Introduction
Background
There is no doubt that the technological development has been occurring at an unprecedented scale over the past few years. The breakthrough that has been made so far is beyond fascinating; the discovery of new digital tools has allowed for the further evolution of a range of domains, including business, healthcare, education, and other areas.
Over the past few years, it is the provision of applications serving as the boost for numerous services’ provision that have received a lot of attention from media in the designated domains. Although phone apps are traditionally viewed as the source for entertainment or learning rather basic information such as weather at best, applications seem to have evolved to the point where they can be applied to the educational environment.
As the previous study of the subject matter has shown, the adoption of m-learning allows for addressing a range of issues that the traditional learning process implies (Alzaza & Yaakub, 2011); for instance, the learner is capable of accessing the required information and completing the tasks at any time (Várallyai et al., 2015). However, the approach under analysis also has its problems, the lack of the tutor’s guidance and leadership being the key one. In other words, when using m-tools as the key source of learning, students are deprived of an opportunity to be under the leadership of an expert educator, who will guide them through the complexities of the studying process.
Problem Statement
Despite the obvious advantages that the current m-technologies have and the unique qualities that they possess, they can be characterized by a single problem, i.e., the lack of the teacher’s guidance. While with e-learning, the presence of a tutor is nearly palpable, with m-tools, the learner is practically suggested to carry out self-directed learning. Similarly, M-learning does not invite numerous opportunities for students to work in a team so that they could develop the appropriate skills and be able to collaborate. Seeing how rarely important decisions are made individually in the business world and that cooperation is an essential element thereof, it can be assumed that the current m-tools block the learners’ way from developing the abilities above.
Research Hypothesis
Hypothesis A
The current concept of m-tools as the household strategy for implementing the teaching and learning process is flawed to a significant extent due to the lack of guidance and support from the tutor that it provides to the target denizens of the population.
Hypothesis B
The contemporary use of m-tools suggests that learners should be concerned primarily with the completion of individual tasks, whereas the aspect of teamwork is downplayed greatly for the most part. As a result, the students’ concept and understanding of teamwork and collaboration can be impaired, which is likely to have a deplorable effect on their further evolution as experts and their career in the contemporary business world.
Hypothesis C
The lack of feedback that the current concept of m-learning implies presupposes that teachers should be deprived of an opportunity to gain enough feedback from learners. Therefore, teachers will receive the information that will inform them on the adoption of particular strategies, the development of unique approaches, the identification of the individual issues that students may have, etc.
Hypothesis D
The flaws above regarding the lack of mentoring opportunities and the absence of connectivity between the participants of the academic conversation can be addressed with the help of a Skype-like application that would invite an opportunity for students to discuss important issues and share their opinions with each other and their teachers. As a result, a chance for an efficient analysis of the students’ feedback can be provided to the teachers, whereas the learners will be capable of acquiring and training communication skills that they will later on use in the business world and their personal lives. Particularly, the adoption of Skype-assisted consultations should be considered an option.
Significance
Although m-tools have recently become the buzzword of the education domain, very few teachers have an actual idea of how to adopt the designated sources so that they could help learners and at the same time should not impede the development of their essential skills. Herein the significance of the study lies; it will help subvert the current myths about m-tools, thus, preventing drastic negative outcomes from occurring. In addition, it is expected that the study will address the existing limitations thereof, such as the absence of leadership provided the teacher, the lack of interpersonal communication, the seeming impossibility to carry out teamwork-related activities, etc.
Methodology
The choice of the research design hinges on the research question heavily in the given situation. As the hypothesis state, there is a strong need to address the qualitative aspect of the m-tools adoption, i.e., the effects that the lack of leadership and collaboration has on students, as well as the instruments that can be used to address the specified flaw. However, to make sure that the outcomes of the tools adoption can be measurable and specific, one will have to incorporate a qualitative assessment of the current situation and the effects of the changes that the measures identified are going to have on it. Therefore, it is also imperative to incorporate the elements of a quantitative analysis in the study.
Qualitative Analysis
Collection
The qualitative analysis will be carried out to evaluate the changes in the student-student and student-teacher communication patterns. A set of ten questions will be provided for the learners and teachers to answer; i.e., an interview will be used as the primary data collection tool. The questions are going to be open-ended so that the possibility of research bias could be reduced to a minimum and that the answers to the questions could provide as much information as possible.
