ChapterPDF Available

Mobile Applications for Math Education – How Should They Be Done?

March 2015

In book: Mobile Learning and Mathematics. Foundations, Design, and Case Studies. (pp.22-30)
Publisher: Routledge
Editors: Helen Crompton, John Traxler

Authors:

Graz University of Technology

Math education in elementary schools is a necessity. In this publication we introduce different math applications for iPhone and iPad developed by students at Graz University of Technology. Both, the technical as well as the pedagogical strategy of these apps are described. Furthermore, a close look at the HCI guidelines are taken and finally enhanced with some crucial facts that in principle an app is able to serve as a learning app for elementary school children. It can be summarized that the successful use of math apps in classroom is more than just a playing with the first app that comes along; it is about a careful design of a didactical approach based on an appropriate learning strategy.

BubbleMath and Super 1*1

…

Figures - uploaded by Martin Ebner

Content may be subject to copyright.

Content uploaded by Martin Ebner

Content may be subject to copyright.

Draft – originally published in: Ebner, M. (2015) Mobile Learning and Mathematics. Foundations,

Design, and Case Studies. Crompton, H., Traxler, J. (ed.). Routledge. New York and London. pp. 20.32

Mobile Applications for Math Education – How Should

They Be Done?

Martin Ebner

Department Social Learning, Information Technology Services, Graz University of

Technology, Graz, Austria, martin.ebner@tugraz.at

Abstract. Math education in elementary schools is a necessity. In this

publication we introduce different math applications for iPhone and iPad

developed by students at Graz University of Technology. Both, the technical as

well as the pedagogical strategy of these apps are described. Furthermore, a

close look at the HCI guidelines are taken and finally enhanced with some

crucial facts that in principle an app is able to serve as a learning app for

elementary school children. It can be summarized that the successful use of

math apps in classroom is more than just a playing with the first app that comes

along; it is about a careful design of a didactical approach based on an

appropriate learning strategy.

Keywords: Interaction design, HCI, e-Learning, iPhone, app, learning, game-

based learning

1. Introduction

Looking back over the last 15 years an impressive technological progress has taken

place. On the one side the so-called Web 2.0 (O’Reilly, 2007) enriched our way of

dealing with the World Wide Web; we changed our roles from Internet consumers to

producers (Ebner & Nagler, 2010). With the help of weblogs, wikis, and even social

networks (Ebner, 2013) the way we work and learn (Downes, 2005; Ebner, 2007)

differs considerably from the time before Web 2.0. On the other side new (mobile)

devices were invented and spread the world in a remarkable way and within a

remarkable short time frame. These powerful technologies have made it to the pockets

of our today´s society for the first time; even school children in the age of ten (JIM

Study, 2013; Ebner et al, 2013) own a personal smartphone.

All this led to the famous A3 advantages of e-learning as already proposed in the

1990s – anytime, anywhere, and anybody (Salmon, 2002). The main problem of this

expression was that anytime and anywhere, which was referred to Personal

Computers (PC) with Internet connection, did not work simply because Internet

connections as well as PCs were very statically operating at that time. A learner had

to be on-site to receive all offered learning contents. Furthermore the pre-smartphone

period was dominated by mobile phones without a multi-touch interface, a bad

usability, and mostly no Internet connection. It can be stated that the first research

work in mobile learning done in the early 2000 (Göth, 2004; Taylor, 2006) was not

widely accepted, because of missing technological possibilities.

At least since Apple has placed its iPhone at the market and Google offered its

more open mobile operating system Android mobile learning has become a more

effective learning scenario characterized by the following three crucial factors (Ally et

al, 2014):

• Communication: We are able to communicate about learning content and

our learning processes (e.g. with the use of social media)

• Interaction: We are able to interact with learning content just in time (e.g.

podcasts).

• Applications: We are able to learn with a broad variety of different

applications for numerous learning problems.

In this publication different math applications are introduced according to the

needs of elementary school children in the age of 5-10. From a technical perspective

the developed apps strongly differ from each other; also from a pedagogical

perspective these apps are following different teaching and learning strategies. The

research work aims to ask whether and to what extend math apps can help to improve

the learning and teaching behavior in classrooms of elementary schools. The

introduced apps must be seen as first prototypes implemented following a predefined

didactical approach. Consequently the carried out evaluation is a proof-of-concept

from a technical point of view as well as the apps are working as intended.

2. Theoretical Background

Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) has a long tradition in mobile

application development with a special focus on iPhone development (Ebner et al,

2010). Since 2010 a lecture at the university focusing this subject instructs on average

50 students / year in order to let them build their own mobile application. The

programmed apps have a strong relationship to education especially for young

elementary school children. Due to the fact that math, especially addition, subtraction,

and the multiplication table are one of the most important learning objectives a

number of different apps has been developed on basic arithmetical operation.

