Study on mobile learning contribution on college students assignment with faculty support

2.1 INTRODUCTION

Scanning of relevant research reports guides the researchers in the right direction and highlights the pitfalls of the earlier studies. It is an essential aspect of the research project which promotes a greater understanding of the problem and provides comparative data of the basis of which to evaluate and interpret the significance of the findings and in addition, contributes to the knowledge of the researcher. Review of related literature plays a significant role in any type of research. It is exacting task calling for a deep insight and clear perspective of overall field. According to Borg (1965), «the literature review is in any field forms the foundation upon which all future work will be belt.» In the works of Marley (1970), «without review of the literature, it would be difficult to build a body of accepted knowledge on an educational topic.»This is to confirm that any scholar, academics or any researchers in order to do a worth project, the work of running behind so many reading and understanding of those reading is definitely a must.

No experienced researcher would think of understanding a study without acquainting him/herself with the contribution of previous investigators.

Agreeing the above view Best (1977), «observes that a brief summary of previous research and writings of recognized experts provide evidence that the researcher is familiar with what is still unknown and interested.» In the words of Merriam (1988), «an investigator who ignores prior research and theory changes pursing a trivial problem, duplicating a study already done, or repeating other's mistakes.»

The goal of research is contributing to the knowledge based on the field may then never be realized. The review of related literature is an important prerequisite for the planning and execution of the research work.

Keeping these ideas in mind, the present investigator made attempts in collecting pertinent literature related to the variable selected. The literature and studies published in India and abroad are consulted for this purpose.

Review of selected literature is made to develop a background for planning the research to obtain the information concerning the techniques equipment and potential problem to avoid unnecessary duplicating work of others.

Let us outline the important elements which should be do during the work of reviewing the related literature to your current research. As any part of research project has its key points, in second chapter of any scientific study we do this.

The following are some of the purposes of the review of literature

Ø Review of literature gives an idea of how much research has been done in the area of the present study.

Ø It helps the delimit the problem

Ø It provides the insight to the problem

Ø It helps unnecessary duplication of previous research

Ø It any pitfalls or loopholes occurred in previous study. The investigator will overcome those pitfalls or loopholes

Ø It suggested valuable basis for hypotheses

Ø It widens the horizon of the research

Ø It provide fine background for methodology of the research under study

2.2. STUDY CARRIED OUT IN INDIA

Anuj Kumar et al. (2010) conducted a study on Unsupervised Mobile Learning in Rural India, the entire study was conducted in two phases: (i) summer 2008, and (ii) spring and summer 2009. The time spent in the field totalled 28 weeks. The field research took place in two neighbouring villages in a mango-growing district in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh in India.

By rural standards, one village was relatively prosperous while the other was typical. We chose to work with both communities because we have had a successful history of running mobile learning trials with them, one of which was a pilot deployment that took place as an after-school program three times per week over an entire semester [10]. In those studies, researchers were present throughout all sessions. This study was a significant departure in that we wanted to understand rural children's mobile learning behaviours in non-school, everyday settings. It is infeasible for researchers to be present in these settings, some of which are private social spaces over months. Worse, the presence of researchers could artificially affect participant behaviour. We believe that we have had enough successes with both rural communities to collect meaningful data without needing our researchers to supervise their use of cell phones.

According to Anuj Kumar et al. weeks in June-July 08) with 45 children from 20 households to understand the social dynamics around cell phone use and adoption among children in rural India. The first week focused on getting a glimpse of the participants' everyday lives. We carried out participant observations, after which we analyzed our field data to construct accounts for «a day in the life of a child.»

We then offer plausible scenarios for everyday, cellphone enabled learning that emerged from these accounts. In all, we identified 9 distinct scenarios. In the second week, we examined the feasibility of these scenarios by having participants use our mobile learning applications during various times in the day. Instead of imposing predefined tasks, we encouraged the children to come up with their own ways of using the applications. Our observations and interviews gave us preliminary insights to these scenarios.

The findings in this study of Anuj Kumar et al. are the following:

ü A child uses a mobile learning game when walking to school or work.

ü A girl plays an e-learning game on a cell phone when she has downtime between housework. We found that there is intermittent downtime between chores, such as cleaning the home, cooking, washing dishes, gathering firewood and getting fodder for cattle.

