Mobile Devices for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

Early in 2011 the School of Civil Engineering and Geosciences (CEG) introduced the PEARL project: Pioneering Education: Advanced Resource for Learning to recognize the need to innovate the delivery of teaching material. It aimed to closer align with developments in student's interest and approach to learning. The modernisation of teaching methods was recognised as essential to help foster the development of new pedagogical approaches and to improve the student experience. Initially, the PEARL project researched into the delivery and distribution of electronic-only teaching materials via mobile devices, principally tablet computers and their way of integration into a HE establishment as a main medium to access lecture handouts etc. Since the AY 2012/2013 all incoming students to the CEG have been provided with an Android based tablet to enable them to access T&L material on a 24/7 basis. The use of mobile devices in higher education has eased with the development of mobile device friendly teaching support apps, such as Blackboard Mobile, Recap, Responseware and the Newcastle University app to access the timetable, maps, library and PC availability across the Newcastle University campus With the developments of mobile devices over the last three years, the suitability of such devices has improved and students have accepted the devices and confirmed that it enhances their university experience. It will show how the students learning has changed using mobile devices and that the need for the paper handouts is not required anymore to facilitate the students learning. Furthermore the paper describes the student perception of using tablets and discusses issues and concerns based on the change of the teaching delivery. It analysis several student questionnaires to understand how students accepted and adopted the mobile devices. It confirmed that mobile devices and e-learning have become central to the students learning and their peer-support structure.