Bearing in mind the Apple Definition Statement (ADS)

{your differentiator} {your solution} for {your audience}

and according to the iPad Human Interface Guidelines (2011, 2012) an application

is built for a specific target group. In the broadest sense the target group in our case is

“the learner"; in the strict sense it focuses on school children - to be exact – on

elementary school children. Of course, the official HCI-Guidelines from Apple do not

hold any didactical hints for how to create an adequate app for children; therefore a

research study has been carried out aiming to answer this question (Huber & Ebner,

2013). Huber (2011) also taught the first class in Austria’s elementary school where

school children got an iPad for learning purposes for free. She collected practical

experiences and summarized her results as a proposal about the way such HCI

guidelines must be enhanced in case an application addresses learning aims and is

built for to be used by school children. In this context, the following issues should be

taken into account:

• Aim to support all orientations

• Flatten your information hierarchy

• Add physically and heightened realism: Real life graphics to make user

comfortable

• Multi-touch gestures: Performance of more certain actions

• File handling: Problem of the differences to other PC-based operating

systems

• Keyboards: Use the hidden features (e.g. keyboard separation)

The research study (Huber & Ebner, 2013) concluded with the suggestion that “a

beautiful, intuitive and convincing graphical user interface adds to positive feelings”

of our school children.

3. IPhone Applications

In this chapter all different types of math apps are described which have been

developed by TU Graz for iPhone or iPad over the last four years. Please be sure that

each category addresses its own purpose. In relation to the ADS each category has

even its own differentiator. Finally, from the viewpoint of teaching and learning

strategy each category also has its own learning strategy.

Category 1: Stand-Alone-Learning-Apps

The first category is from both technical and pedagogical perspective the simplest

one. A stand-alone application is just a so-called native app, which is programmed for

a specific mobile operating system and is only able to run on that one. Furthermore, it

is also supposed that the app did not need any registration or date-exchange with a

server on the World Wide Web. In other words, there is no Internet connection

necessary to run the app and it can be really done anywhere and anytime if the mobile

device is available.

From a pedagogical perspective such apps assist self-directed learning. There have

been many further approaches since Diesterweg (1873), Montessori (1909), or Otto

(1914). Nevertheless, the main focus on self-directed learning began with Knowles

(1975) and his definition (Knowles, 1975, p. 18) “Self-directed learning is a process

in which the individual take the initiative, with or without the help of others, in

diagnosing their learning needs, formulating learning goals, identifying human and

material resources, for learning strategies, and evaluation learning outcomes …”. The

learners can use such applications to strengthen their knowledge on a specific topic

without further instructions; they decide it completely on their own. On the other side

instructors have no chance to follow the learning process; they simply get no

information about the performance of the learners.

Exactly for this purpose two mobile iPhone apps with a strong focus on math were

programmed at TU Graz (figure 1):

1. MatheZoo: This app is just a first possibility to get in touch with math. Its

goal is to educate children in the age of 5-6 about the first basic

calculation. The used numbers just range from 1-10. With the assistance

of a high-end graphics the app helps the child to learn addition and

subtraction. The story behind the app is that there is a zoo and in each

station of the zoo the learner have to solve a little math problem.

2. iLearn+: Similar to MatheZoo this app is also for young children who are

doing their first mathematical steps. The storyboard addresses a space

environment where children have to add nicely visualized planets and

stars to each other. Three different levels represent the difficulty of the

calculation as well as the used range of numbers. There is also no high

score implemented, just small graphical feedback.

Both apps have in common that they are just for training and self-determined

learning. There is no high score or similar kind of reputation schema. Also,

both apps end after finishing the provided levels.

Figure 1 MatheZoo and iLearn+

Category 2: Game-Based-Learning-Apps

This category is about learning through gaming. Game based Learning (GBL) is

very similar to Problem Based Learning (PBL), wherein different problem scenarios

are placed within a play framework (Barrows & Tablyn, 1980). Due to the fact that

games in general include many characteristics of problem solving (e.g. an unknown

outcome, multiple paths to a goal, construction of a problem context etc.) and also add

the elements of competition and chance, it can be stated that there is a huge potential

for learning (Zechner & Ebner, 2011; Hannak et al, 2012), more detailed for

incidental learning. Furthermore, already in 1980 Malone summarized three essential

characteristics for computer games in order to answer the question of what makes a

computer application enjoyable to work with: challenge, fantasy, and curiosity.

The problem of games in recent years was that they were very expensive to

program but the education sector only put aside less money for it. Since 2010

fortunately a “new” approach hit the market called Gamification. Deterding et al.

(2012. p. 10) stated that gamification can be defined as “video games [which] are

designed with the primary purpose of entertainment, and since they can demonstrably

motivate users to engage with them with unparalleled intensity and duration, game

elements should be able to make other, non-game products and services more

enjoyable and engaging as well”.

In other words, with the help of mobile technologies learning games distributed as

apps should be seen as an essential possibility for education. Bearing the theoretical

background in mind three game-based-learning apps were programmed by TU Graz

according to this category (figure 2 and figure 3):

1. iBubbleMath: This game was developed with the goal to learn the

multiplication table. It is therefore best for children in the age of 6-9.

There are two different modes: a training mode and a contest mode. The

story behind is that you are in the sea in different surroundings; when you

finish the game you become a specific character of the sea. This motivates

the children to play it again.

2. MatheFindIt: This game is just a digital variant of the well-known game

Memory. You have to find the right pair of a number and its related

calculation, e.g. 7 and 4+3. The game rewards the learner by presenting

him/her a picture after finishing one set. The picture´s themes are

adequate for preschool children and beginners. Both, the background of

the cards as well as the difficulty (represented by the range of numbers)

are selectable.

