
9
3
13
18 78
0
0
2
9
21 91
1
4
4
17
18 79
B
(n=18)
f
%
0
0
0
0
17 100
0
0
9
53
8
47
0
0
4
24
13 76
1
6
2
12
14 82
0
0
3
18
14 82
C
(n=18)
f
%
0
0
1
6
15 94
0
0
3
19
13 81
0
0
4
25
12 75
0
0
1
6
15 94
0
0
0
0
16 100
D
(n=5)
f
%
0
0
0
0
5 100
0
0
0
0
5 100
0
0
0
0
5 100
0
0
0
0
5 100
0
0
0
0
5 100
Table 4. Pedagogical value of podcasts
Most students from the four groups (with
percentage of 82%), considered that podcasts
helped them assimilate contents, added value
to the lectures (above 74%) and acted as a
class supplement (above 81%). When students
were asked if podcasts improved achievement
most respondents from group A, C and D
agreed, but 53% of respondents from Group B
showed indecision. Through these results,
students recognized the pedagogical value of
podcasts and mobile phone as a useful tool that
supports learning. When a private tool such as
mobile phone which mediates contents and
students, and helps address the individual
student’ needs, it is likely to be accepted as a
learning tool.
Portability was one of the advantages
indicated in using mobile phones to listen to
podcasts because access is enabled anywhere
and anytime. The majority of respondents from
group A (79%) and group B (82%) and all
participants from group C and D were pleased
to listen to podcasts wherever and whenever
they wished. This feature found in mobile
phones and podcasts allows students to choose
the time and place of learning, as indicated by
these students during the interview “in order to
prepare myself for a test I listen to the podcasts
when having coffee waiting for my friends"; "I
listen to podcasts while travelling and
sometimes I consult the dictionary too”.
Students from group D, are working students
so they have little time to study, thus the
portability of mobile phones and podcasts
helped overcome the lack of study time,
allowing them to do so during free time, as
reported in the interview by one student "I
recorded some notes and on the way to my
work I put on the earphones and pay attention
to contents. Sometimes when I take a walk, or
run, instead of listening to music, I listen to
curricular contents, “to study".
The acceptance of podcasts can be explained
by the fact that participants recognized their
usefulness. Curiosity was another motivational
element reported by students, as in Salovaara
(2009) study.
3.3.1.3. Tool to use in learning contexts
by SMS
We asked students about whether they liked
SMS activities or not (table 5).
Did you
A
like
(n=27)
activities by
f
%
SMS?
Yes
25 93
17
No
1
2
7
B
(n=18)
f
%
C
(n=18)
f
%
D
(n=5)
f
%
94
17
94
5
100
6
1
6
0
0
Table 5. Reaction to SMS activities
All participants from group D and the majority
of respondents from groups A (93%), B (94%)
and C (94%) enjoyed SMS activities. The same
satisfaction is confirmed by data collected using
individual interviews and focus groups. All
students interviewed said they were pleased by
from this kind of learning. In individual interviews
students said they had improved their learning
with SMS activities, as evidenced by these
responses: "The SMS helped me learn the
language ... and better assimilate the contents";
"I liked the SMS ... so much material sent... it
helped me a lot”; "The SMS sent by teacher ... in
my leisure time I copied them to my notebook
and learned”.
Scenario 3 is about collaborative work.
Students had to write a micro story by SMS in a
distance or face-to-face way in pairs. Writing
micro stories was not performed by the group D,
because they do not have enough language
skills to perform this activity. In the Portuguese
course students performed three experiences of
writing micro stories in face-to-face and at
distance learning. In the French subject it was
done only once at distance learning.
In the classroom, some groups chose to write
the micro story on one mobile phone that
passed from hand to hand, while others chose to
write each one on their mobile phones and send
the text by SMS to their pairs.
After classes, each student wrote a
paragraph of the micro story and sent it to
his/her pair by SMS. On the other hand, the pair
wrote another paragraph continuing the partner’
text, and so on until the story was complete. The
text could not exceed 612 characters. At the end
of story a student sent it by SMS to the teacher’s
mobile phone for evaluation.