Interpretation
Coding will be adopted to process the information retrieved in the course of interviews and locate the issues that students and teachers may have developed when applying the specified innovations to the learning setting. It is suggested that the codes should incorporate not only the adverse manifestations of the m-tools usage but also the positive ones. Thus, a balanced analysis of the subject matter can be facilitated (see Table 5 for the list of codes and their identification). In other words, it is strongly recommended that the codes themselves should be neutral, whereas the information that they will help sort out will be analyzed as either positive or negative.
Table 5: Codes for the Qualitative Analysis
Quantitative Analysis
Collection
The quantitative analysis will help evaluate the extent, to which the application of m-tools has shaped the current higher education landscape in the target area. Particularly, the hypotheses regarding the lack of feedback as the key negative implication of the use of m-tools in the designated environment will be tested with the help of the specified research design. The quantification of results is essential in the specified case to see the extent, to which the problem has evolved, and to locate the urgency thereof.
Similarly, the lack of guidance, the inconsistency in the promotion of the cooperation strategies among the students, i.e., the communication issues, will also be viewed from the qualitative perspective to test the hypotheses under analysis and prove their veracity.
The quantitative analysis will be carried out with the help of a set of five questions embracing the issue and suggesting that the severity thereof should be assessed on a 5-point Likert scale. Apart from evaluating the aspects of their studies such as the communication between students and teachers, the feedback processing quality, and their acceptance of teamwork, the rates to which they engage in the use of m-technologies were suggested to indicate.
Interpretation
To carry out the quantitative analysis of the subject matter, one will have to consider the adoption of the Pearson correlation test. By definition, the specified test allows for an identification of relation between two variables considered in the study (Escarti, Wright, Pascual, & Gutiérrez, 2015). While the present research incorporates five variables (m-tools, teacher’s guidance/leadership, teamwork, feedback, and communication), the study can be viewed as the analysis of the correlation between the adoption of m-tools and each of the variables listed above. Therefore, four independent Pearson correlation tests will have to be carried out to test each of the four hypotheses and their veracity.
Variables
As it has been stressed above, the study is represented by four dependent variables, i.e., the quality of communication, the analysis of feedback, the use of teamwork, and the efficacy of the instructor’s guidance in the target setting. The application of m-tools to the target setting is the key independent variable.
Participants
Seeing that the specified research is a follow-up study to a previously written paper, it needs to embrace a larger amount of participants. Therefore, a sample collected from 382 randomly selected students from two local higher educational establishments was used in the research.
Informed Consent
A form to sign for providing informed consent was sent to each of the participants prior to conducting interviews with them. The given measure allowed for avoiding possible issues regarding the further use of information retrieved from interviewees in research. The students that were underage were suggested to have their parents or guardians sign the informed consent for them.
Data Collection
Semi-Structured Interviews
Definition
As it has been stressed above, interviews were used as the key tool for retrieving information. By definition, a semi-structured interview implies that the respondents are allowed to steer away from the conversation topic to discuss the related issues. Thus, the possible problems that the researchers are not yet aware of could be identified.
Application
The interviews were carried out with each student individually and presupposed that ten questions regarding the adoption of m-tools in the educational setting should be answered.
Data Analysis
The qualitative information was analyzed with the help of the coding technique, whereas the quantitative one was interpreted with the help of a Person correlation test.
Literature Review
M-Tools in the Educational Setting
Abstract
Background
The research addresses the concept of m-tools integration into the learning process from the perspective of learning engagement, feedback, and evaluation.
Purpose
The study aims at detecting the emergent issues in the application of m-tools in the learning environment.
Methods
The M-learning paradigm framework is utilized as the foundation for the methodology.
Findings
The research indicates that there is a strong need to increase awareness rates among students so that the successful promotion of m-tools such as iTunes, iPads, etc., should be incorporate into the learning environment successfully.
Conclusion
Tseng, Tang, and Morris (2016) make it clear that the current use of the allows for a rather precise measurement of the learners’ progress and, therefore, can be viewed as a solid foundation for the identification of the individual learning strategy definition. Moreover, when applied properly, m-tools may serve is the premises for developing concise and informative feedback.