3. Super 1*1: This game corresponds to the gaming classification of Jump &

Run. Children in the age of 6-9 have to move forward their avatar through

a level full of barriers and enemies. On their way they have to find the

right solution to a given simple multiplication to finish the level and to get

points for the high score.

Figure 2 iBubbleMath and Super 1*1

Figure 3 MathFindIt

Category 3: Collaborative-Apps

The next category of math apps aims to promote collaborative learning. The goal

of collaborative learning is to assist teaching through a coordinated and shared

activity, by means of social interactions among the group members (Dillenbourg,

1999). Cooperative and collaborative peer learning has been frequently seen as a

stimulus for cognitive development, through its capacity to stimulate social

interaction and learning among the members of a group. Also Vgotsky (1978)

mentioned that social interactions are essential to achieve the desired learning.

So far a collaborative learning approach has been represented by the connection of

a learner with another learner. But if also the mobile devices are added to the

collaborative scenario, the collaboration not only connects people but also their

devices with each other. From a technical perspective this is just the idea of using

WiFi or Bluetooth to exchange data between different mobile phones.

As example of this category, the connection of devices to foster collaboration, the

following two apps were developed:

1. MatheBingo (figure 4): This app follows the idea of a classic Bingo

game. One device in the middle serves as the Bingo table where a

calculation in a predefined range of numbers is presented (e.g. 17+21).

Up to four devices can be connected to that table and serve as Bingo

cards. On each card 16 different numbers are displayed. If a learner finds

the right solution on his/her device he/she can simply mark it. The game

ends when one of the connected cards holds 4 marked numbers in a row.

Afterwards a new round can be started.

2. MathePairs: This app is more or less the same as the described app

MathFindIt. There is just one little difference: the memory cards are

distributed to two connected devices. Of course, one device holds the

calculation and one device the related solution. So the two learners are

forced to collaborate and talk with each other.

Figure 4 Collaborative App MatheBingo

Category 4: Learning-Analytics-Apps

The last category of math apps should overcome the lack of providing feedback to

the teacher. When instructor teacher educates a number of learners, he/she has to take

care about their learning progress regardless to the media used, However, any

collected data about their learning process can help the teacher to understand the

process in a broader view and therefore better. This is the goal of the research field of

learning analytics. Phil Long and George Siemens (2011) stated, learning analytics

can be seen as the mergence of big data and their interpretation to enhance the

didactical possibilities of teachers. From a technical perspective this means that

learners provide data through their devices, such will be sent to a server, interpreted,

and used for further statistical analyses. The teacher itself monitors the learning

process on a separate screen. The teacher knows at any time whether an obvious

problem has occurred or everything is running smoothly. Due to the fact that more

and more data is collected the analyses turn more and more accurate and can also be

used to recommend follow up calculations or even predict/disclose a general learning

problem (Ebner & Schön, 2013).

The developed app of this category, collecting and interpreting learners’ data, is the

so-called “1*1 Trainer” (figure 5). After a registration the learner gets examples of the

multiplication table. The provided example depends on the current learning stage of

the learner, which is computed in real time. Each single finished calculation is sent

back to the server and saved in the database. On base of this database entries teachers

are displayed an overall look at their class in general or a detailed one at each single

child. If failures are accumulated over a certain time period it will be highlighted by a

traffic light analogy.

Figure 5 1*1 Trainer

4. Discussion

Bearing the introduced HCI guidelines for children in mind and as a result of our

experiences in the field of math education with elementary school children, the

following issues have to be taken into account first:

• Language: One major problem of the already existing apps in the common

stores is the language in use. Especially for young children who have very

low reading competencies the native language is a necessary precondition.

From a technical point of view this results either in an own app for each

country-specific store or a multilingual app (language to be changed in the

preferences).

• Design vs. text: Because of the low reading competencies the visualizations

within the app should replace textual parts as much as possible. For

example, MatheZoo or MahthFindIt are only using design elements

without any text. Each single interaction can be done with visual

representations using gestures.

• Highscore: Due to the fact that children in the age of 5-10 mostly are not

enjoying the representation of their results in numbers (Huber, 2012) it

would be better to avoid high scores in game-based-learning apps or a

connection to the game center (which would allow a competition with

players all over the world) Young learners should be rewarded be

graphical add-ons, e.g. a new avatar or a nice picture.

• Target group: Bearing in mind the ADS it turned out that the target group is

essential for the whole app development. In primary math education the

provided range of numbers must be very seriously taken into account to

avoid frustrations on learner’s side.

• Convincing usability: Usability with a strong focus on children needs is the

key factor for the success in the process of app development. All observed

children quickly became used to work with those apps or learned the

handling within minutes. This intuitive comprehension must be picked up

by the apps´ visual interface.

Finally, the introduced apps were tested and used firstly in numerous schools

(Huber, 2011; Frühwirth, 2013; Schönhart, 2013) from a technical as well as a

pedagogical side. As one result it can be pointed out that first of all teachers have to

choose the appropriate learning strategy respectively their educational setting. If

children should do a kind of training, than maybe the self-directed learning approach

is the best. According to table 1 apps of the category 1 and 2 should be chosen.

Incidental Learning or informal learning is claiming an app of category 2 or 3.