ü An upper-caste child (usually a boy) plays a cell phone based e-learning game when in the fields. We do not expect boys from the lower castes to use their cell phones in the fields, since they would have to be at work as hired labourers. In contrast, upper-caste boys have time to play e-learning games in the fields, since they are present only to supervise their hired labourers.

ü A girl is sharing a cell phone with other girls and is playing an e-learning game with them, just as the adults are taking their afternoon rest at home.

ü A lower-caste child (usually a girl) plays an e-learning game on a cell phone while grazing the goats outdoors. This scenario only applies to lower-caste households, who are the only people to keep goats. In such families, it is the girls who take the goats out to graze.

ü A boy is sharing a cell phone with other boys and is playing an educational game together with them, in the afternoon. Since boys are permitted to go outdoors more freely than the girls, boys have access to a greater social circle of playmates. In any case, children never player with other children from different castes.

ü Siblings play an e-learning game together as a group, on a cellphone that they are sharing, in their free time between dinner and bedtime. In both upper- and lower caste families, boys have more time than girls to play. But after the girls have completed the housework, they have time to play with their brothers, albeit usually as passive observers.

Sanjay Rajpal, et al. (2008). Conducted a research on E-Learning Revolution: Status of Educational Programs in India, objectives of the study were the following as highlighted in their work: 1) Some background on the Distance Education.2) The need of e-learning systems and environment. 3) The current E-learning status.

Sanjay et al. continued to say that In India, the education processes are primarily class room lectures, presentations and laboratory experiments. These are supplemented with audio-visual aids like the use of projectors, stereo systems and the projection of films. Students are required to listen to understand. They find it less comfortable to interact due to their perceptions of the atmosphere and the circumstances leading to the unsatisfied learning experience. However, this is not true in all cases. Many find it a better option to have face-to-face interaction during the learning process. This has an implication on the size of lectures and the tutor-student ratio.

2.3. STUDY CARRIED OUT OF INDIA

2.3.1. Study carried on mobile learning in Africa

An overview on workshops conducted related to mobile learning. The mobile learning currently exploits both handheld computers and mobile telephones and other devices that draw on the same set of functionalities.

Mobile learning using handheld computers is obviously relatively immature in terms of both its technologies and its pedagogies, but is developing rapidly.

It draws on the theory and practice of pedagogies used in technology enhanced learning and others used in the classroom and the community, and takes place as mobile devices are transforming notions of space, community, and discourse (Katz and Aakhus 2002; Brown and Green 2001)

Bill Peirce, (2004). In the workshop conducted by Richard Paul on critical thinking of students when they are doing their assignment and home works, some strategies have been put out as following: Assign a daily writing assignment based on the reading. At the beginning of the course, teach the students how you want them to read the textbook chapters and other readings and show them how to annotate/outline/ summarize a chapter.

Train students how to apply reading strategies to the textbook in your course; model

the reading and note-taking process you want them to use, ask them to apply it, and in the first few class sessions give them feedback on how well they did it.

Show them what to underline, how to annotate pages, how to take notes, how to use visual cues (such as headings), what do with illustrations, how to summarize, when to read sceptically, when to read for understanding, how to handle new vocabulary.

The author of this writing above has so much emphasized on reading classical library book, but nowadays we have to know that with recent trends in education electronic libraries are available where you should read a book on your mobile device or your tablet as mobile learning technologies.

If we look at the emerging practice of mobile learning based around phones and PDAs in developing countries, especially the poorest, a different picture emerges based on wholly different affordances. The radically different physical infrastructure and cultural environment - including landline telephony, Internet connectivity, electricity, the rarity of PCs, and the relative inability of societies to support jobs, merchandising, and other initiatives based around these prerequisites - has meant that prescriptions for mobile learning are more cautious than in the developed world Traxler and Kukulska-Hulme,(2005).

In this part of literature review we can't talk only on mobile learning without looking into how assignments are solved by students. Exactly we are focusing on college level students. How they are trying to handle the tasks given by their facilitators.

Jennifer L. Romack, (2010). In their work they said that «Learning is not a spectator sport. Fundamentally, the responsibility to learn is yours and yours alone. For learning to happen in any course, you must take an active role in the process. For our class, you are expected to come to class `prepared' and `ready to learn,' which requires you `to read' and `to study' the assigned reading `before' you come to class. Being prepared for class enables you to construct a knowledge base on which subsequent learning rests. «During our class, we don't `cover' content, which means I talk less to get you to talk about what you are.»