Article Analysis
As the article details graphically, the current educational setting invites opportunities for concurrent learning strategies to incorporated into the educational process; particularly, the adoption of m-tools along with the rest of advances for teaching students is provided. Much to the credit of the researchers, they detail the characteristics of the tools in question in a meticulous manner, therefore, providing a thorough observation of the subject matter.
According to Tseng et al. (2016), the incorporation of m-tools in the HE setting permits the consistent and unrestrained access to the existing learning resources, therefore, promoting uninhibited knowledge and skills acquisition. The overall prognosis for the use of the tools in the designated area can be viewed as positive according to the scholars as it spurs productivity and academic enthusiasm among students (Várallyai et al., 2015).
The study also shows quite graphically that the use of m-tools suggests a prerequisite to building a model for their successful integration with the rest of the activities that the learners have to take part in the HE setting. As the framework under analysis shows, the incorporation of the designated model implies addressing some of the issues raised above, especially, the lack of communication when applying m-tools to the target environment.
One might argue that the specified information subverts the idea that the further promotion of m-tools creates the environment that can be viewed as threatening to the encouragement of collaboration, teamwork and receiving feedback.
However, a closer look at the applications used will display the lack of nonverbal elements of communication that serve as the foundation for the interpersonal communication among students and teachers in the contemporary educational setting. Therefore, on the one hand, the inclusion of m-tools may be interpreted as a successful endeavor at inviting more people for discussion and erasing cultural boundaries between the participants. On the other hand, however, the article shows that the further promotion of m-tools may make live interaction between the participants obsolete.
In fact, the study by Tseng et al. (2016) prompts an interesting solution to the identified problem. Seeing that the current m-tools are rather restricting in terms of live communication, the further study of their properties and the opportunities of making live interactions with the help of m-tools available should be considered the area to be explored. According to Tseng, there are solid pieces of evidence regarding the positive effects that m-tools have on the learning process.
While the devices identified in the article still need further improvement, such as the introduction of an opportunity for a live real-time communication online, they still serve as a decent foil for the academic development of a student. Therefore, the issues discussed must be considered a prerequisite to creating an even better m-learning environment, which will permit the redesign of the contemporary learning environment with the following transition into the m-learning realm and transferring the foundational characteristics of learning to the designated area.
Abstract
Background
The study by Zan was completed in a very specific environment of the organic chemical compound learning.
Purpose
The study was aimed at determining the effects of m-tools usage in the specified setting.
Methods
The author used a combined method of qualitative and quantitative data analysis.
Findings
According to the study outcomes, the usage of m-tools and the related technological advances allowed for a rapid increase in the experimental group, whereas the score of the control group dropped by a significant total of 2.32. The specified results point to the need for a proper adoption of m-tools in the educational setting.
Conclusion
The study points to the necessity to implement the teaching approach based on encouraging students to apply the corresponding m-tools such as mobile applications to the process of learning.
Article Analysis
Much like Tseng et al., Zan (2015) makes it rather clear that the promotion of m-tools allows for a rapid increase in students’ competency rates. Moreover, Zan makes it quite apparent that most students learning in the contemporary educational environment are capable of using the corresponding tools efficiently; therefore, awareness rates are rather high in most HE institutions in relation to the m-devices usage.
M-Tools Awareness
Abstract
Background
Jung addresses the issue of improving the strategies that are currently used for teaching English to ESL.
Purpose
The aim of the study is to identify the effects that the adoption of m-tools has on the students’ understanding of the material, the communication process, etc.
Methods
A qualitative approach is used to locate the effects of m-learning in the designated environment.
Findings
The research results display the necessity to incorporate m-tools into the learning process once the proper teaching strategy is created and the correct leadership approach is identified.
Conclusion
Although the authors provide an all-embracive analysis of the issue, quantification of the results would be desirable.