Collaborative learning simply needs an app that supports collaboration through the

connection of the devices while working or learning on the same issue. Apps assisting

the teacher by providing detailed analyses are generally independent from the chosen

learning strategy; it is useful in any case. Nevertheless, the quality of the statistical

analyses depends on the provided data and how precisely it can be assigned to a single

learner (e.g. in the field of collaboration it is hard to address the results to single

learners).

Self-directed

Learning

Incidental

Learning

Collaborative

Learning

Analytics

Category 1

Category 2

Category 3

Category 4

Table 1 Learning Strategy vs. App-Category

5. Conclusion

In this publication different math apps are introduced. Both, the technical as well

as the pedagogical perspective of these apps are described. It can be summarized that

the use of any apps strongly follows a learning and therefore also a teaching strategy.

Most of the apps available in related stores1 can be categorized as stand-alone-

learning- or game-based-learning-applications aiming to assist a self-directed learning

strategy.

Apps for collaborative learning scenarios are quite rare so far due to their more

complex programming efforts and necessary environment to run it. On the other side,

the learning outcome is indeed promising, because the gaming environment and the

communication about the learning problem of the learners as well as the collaboration

through devices is a very powerful combination (Kienleitner, 2014). Finally it was

shown that educators of course need feedback and an overview about the learning

progresses of their students. This feedback can be provided by smart learning

analytics setups. On base of collected data from learners´ activities an intelligent

analysis helps to find recommended learning outcomes. The research field of

Learning Analytics is a very new one. First attempts (Ebner et al, 2012) point out that

new insights in and details about the learning progress can be discovered, even for the

basic math education in elementary schools.

At first glance it can be concluded that the introduced apps worked as intended at

first glance. Further research studies will be necessary to investigate the improvement

of the learners’ outcomes in more detail.

References

Ally, M., Grimus, M., Ebner, M. (2014) Preparing teachers for a mobile world, to improve

access to education. Prospectus. 2014. Springer Netherlands. p. 1-17

Barrows, H. S., & Tamblyn, R. M. (1980). Problem-based learning: an approach to medical

education (Springer series on medical education). New York: Springer.

Deterding, S.; Khaled, R.; Nacke, L. E. & Dixon, D. (2012) From Game Design Elements to

Gamefulness: Defining “Gamification”. In: MindTrek’11, September 28-30, 2011, Tampere,

Finland, 9-15.

Diesterweg, A. (1873). Diesterweg’s Wegweiser zur Bildung für deutsche Lehrer. Band 1: Das

Allgemeine. Essen.

Dillenbourg, P. (1999). Introduction: What do you mean by collaborative learning”? In P.

Dillenbourg (Ed.), Collaborative Learning: Cognitive and Computational Approaches, pp. 1-

19. Oxford, UK: Elsevier.

Downes, S. (2005). E-Learning 2.0. ACM eLearn Magazine, October 2005(10)

Ebner, M (2007) E-Learning 2.0 = e-Learning 1.0 + Web 2.0?, in: The Second International

Conference on Availiability, Reliability and Security, ARES 2007, IEEE, S. 1235-1239,

ISBN 0-7695-2775-2

Ebner, M; Nagler, W. (2010) Has Web2.0 reached the educated top?, Journal of Applied

Computing, Vol. 6, Nr. 2, p. 27-37, ISSN: 2179-2518

Ebner, M.; Kolbitsch, J.; Stickel, C. (2010) iPhone / iPad Human Interface Design. - in:

Human-Computer Interaction in Work & Learning, Life & Leisure, S. 489 - 492

Schön, M., Ebner, M., Kothmeier, G. (2012) It's Just About Learning the Multiplication Table,

In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Learning Analytics and Knowledge

(LAK '12), Simon Buckingham Shum, Dragan Gasevic, and Rebecca Ferguson (Eds.).

ACM, New York, NY, USA, 73-81

1 http://drippler.com/updates/share/best-maths-apps-children-iphone-ipad-and-android-apps-

kids-0 (last accessed January 2014)

Ebner, M. (2013). The Influence of Twitter on the Academic Environment. Patrut, B., Patrut,

M., Cmeciu, C. (ed.). Social Media and the New Academic Environment: Pedagogical

Challenges. IGI Global. 2013. pp. 293-307

Ebner, M., Schön, M. (2013) Why Learning Analytics in Primary Education Matters!,Bulletin

of the Technical Committee on Learning Technology, Karagiannidis, C. & Graf, S (Ed.),

Volume 15, Issue 2, April 2013, p. 14-17

Ebner, M., Nagler, W. & Schön, M. (2013). “Architecture Students Hate Twitter and Love

Dropbox” or Does the Field of Study Correlates with Web 2.0 Behavior?. In Proceedings of

World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications 2013

(pp. 43-53). Chesapeake, VA: AACE.

Frühwirth, A. (2013) Innovativer Technologieeinsatz im Musikunterricht, Masterthesis at Graz

University of Technology.

Göth, C., Hass U.P., Schwabe, G. (2004) Requirements for mobile learning games shown on a

mobile game prototype. In: Proceedings of the MLearn, Rome, 95-100

Hannak, C., Pilz, M. & Ebner, M. (2012). Fun - A Prerequisite for Learning Games. In

Proceedings of World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and

Telecommunications 2012 (pp. 1292-1299). Chesapeake, VA: AACE.

