Can Mobile Earning Help to Enhance Student Motivation?

The mobile learning movement is gradually beginning to grow. Learning in educational institutions (and even studying at home) has the potential to be engaging with the integration of mobile resources. And as a result of this, mobile learning is becoming exceedingly popular. It was documented by Ambiant Insight that the US market for these goods had produced an amazing $958.7 million this season. Not only this, but they predicted the growth rate to be 13.7% for the next five-years, proving that the movement will continue to expand as more and more folks begin to understand its benefits.

A number of reports have suggested that mobile learning can help students to be a lot more motivated and consequently improve their efficiency. It introduces a new type of studying, different from the conventional tasks including producing paperwork, reading from your textbook, etc. This kind of variety within a learning course will increase the level of student motivation.

This prediction was tested by a State University in Ohio. Research was conducted into college student perceptions associated with mobile learning and it was found to have a beneficial effect. Pupils felt that it made the tasks set seem easier and 'more fun' which eventually resulted in an increase in quality of their work. However some folks still have reservations about how efficient it could be as a learning resource.

You will find there's is still a stigma around using phones in the classroom. Educators as well as parents have a bad assumption, reinforced by institution policy, that mobile devices are a distraction to learning as opposed to an aid. Nevertheless, this opinion is not universal. Diana Laurillard, the head of Education and learning believes that motivation is actually a key aspect of mobile learning. She went on to say 'It is clear that individuals working with mobile devices enjoy the process' which she put down to aspects like student control over their own ambitions. Not only this, but it is very easily obtainable. Students have the ability to complete tasks wherever they are. If students are aware that they can completed their work without being fixed to their desk, they would become more likely to do so.

A study by Tsinghua University in Beijing furthermore indicated an improved enthusiasm throughout students using mobile technology, but in this case the causes for the improved motivation were different. Because teachers submitted content on forums and sent e-mail to individual students, there was a more in-depth student-teacher relationship that was seen as the reason behind the increase in motivation. However, many cynics depict it to be a resources which too entertainment- based as opposed to educational: and these ideas will need to be addressed before mobile learning is able to reach each classroom.

Once more people realize the benefits, the trend of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) can move from only being applicable within the work place, to also being highly relevant to classrooms. This is already going on. For example, earlier this month the BBC reported of a school in Newport which lifted a prohibit on mobile phones as a way of 'embracing technology for learning'. The school documented that it had been 'working well' and that the time had come that schools caught up with the technological trend.

It is time for more educational institutions to follow the example set by this school and ensure they are keeping up with the most up-to-date technology to provide educational content thats relevant to our contemporary society. In doing so, student motivation will rapidly improve which would undoubtedly also help students overall learning progress.