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Incorporating new literacies in designing a mobile learning application for secondary/middle school students

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Abstract

This paper examines the incorporation of new literacies to an adapted framework by Parsons et al. in Journal of Computers, 2(4), 1-8, (2007) to design mobile learning applications for “Elements of Business Skills (EBS)” for a group of lower academic ability secondary school learners in Singapore. Accounts of the actual process of designing a mobile learning application for teaching and learning are used to consider factors in incorporating new literacies into the modified mobile learning design framework based on mobile learning design principles. The suggested framework incorporating mobile learning and new literacies looks at the interaction dimension, individual learning needs and collective learning for mobile learning through these four perspectives: generic mobile environment issues, learning contexts, learning experiences, and learning objectives. The accounts of the app development process highlight how new literacies come into play when enhancing learning through blending text, sound and imagery, and how app users underscore the importance of mobility and ubiquity for anywhere and anytime continuous, on-the-go learning in terms of the dimensions of new literacies. This paper contributes to the ever evolving and dynamic field of designing future mobile learning systems for the twenty-first century, in a new seamless learning environment.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the teachers and students who took part in this study and the Center for Research and Innovation, @ NTUitive, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, for the pro bono use of the app.

Funding

This study (AFD 03/16 KNK) was funded by the Ministry of Education (MOE), Education Research Funding Program, National Institute of Education (NIE), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (OER 07/15). The views expressed in this paper are the authors’ and do not necessarily represent the views of the host institution.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, 1 Nanyang Walk, Singapore, 637616, Singapore

    Chiew Hong Ng

  2. Curtin University, Singapore, Singapore

    Noi Keng Koh

  3. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Hua Loon Ling

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  1. Chiew Hong Ng
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Correspondence to Chiew Hong Ng.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (IRB-2017-05-014-01) and Ministry of Education, Singapore (RP 23–17(09).

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Appendix 1

Appendix 1

Sample FGD interviews

FGD 1 interviewer: Does this application make you feel more motivated to learn more about EBS? How?

Student 1: I actually do feel motivated, uhm because, because uh the application can also help me example with I'm doing a business and I need my notes and I don't know what I must do. Uh I can just look at the application and I would know what to do.

FGD 1 interviewer: How can this application be further improved for all EBS students in Singapore?

Student 2: The app can be improved by maybe with uhm...maybe student who doesn't have internet...so they could use it without WiFi or internet, it can be accessible by every student.

Sample teacher interviews

Interviewer: Any suggestions about how it can be more user-friendly?

Teacher 1: I think the app on the phone is fine, but it's the part where the teachers input their questions that's a bit, because I have tried before a couple of times to key in the questions, but it's not so user-friendly.

Interviewer: Does the app or the delivery platform help in the engagement?

Teacher 2: It builds confidence in the sense that, you see I don't know my answer right? hold one ah...(showing on app) And for EBS kids especially, the thing is, you need them to write the right answers, and they are not good with writing.

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Ng, C.H., Koh, N.K. & Ling, H.L. Incorporating new literacies in designing a mobile learning application for secondary/middle school students. Educ Inf Technol 26, 1485–1504 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-020-10314-0

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