Huber, S. (2012) iPads in the Classroom, Masterthesis at Graz University of Technology, Book

on Demand GmbH., Norderstedt, German, Retrieved January 2014, from: http://itug.eu

Huber, S. (2011) iPads in Schools - Blessing or Curse?, unpublished term paper at Graz

University of Technology

Huber, S., & Ebner, M. (2013). iPad Human Interface Guidelines for M-Learning. In Z.L.

Berge and L.Y. Muilenburg (Eds.), Handbook of mobile learning. (pp. 318-328). New York:

Routledge

iOS Human Interface Guidelines (2012, January 06). Retrieved from

http://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#documentation/UserExperience/Conceptual/Mobile

HIG/Introduction/Introduction.html

iPad Human Interface Guidelines (2011, December 12). Retrieved from

http://www.scribd.com/doc/61285332/iPad-Human-Interface-Guideline

JIM Study (2013). JIM 2013, Jugend, Information, (Multi-)Media – Basisstudie zum

Medienumgang 12- bis 19-jähriger in Deutschland. Retrieved from:

http://www.mpfs.de/fileadmin/JIM-pdf13/JIMStudie2013.pdf [December 2013]

Kienleitner, B. (2014). A Contribution to Collaborative Learning Using iPads for School

Children. Master thesis at Graz University of Technology

Knowles, M. (1975). Self directed learning. Chicago: Follet.

Long, P., Siemens, G. (2011). Penetrating the Fog: Analytics in Learning and Education.

EDUCAUSE Review Magazine. Volume 46. 5. p. 31-40

Malone, T. W. (1980). What makes things fun to learn? Heuristics for designing instructional

computer games. In Proceedings of: 3rd ACM SIGSMALL symposium and the Wrst SIGPC

symposium on small systems (pp. 162–169).

Montessori, M. (1909). Selbsttätige Erziehung im frühen Kindesalter. Stuttgart: Hoffmann.

O’Reilly T.: What is Web 2.0? (2007) Design Patterns and Business Models for the Next

Generation Software, Communications & Strategies, No. 65, pp. 17—37

Otto, B. (1914). Die Zukunftsschule. Berlin: Scheffer.

Salmon, G. (2002), E-tivities. The Key To Active Online Learning London: Kogan Page

Schönhart, J. (2013) MatheBingo – Case Study in an elementary school, unpublished term

paper at Graz University of Technology

Taylor, J., Sharples, M., O’malley, C., Vavoula, G. (2006) Towards a task model for mobile

learning: a dialectical approach. In: International Journal of Learning Technology, 2006, 2

(2/3), pp. 138-158

Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes.

Cambridge, UK: Harvard University Press.

Zechner, J.; Ebner, M. (2011), Playing a Game in Civil Engineering, - in: 14th International

Conference on Interactive Collaborative Learning (ICL2011) ̶ 11th International Conference

Virtual University (vu'11), S. 417 - 422

Critical Categorization of Android and IOS Applications Available for STEAM Education in Early Childhood

Chapter

Sep 2020

Nowadays, children have their first experience of using a mobile device very early in their life (even under their 2nd year). Furthermore, STEAM in Early Childhood Education (ECE) draws more attention lately, while a lot of discussion is being made regarding the integration of mobile applications in educational settings, formal and informal. A very common concern of both educators and parents of children aged 4–6 years old is “what mobile applications are appropriate for the children?”. Especially focusing in STEAM education questions are raised regarding the corresponding competences’ cultivation for these ages and the availability of applications that can facilitate this process. Although the issue of examining available mobile applications is being dealt with for several years for older ages and other disciplinary areas (e.g. mathematics, language), there is not much work regarding STEAM mobile applications for 4–6 ages. A survey in both Android and IOS environments was carried out in order to record and attempt to categorize the existing mobile applications which fall under the STEAM umbrella, in order to gain perspective on what is available for in-classroom utilization in this regard.

Evaluating the Learning, Design and Engagement Value of Mobile Applications: The Mobile App Evaluation Scale

Conference Paper

Full-text available

Nov 2019

As of 2017, an estimated 750,000 apps were available in the domain of education. Consequently, teachers have a monumental task in evaluating and selecting effective educational apps to be used in their classrooms. A number of studies have proposed, discussed and examined frameworks or classification schemes for evaluating mobile apps, but to date, no studies have developed and tested a scale for evaluating the quality of educational mobile apps. The purpose of the current study was to develop a scale to evaluate the design (n=4 items), engagement (n=4 items) and learning value (n=5 items) of educational mobile apps. The scale was tested with 722 grade 7 to 10 students (female = 339, male = 382), 33 teachers (female=25, male=8), and 32 unique mobile apps focusing on mathematics and science. The analysis revealed that the Mobile App Evaluation Scale (MAES) demonstrated good internal reliability and construct validity for each of the three constructs. Limited support for convergent validity and predictive validity was observed.

A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW OF LEARNING APPS EVALUATION

Article

Full-text available

Feb 2023

Aim/Purpose The goal of this writing was not to promote any particular assessment tool. We aimed to critically explore the numerous assessment techniques that are accessible to app stakeholders with an emphasis on their strengths, shortcomings, and trustworthiness. We underline the importance of a relatively good and research-based tool that can readily assess the existing Learning Apps (LAs). Background A thorough and comprehensive literature review of LAs and their assessment tools was the primary goal of reporting the state of the art through this SLR (Systematic Literature Review) writing.