The authors of this above quote confirmed that the main key in or out of classroom is a student. The learner has to show engagement and involvement in his/her studies facilitated by teacher. They continued to say that the educator is not a football or any game as well as sport spectator, but either teacher or students must be involved before and during as well they come to class.

Tracey E. Ryan,(2010) in his work he wrote the following quotes: «Do we really need to buy the textbook? It's so expensive!», «Can't you just summarize it for us?», The author's quotes tell us how much now days using only textbooks is not enough to gain knowledge and for some students in their assignments books bore them.

Tracey continued to say that quotes like these indicate that many of our students want us to help them with the hard work of extracting difficult material and new vocabulary from their textbooks. They may use the term «boring,» but what they really mean is difficult and time consuming. The solutions of the educational problem like this highlighted above, should be handled by new technology where the mobile learning contribution is the response.

Maryellen Weimer(2010). Getting students to read their textbooks is like pulling hen's teeth! Most of us know the problem is bad but most of us don't have the courage Jay R. Howard did. He started and continued surveying despite grim results. Only 40 percent of his students reported that they usually or always did the reading. Grades and reading were linked. Of the students who got C's, D's and F's, only about 31 percent of them reported that they usually or always doing the reading as compared with 54 percent of students who got A's and B's. Even so, I think most of us would cringe if we found out that 40 percent of our best students were not regularly reading the assigned material.

Tiffany F. Culver, and Linda W. Morse, (2010) most college students spend little time reading their texts. There's research to confirm that, but most of us don't need to look beyond our own classrooms for confirmation. In our case we sampled the undergraduates we teach and they reported that on average they spend 1.88 hours a week reading the required text. The hours reported by first-year students were even less--1.54 hours. Our upperclassmen, primarily educational psychology majors, reported a mean of 2.21 hours each week. These bleak findings caused us to start thinking about why students don't read the text.

Maryellen Weimer, (2010). In his work he has published a number of articles on students and college-level reading skills; more specifically, how we get students to devote the time and energy required to read college-level materials. Here's more on the topic from an excellent article that does a particularly good job of framing the issues. It also offers an assignment that develops reading skills. When given an assignment, some students feel they have met their obligation if they have forced their eyes to `touch' (in appropriate sequence) each word on the pages assigned. How can we entice students to read the material we assign, and how do we help them develop strategies for deep comprehension and retention of the material?

2.3.2 Study carried on mobile learning in Asian countries

According to Yousuf M Islam, Md. Shafiqul Alam, (2008). In their study on Virtual Interactive Classroom (VIC) using Mobile Technology at the

Bangladesh Open University; the objective was to test the effectiveness and viability of interactive television (TV) and mobile's Short Message Service (sms) classroom and explore the use of available and appropriate technologies to provide ICT enabled distance tuition. In this project, the mobile technology's sms along with perceived live telecast was used to create ideal classroom situation for distance learning through the Question Based Participation (QBP) technique. It wasfound from the study that this interactive virtual classroom significantly perform well in teaching than BOU video programmes (non interactive) which is used at present.

The Bangladesh Open University, (2010) conducted a study where the objective was to test the effectiveness and viability of interactive television (TV) and mobile's Short Message Service (sms) classroom and explore the use of available and appropriate technologies to provide ICT enabled distance tuition

Purpose: Evaluation of IMLIS for teaching contexts with diverse cultural background and in different school systems that have a different educational concept. Stating the potential for adaptation and extension.

Methods: Presentation, guided tours and discussion. Summing up at the end with the group writing a protocol.

Process: Presentation of IMLIS with a focus on the teacher portal. Discussion of their experience with respect to interactive functionalities and classification by criteria.

Results: The teachers stated that IMLIS supports much necessary Functionality that might be used in their lessons. Of course, the system should be translated; also the technology infrastructure should be supported by the school. They understood the use and could imagine how it could support learning, knowledge and skill training.

Participants: 3 Teachers

Location: Noavaran Institute - Tehran, Iran Date: 31.03.2010

According to Qiyao Zhu ,Wentao Guo ,Yan Hu, (2012) in their study on Mobile learning in higher education: Students' acceptance of mobile learning in three top Chinese universities where the objectives was to test the proposed Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) in explaining students' acceptance in three top Chinese universities. The goal of this work is to enhance the understanding of user acceptance of incorporating learning into mobile device inside and outside classes.