Most students send and receive SMS in a
basic daily routine, so this activity was
enthusiastically received by students. Data from
interviews suggest satisfaction and benefits for
student learning, as in the following sentences:
[written in pairs a micro story] "it is more fruitful,
than alone, one gives one idea, the other gives
another ... then another remembered something
and together we did something else", "The
micro stories ... I loved enough. [Having been
collaboratively) Yes ... I used the mobile phone
to send messages to my pair... when the
teacher proposed that we create micro stories
in a few characters I found it very interesting. I
learned a lot more doing that. We needed to
shorten phrases, I learned to synthesize text ".
We asked students if they consider mobile
phone a tool for collaboration work (table 6).
Mobile
A
B
C
D
phone as (n=27) (n=18) (n=18)
(n=5)
a tool for f
% f
% f
% f
%
collaborati
ve work
Yes
24 89 15 83 14 78 3
60
No
3
11 3
17 4
22 2
40
Table 6 – Mobile phone for collaborative work
We asked whether the participants
considered mobile phones as being a useful
tool for collaborative work and most of those
from group A (89%), group B (83%), group C
(78%) and group D (60%) responded positively.
Finally, we questioned participants whether
or not they considered mobile phones as being
a learning tool (table 7).
Mobile
A
B
C
phone is a (n=27) (n=18) (n=18)
tool
for f
% f
% f
%
learning
Yes
23 85 17 94 18 100
5 100
No
0
4
15 1
6 0
0
D
(n=5)
f
%
0
Table 7 – Mobile phone as a learning tool
The level of agreement with the statement
"The mobile phone is a tool for learning" is 85%
or more in all groups which shows the
recognition of the mobile phone’s new role in
learning support. Crossing these data with
those
obtained
in
Questionnaire
I
(characterization) we found that before
participating in the study, the majority of
respondents (> 70%) did not recognize the
usefulness and benefits of using mobile phones
as a tool for supporting study. At the end of this
research, we see a positive opinion regarding
the potential of mobile phones as a learning
tool. This positive view of the instrumental value
of mobile phones as a learning support is
important in considering future strategies in what
concerns educational uses.
Through these experiences, the participants
were offered new ways to use their own mobile
phone as an educational tool by exploring new
uses of features that were only used for leisure
or private consumption. Art students found a
new use for their mobile phone, when they
transformed the phone into a scanner which
allowed them to convert into digital format
drawings they made to illustrate the fables that
were being written in French class.
recording podcasts and for receiving and
sending SMS for educational purposes.
We also consider that, and to reflect on
Carroll et al. (2003) statement, young people
adopt (appropriate) the tool when it adds
significant value to their lives. In this
investigation, participants felt that the fact that
various activities involved and were mediated
by their own mobile phones benefited them in
school achievement and motivated learning.
5. References
4. Conclusion
In this study, students adopted the mobile
phone to study because they included them in
their study and learning practice and caused
them to recognize them as a learning tool. The
principles of Activity Theory helped describe
how the use of new tools is shaped by cultural
factors and that when the new tool is
appropriate, it mediates the activities it supports.
An interesting result is that participants who
had more recent mobile phone models
incorporate this device more successfully in the
activities and become emotionally dependent on
the artefact in comparison to those who had
basic models. Being highly portable and mobile,
this device seems to contribute to a feeling of
emotional dependency in the younger one’s
lives (Keegan, 2008).
Our findings are in line with those reported by
Parson et al. (2006), stating that there are
positive indications that m-learning can offer the
possibility of conducted quality learning
strategies even in technically limited situations,
as was the case of the mobile phones used in
this study. We agree with the ideas of these
authors when they refer that technological
sophistication is not necessarily a utility measure
as even the simplest technologies, such as SMS
and basic mobile phones, prove stimulating rich
social practices around basic systems. The most
important and complex are the teaching
strategies and teaching methods created with
and for the technology.
The use of a system as simple as sending
and receiving an SMS to support learning has
been one of the events experienced by study
participants. This was satisfactory because it
contributed to the improvement of learning and
served learners’ needs, as reported by most
participants.
Although the phone is not used in the
classroom, the results of this study show a high
level of acceptance of mobile phones as a tool
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