Using Some Mobile Applications for Teaching Mathematics During COVID-19 Pandemic Through Providing a Suitable Environment

Article

Full-text available

Dec 2021

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and other crises create problems for the normal teaching process in the class. In this case, alternate teaching techniques such as mobile applications are required for continuing the teaching and learning process. This research focuses on teaching mathematics in class 12 by using applications (available on mobiles, laptops, desk tops, iPads etc.), namely Phone, Viber, WhatsApp and Messenger so as to provide an appropriate teaching environment. Class 12 in Gawher Preparatory School (both scientific and literary branches) in Erbil City, Kurdistan Region-Iraq was selected for this study. The sample sizes for both scientific and literary branches during the academic year 2019-2020 were 31 and 53, respectively. Pre and post tests were administrated to check pupils’ achievements. Videos were prepared and uploaded to the teaching groups in Viber and Messenger. Suitable environments for teaching mathematics to class 12 were provided via direct communication, and questions and answers were provided. The results revealed that average scores for pre and post tests for the scientific branch were 20 % and 63.33 %, respectively; while for the literary branch were 17.5 % and 50.83 %, respectively. The mobile applications experimented with have led to the enhancement of the mathematics teaching process outside normal classes and particularly during the COVID-19 lockdown periods and crisis. Also, COVID-19 lockdowns decreased noise pollution, water consumption, production of wastewater, generation of solid waste, and expenditures at schools. Additionally, a number of problems, benefits, and recommendations have been outlined; for instance, providing internet and continuous electricity for schools, supplying mobile phones or laptops for pupils with reasonable prices, and running training courses for teachers and pupils are essential.

Touch Screen: An interactive platform to learn arithmetic concepts for hearing impaired children attending preschool: Case Study

Conference Paper

Full-text available

Jul 2019

Abstract: Technology is playing an important role in the field of education. The present study made an effort, to develop a mobile application and to explore the usefulness of technology in learning arithmetic skills on children with hearing impairment. Study included 10 participants in ages ranging from 2-6years, who were divided into 5 groups. Each group included 2 participants, one as experimental and another as control. The study was conducted across the groups using mobile application tool. Level 1 of the application tool included basic arithmetic concepts. It was designed, developed and validated before applying it on the children for field testing. The study revealed the positive impact of learning arithmetic concepts using touch screen mobile on children with bilateral severe hearing impairment. The activities attempted over a period of time kept on increasing, which was depicted by the scores obtained. Customer satisfaction was high and the caregivers of these children were happy to try this innovative technological intervention using touch screen mobile application.

An Empirical Analysis of the Switching and Continued Use of Mobile Computing Applications: A Structural Equation Model

Chapter

Jul 2023

It has been determined that there is insufficient explanation for people switching and continuously using mobile computing applications. Knowing and being able to explain this behavior was regarded as essential and might be useful to both application developers and researchers, particularly in forecasting future behavior. The objective of this study was to model the determinants influencing switching and continued use of mobile computing applications using Cronbach’s alpha and confirmatory factor analysis. Data were collected from academics in South African universities through a survey using structured questionnaires. Cronbach’s alpha and confirmatory factor analysis were used for reliability and validity testing [19]. Five decision variables were supported as significant with Cronbach’s alpha and confirmatory factor analysis. Model significance and strength were assessed using SEM to estimate the model’s coefficients [8]. The variance of the dependent variable, “continue use,” was 38%, and switching behavior was 32% as a contribution to this study.KeywordsAcademicscontinued useswitching behaviormobile computing applications

Lehren und Lernen mit digitalen Medien - Nicht ob, sondern wie diese eingesetzt werden

Chapter

Oct 2022

Bernadette Spieler

Die Digitalisierung und der damit verbundene Wandel der Arbeitswelt erfordern vielfältige Kompetenzen: vom digitalen Gestalten über die Aneignung einer flexiblen und informatischen Denkweise bis hin zu einer Affinität zu Werkzeugen und Medien. Als (zukünftige) Lehrpersonen bedeutet dies, Technologien auf verschiedenen Ebenen, beispielsweise in der Vorbereitung, Recherche, Notensammlung oder bei der Erstellung von Unterrichtsmaterialien, einsetzen zu können sowie deren Einsatz und Nutzen eigenständig zu bewerten. Angebote zu konstruktiven und praxisorientierten Fort- und Weiterbildungen im Bereich der digitalen Medien und neuen Technologien sind daher eine Voraussetzung für eine zukunftsorientierte Hochschul- und Lehrer*innenbildung. Um Lehrende mit dem nötigen Rüstzeug für diese Art des Unterrichtens auszustatten, wurde an der Universität Hildesheim eine aus sechs Modulen bestehende Fortbildungsreihe "Lehren und Lernen mit digitalen Medien" konzipiert und im Zeitraum von Juni bis November 2020 online durchgeführt. Ziel dieser Fortbildungsreihe war es, Lehrende der Sekundarstufe I mit grundlegenden medienpädagogischen Kompetenzen auszustatten sowie die Themen rund um die einen digitalen Wandel und damit Bildung im Sinne einer nachhaltigen Entwicklung an Hochschule und Schule zu gestalten. Dieser Beitrag gibt einen Einblick in die einzelnen Fortbildungsmodule, Ergebnisse und Rückmeldungen aus den Modulen sowie eine kritische Bewertung der angewandten Lehr-/Lernkonzepte.