As method, A deductive, theory-testing approach was used in this study. Eleven hypotheses were built based on a literature review and on the proposed TAM model, and were tested using primary data and literature review. Primary data was gathered via semi-structured interviews and questionnaires. The data collected through the questionnaire was analysed by Structural Equation Modelling.

As findings, through testing the proposed model, the authors found that students are positive towards mobile learning but they do not have a strong willingness to adopt it. The proposed TAM model can improve the understanding of students' motivation by suggesting what factors are the most important in enhancing students' acceptance of mobile learning.

2.3.3 Study carried on mobile learning in Europeans countries

Saeed Zare(2010) Intelligent Mobile Learning Interaction System (IMLIS) A Personalized Learning System for People with Mental Disabilities, Bremen university. This study focused on three aspects: 1) A contribution to the empowerment of the mentally disabled, 2) Findings on understanding the media specification of mobile technologies, and 3) The combination of the mobile technologies with the needs of the disabled based on personalization. The personalization model in this study has three stages:

The first stage is a profile and ongoing monitoring of the learner activities, whereby the system adapts itself to learner behaviour and current ability level. This adaptation is modelled according traditional learning whereby teachers focus on adapting and supporting learners. In this case, personalization serves as an empowering assistant or support system.

The second stage is where IMLIS identifies the incorrect content metadata in the system and suggests appropriate metadata and usage level. For example if learners are asked the same question 30 times and 95% of the total results are incorrect, this indicates that the question is not tagged with appropriate metadata.

Therefore, the system sends an automatic message to teachers via teacher portal to improve the metadata and usage level.

The third stage offers teacher interventions and learning process planning in teacher portal; learners receive lessons and content that challenge them according to their own profile which is developed and completed by the sequential use of the system. The 3D learning progress curve helps teachers to recognize the weaknesses and potential abilities required to strengthen the learning process.

http://www.mlearn.org/mlearn2002/ the workshop is for researchers and practitioners in industry and education with an interest in developing new approaches to mobile and contextual learning. This includes the design of new technology and software for mobile learning, as well as research and development in technology-supported informal and lifelong learning. A central aim of the workshop is to broaden the horizons of mobile learning, to explore possibilities for experiential learning, personal learning projects, on the job learning, and just-in-time learning. 

It will also provide a showcase for new learning technologies and solutions, including wearable learning devices, learning organizers, and multimedia content delivery to handheld devices.

. http://www.mlearn.org/mlearn2003/indexa2ce.html?section=1 m-Learning and MOBIlearn, two mobile learning projects supported by the European Commission, are collaborating to organize MLEARN 2003 in London, UK. A similar event will be held in 2004 in Rome, Italy.

The conference will bring together people who are interested in developing opportunities, systems and materials for learning with mobile and wireless handheld devices. Speakers and delegates will include practitioners, designers of learning materials, hardware and software technology developers, and researchers. This is an opportunity to find out what is going on now in learning with mobile devices and to share ideas and experiences!

2.3.4 Study carried on mobile learning in American countries

Purpose: Learning from another culture of inclusive classroom. Focusing on personalized teaching practice. Analysing how teachers with a different background deal with abilities, restrictions and needs. Recognizing possible options for a broader model of personalized learning. Analysing how these teachers prepare specialized material for each individual's need.

Methods: Discussion with a group of teachers. Video clip analyzing.

Process: Visit a group of teachers and discuss with them their experience and practice and how their school system works.

Results: Personalization is important. The need of autonomous exercises and training is highly valued and is seen as an opportunity to develop a certain self-determined learning practice.

Participants: 6 Teachers + 2 Supervisors

Location: Northwestern University - Chicago, USA

Date: 11.06.2008

According to Mohamed Ally, (2009) The mobile learning community may nevertheless need the authority and credibility of some conceptual base. Such a base would provide the starting point for evaluation methodologies grounded in the unique attributes of mobile learning. Attempts to develop the conceptualizations and evaluation of mobile learning, however, must recognize that mobile learning is essentially personal, contextual, and situated; this means it is «noisy,» which is problematic both for definition and for evaluation.