Analysis of Barriers and Incentives for the Introduction of Electric Vehicles in the Colombia Market

Chapter

Full-text available

Jul 2019

The entry of Colombia into the OECD, the acceptance of the Paris Agreement and the adoption of the Sustainable Development, is an evidence of the commitment of the country with the sustainability. A feature of sustainable cities is that through their public policy mitigation of greenhouse gases is guaranteed, which implies that their inhabitants use public transport in a greater proportion. To address the issue of pollution in the world, the introduction of electric vehicles has been stimulated.

Towards an Augmented Reality-Based Mobile Math Learning Game System

Chapter

Jul 2019

Learning math is critical in every student’s life. Even though math educators designed many teaching and learning approaches, students’ low passing rates indicate that they have not found an effective methodology for studying math. In this paper, we propose an interdisciplinary approach to help students learn mathematics during and after classes, practice mathematics exercises, and increase the readiness for taking the exams in mathematics. Specifically, we design an Augmented Reality (AR) and mobile game-based mathematical learning approach for students to improve learning outcomes. Through the game, students gain the interest in the concepts of math and, at the same time, they have ongoing practice on the concepts and have gained the experience of solving math problems. The portability characteristic of the mobile game enables students to learn whenever and wherever they would like. The entertainment characteristic of the mobile game boosts and maintains students’ interest in learning and practicing mathematics. The integration of text, graphics, video, and audio into a student’s real-time environment by AR provides a rich enhancement comparing to the traditional learning and teaching approaches. Blended with our educational gamification techniques and pedagogical methodologies, our game will increase student motivation towards preparing for math exams by being highly engaging, and students will enjoy the game to help prepare for exams. We will collect experimental results and students’ feedback from our experimental study and conduct quantitative and qualitative analysis and report our findings. Eventually, this research will be a valuable avenue for mathematics teachers, students, and parents.

Hacia Una Sociedad Educadora: Propuestas para el debate

Book

Full-text available

Jun 2017

La metodología MingaLibro (cuyo nombre incorpora el término “minga” que hace referencia al ambiente festivo de trabajo colaborativo, tradición precolombina cuyo término proviene del kichwa mink’a, definido por la Real Academia Española como: “reunión de amigos y vecinos para hacer algún trabajo gratuito en común”), en su primera edición da origen a este libro. El MingaLibro se concibe como un proceso intensivo de producción de conocimiento en el que, durante una semana, un grupo de participantes de diferentes sectores que comparten pasión y conocimiento por un tema trabaja para producir conjuntamente un producto de conocimiento que genere análisis y propuestas alrededor de una temática específica. En esta primera edición la reflexión se centró en los aprendizajes y desafíos de la política educativa en Ecuador. La política educativa en Ecuador actualmente enfrenta un momento clave puesto que en 2015 culminó la implementación del Plan Decenal de Educación (PDE) 2006-2015. Este plan, un instrumento de política pública que, a diferencia de lo que ha ocurrido en el Ecuador, logró sostener políticas públicas de largo plazo. Esto podría deberse en gran parte a su proceso de construcción participativa, a su aprobación en referendo, a los cambios en el contexto político y al mejoramiento de la capacidad técnica del Ministerio (Bellettini, Arellano & Espín, 2015). La semana de reflexión y trabajo en el MingaLibro incluyó el análisis de los avances en los últimos años en el marco del PDE 2006-2015; el alcance de los objetivos y las líneas propuestas por el nuevo PDE 2016-2025; y, el desarrollo de propuestas de política pública con alto potencial para transformar la educación en Ecuador. El MingaLibro, un esfuerzo colectivo de reflexión, aprendizaje y producción de conocimiento, busca ser un aporte a la política educativa que invita a un debate sobre cómo transformar la educación en el Ecuador y a actuar desde diferentes sectores para lograr esta tan necesaria transformación. Estamos convencidos de que haremos posible aquella educación que imaginamos únicamente si conjugamos la audacia de soñarla con la humildad de reconocer que sólo “en minga” se logra construir una sociedad mejor.

The Influence of Twitter on the Academic Environment

Chapter

Full-text available

Jan 2013

Martin Ebner

In the last few years, microblogging has become a phenomenon of our daily lives. Communicating, sharing media files, as well as acting on digital social communities platforms using mobile devices assist our everyday activities in a complete new way. Therefore, it is very reasonable that academic environments are influenced arbitrarily too. In this publication, different settings for the use of microblogging are pointed out - for teaching and learning as well as for further scientific purposes such as professional conferences. It can be summarized that there are different possibilities to use microblogging in an academic context; each of them are new advantages for the academic life. The publication gives a short overview and a first insight into the various ways to use microblogging.

Requirements for mobile learning games shown on a mobile game prototype

Article

Full-text available

Jan 2004

Mobile technologies offer the opportunity to embed learning in a natural environement. This paper describes the design of the MobileGame prototype. MobileGame explores the opportunities to support learning through an orientation game in a University setting.The paper first introduces the scenario and then describes the general architecture of the prototype. The second half of the paper focusses on requirements that have evolved during the design, implementation and testing of the prototype: Supporting work on the move poses difficult interface questions, the acuracy of current outdoor and indoor positioning systems is still problematic and the game requires near real-time response time. This requires a distribution of functionality and data between the server and the client and a careful design of the interface.The success of the game heavily depends on a motivating design of the game itself (i.e. the setup and its rules). A surprising number of user roles surface once the game is implemented in a natural enviroment.