According to Mohamed Ally, (2009) The use of wireless, mobile, portable, and handheld devices are gradually increasing and diversifying across every sector of education, and across both the developed and developing worlds. It is gradually moving from small-scale, short-term trials to larger more sustained and blended deployment. Recent publications, projects, and trials are drawn upon to explore the possible future and nature of mobile education.

According to Mohamed Ally, (2009) Mobile learning has growing visibility and significance in higher education, as evidenced by the following phenomena: First, there is the growing size and frequency of dedicated conferences, seminars, and workshops, both in the United Kingdom and internationally. The first of the series, MLEARN 2002 in Birmingham, was followed by MLEARN 2003 in London (with

more than two hundred delegates from thirteen countries), MLEARN 2004 in Rome in July 2004, MLEARN 2005 in Cape Town in October 2005, MLEARN 2006 in Banff, Alberta in November 2006, and MLEARN 2007 in Melbourne, Australia. Another dedicated event, the International Workshop on Mobile and Wireless Technologies in Education (WMTE 2002), sponsored by IEEE, took place in Sweden in August 2002 ( http://lttf.ieee.org/wmte2002/). The second WMTE (http://lttf.ieee.org/wmte2003/) was held at National Central University in Taiwan in March 2004, the third in Japan in 2005, and a fourth in Athens in 2006. Both these series report buoyant attendance. There are also a growing number of national and international workshops.

The June 2002 national workshop in Telford on mobile learning in the computing discipline attracted sixty delegates from UK higher education ( http://www.ics.ltsn.ac.uk/events).

The National Workshop and Tutorial on Handheld Computers in Universities and Colleges at Telford (http://www.e-innovationcentre.co.uk/eic_event.htm ) on June 11, 2004, and subsequent events on January 12, 2005 and November 4, 2005 (http://www.aidtech.wlv.ac.uk) all attracted over ninety delegates. The International Association for Development of the Information Society (IADIS) (www.IADIS.org) now runs a conference series, the frst taking place in Malta in 2005, the second in Dublin in 2006, and the third in Lisbon in 2007. Secondly, there have also been a rising number of references to mobile learning at generalist academic conferences; for example, the Association for Learning Technology conference (ALT-C) every September in the UK ( http://www.alt.ac.uk).

According to Paul W. Williams(2009) in his study on Assessing Mobile Learning Effectiveness and Acceptance, where The purpose of this study was to assess Mobile Learning (M-Learning) effectiveness vis-à-vis Face-to-Face Learning and to determine the extent to which students used and accepted the M-Learning education delivery methodology. People who want an education, but the traditional method of driving to a campus and sitting in class just doesn't work for them. The study was guided by the following research questions: 1. Is the M-Learning Mode of Delivery (MOD) more or less effective than FTF?

What are the factors that influence the acceptance and use of M-Learning?

The findings were as highlighted here: Participants in the Control group (Face-to-Face) outperformed Treatment group participants (M-Learning) on both of two quizzes administered during the study. Face-to- Face participants performed significantly better (9 %) in average performance than MLearning participants on the first quiz (p=.000; Adjusted R2 =.106). Similarly, Face-to- Face participants significantly outperformed M-Learning Mode of Delivery participants by 7% (p=.010; Adjusted R2=.052) on the second quiz. The average increase in performance across both quizzes was 8%.

Other than mode of delivery (Face-to-Face or M-Learning), the factors that influenced the acceptance and use of M-Learning were not determined; UTAUT, adapted specifically to measure M-Learning acceptance and use, did not provide as much insight into the M-Learning environment as it had when applied to other technology contexts.

According to Megan K. Foti, Jomayra Mendez, (2014). In their study on Mobile Learning: How Students Use Mobile Devices to Support Learning, their objective was to investigate whether mobile devices are currently used to enhance or support learning in a graduate level Occupational Therapy program in order to facilitate student achievement. Forty six participants were administered a questionnaire containing Likert scale items and open-ended questions to obtain information regarding frequency and quality of mobile device use among students. The findings indicate that students are using their mobile devices to enhance learning outside of the classroom.

2.4. CONCCLUSION

The related literature review has been made in this chapter to make a deep understanding of our topic entitled «Mobile learning contribution on college students' assignments with faculty support.» Related reading in India and abroad should be seen in this part.