A Contribution to Collaborative Learning Using iPads for School Children

Conference Paper

Full-text available

Nov 2014

Collaboration has a very positive effect on students’ learning experiences as well as their social interactions. Our research study aims towards enhancing the learning experience, stimulating communication and cooperative behavior to improve learning. Making use of recent technological advancements (tablets) and gaming as a motivational factor, a prototype application in form of a multiplayer learning game for iPads was designed and developed. In a face-to-face setting, connecting up to four devices, the players (learners) have to solve word puzzles in a collaborative way. Furthermore, a web-interface for teachers provides the possibility to create custom content as well as to receive feedback of the children’s performance. A first field study at two primary schools in Graz showed promising results for the learning behavior of school children.

Preparing teachers for a mobile world, to improve access to education

Article

Full-text available

Feb 2014

Recent statistics on the use of mobile technology proclaim that the world is becoming mobile. People use their phones to socialize, to conduct business, to search for information, and more. For the first time in history, people around the world have the potential to learn from any location at their own convenience. But first, education systems must change, to facilitate mobile access to education. As this article describes, the most important change will be training teachers, both in pre-service programmes and through professional development, to use the technology to design and deliver education and to create bridges to informal learning. The article also describes some projects around the world that are helping to prepare teachers for the mobile world, and some pilot projects using the technology. Most such research, however, is limited to short-term studies focusing on learners’ satisfaction with mobile learning. Future studies must consider its long-term benefits and its impacts on performance and retention. As mobile technologies emerge, teachers have to keep up with the changes so that they can take advantage of the power of the technology to design and deliver education.

Penetrating the Fog: Analytics in Learning and Education

Article

Full-text available

Jan 2011

Nell’era di Internet, delle tecnologie mobili e dell’istruzione aperta, la necessità di interventi per migliorare l’efficienza e la qualità dell’istruzione superiore è diventata pressante. I big data e il Learning Analytics possono contribuire a condurre questi interventi, e a ridisegnare il futuro dell’istruzione superiore. Basare le decisioni su dati e sulle evidenze empiriche sembra incredibilmente ovvio. Tuttavia, l’istruzione superiore, un campo che raccoglie una quantità enorme di dati sui propri “clienti”, è stata tradizionalmente inefficiente nell’utilizzo dei dati, spesso operando con notevole ritardo nell’analizzarli, pur essendo questi immediatamente disponibili. In questo articolo, viene evidenziato il valore delle tecniche di analisi dei dati per l’istruzione superiore, e presentato un modello di sviluppo per i dati legati all’apprendimento. Ovviamente, l’apprendimento è un fenomeno complesso, e la sua descrizione attraverso strumenti di analisi non è semplice; pertanto, l’articolo presenta anche le principali problematiche etiche e pedagogiche connesse all’utilizzo delle tecniche di analisi dei dati in ambito educativo. Cionondimeno, il Learning Analytics può penetrare la nebbia di incertezza che avvolge il futuro dell’istruzione superiore, e rendere più evidente come allocare le risorse, come sviluppare vantaggi competitivi e, soprattutto, come migliorare la qualità e il valore dell’esperienza di apprendimento.

Why Learning Analytics for Primary Education Matters!

Article

Full-text available

Apr 2013

The ubiquitous availability of applications enables us to offer students opportunities to test and train competences in almost every situation. At Graz University of Technolgy two apps for testing competences in multiplication are developed. They estimate the competence level of every user and adapt to their individual development in this domain. They collect a lot of data during a longer period, which could be used on further research. In the foreground they give feedback in a compact and clearly arranged way to the single student and the teachers of classes. But furthermore the analysis of the data during a longer term showed us, that the process of testing and giving feedback has also an positive effect on learning. We emphasize that this quality in supporting the students could not be achieved by human teachers. Information Technology and Learning Analytics gives them a wider radius to perceive specific behavior and establishes their capacity for storing and processing all the relevant data.

It's just about learning the multiplication table

Conference Paper

Full-text available

Apr 2012

One of the first and basic mathematical knowledge of school children is the multiplication table. At the age of 8 to 10 each child has to learn by training step by step, or more scientifically, by using a behavioristic learning concept. Due to this fact it can be mentioned that we know very well about the pedagogical approach, but on the other side there is rather less knowledge about the increase of step-by-step knowledge of the school children. In this publication we present some data documenting the fluctuation in the process of acquiring the multiplication tables. We report the development of an algorithm which is able to adapt the given tasks out of a given pool to unknown pupils. For this purpose a web-based application for learning the multiplication table was developed and then tested by children. Afterwards so-called learning curves of each child were drawn and analyzed by the research team as well as teachers carrying out interesting outcomes. Learning itself is maybe not as predictable as we know from pedagogical experiences, it is a very individualized process of the learners themselves. It can be summarized that the algorithm itself as well as the learning curves are very useful for studying the learning success. Therefore it can be concluded that learning analytics will become an important step for teachers and learners of tomorrow.

Fun-A Prerequisite for Learning Games

Conference Paper

Full-text available