Article Analysis
Similarly to the previous authors, Jung (2015) applauds to the usage of m-tools as the foundation for improving the current educational process in the HE environment. In fact, Jung (2015) subverts some of the statements made in the specified paper by claiming that the adoption of mobile applications allows for an increased rate of connectivity. Specifically, nearly instant responses to the contributions can be made by every single participant of the learning routine: “Sharing is almost instant among everyone using the same content, which leads other users to respond with immediate feedback and tips” (Jung, 2015, p. 222).
While the specified argument is quite legitimate, though, the quality of the feedback retrieved in the process, and the ability of the learners to digest it immediately, processing several responses (i.e., the ones of their peers and the ones of their teachers) can be viewed as dubious. Indeed, the author also confesses that the RAMs of the devices under analysis are very small and, hence, do not allow for retaining the required data for a long time period.
As a result, m-tools should be viewed as an excellent means of training the newly acquired skills, yet they need to be improved. These improvements include the data storage option and the integration of nonverbal communication elements with the help of cameras, recording options, etc., so that the participants could retrieve the necessary feedback within a relatively short amount of time.
Raising Students’ Awareness
Abstract
Background
The research was made to address the recent issue regarding the adoption of M-learning tools in the contemporary educational environment.
Purpose
The study was conducted to locate the rates of students’ awareness concerning the use of m-tools in the HE environment.
Methods
The study can be deemed as mixed as a combination of a qualitative study and statistical analysis were used.
Findings
Most of the participants declared that they possess an m-tool and that they use it for studying purposes regularly. Moreover, most of the participants (141 people, or approx. 57%) claimed that they have been using the phone and its applications successfully for at least five years.
Conclusion
The adoption of m-tools in the context of the HE learning is essential to the overall performance and knowledge acquisition among students.
The research mentioned above indicates that, for the most part, students in the HE environment are perfectly aware of the opportunities that m-tools, in general, and educational applications, in particular, have to offer to them. Therefore, enhancing the learners’ enthusiasm should be viewed as the priority of educators at present (Eren, 2015).
A closer look at the awareness issues that can be spotted in the contemporary educational environment will reveal that the learners are confused not about the use of applications but about the way in which these applications can be related to the knowledge and skills acquisition. In other words, students need an instructional design on the actual usage of the corresponding apps, the identification of useful m-tools, and the further integration thereof in the process of knowledge acquisition and skills training.
Effects of M-Tools
Positive
As the study conducted by Mai (2015) outlines, there are a few opportunities that the adoption of the m-tools in the higher educational setting provides. With a solid methodology and a fitting analysis of the data retrieved, the study has proven that the current awareness rates as far as the use of M-devices is concerned are very high for a decent reason. Particularly, the accessibility and usability of the learning materials, as well as the ease in training the required skills deserve to be mentioned as the obvious benefits of the subject matter. The specified characteristics are especially important in the HE setting, where the speed of data processing and the delivery of the response define the performance of a student (Mai, 2015).
Negative
Unfortunately, not all effects of the use of m-tools can be viewed as positive; some of them can be described as adverse and even hindering the promotion of the learning process among students. The distraction aspect is, perhaps, the most notorious one when it comes to defining the issues that may emerge as a result of m-tools application. A recent study points to the fact that there are a few issues regarding the provision of guidance to the students as well as feedback from the learners and the tutors.
It is quite remarkable that the article in question while applauding to the general idea of using m-tools as the means of educating students consistently disregarding their location or time that they access the corresponding educational facilities, the author also outlines the foundational problems of the subject matter. Specifically, the fact that the tools in question do not allow for retrieving learner-specific assistance from the instructor and, therefore, may prevent the development of a unique learning pattern in the student, needs to be brought up.
The following features are characteristic of the M-learning process: “5. ‘Situatedness’ of instructional activities 6. Integration of instructional content” (Mai, 2015, p. 189). While the aspects in question cannot be deemed as entirely negative, they still outline the fact that the teacher cannot reach every student individually with the help of m-tools is rather evident.
Hindrances in M-Tools Usage
As it has been stressed above, the issues regarding the responsiveness of the learning process participants, in general, and the instructions received from the tutor along with the teachers’ feedback deserve to be listed among the essential concerns to be addressed when developing a sustainable approach to the use of m-tools in the HE setting.
Apart from the aforementioned issues, the problem regarding fostering teamwork qualities among students has to be brought up as one of the foundational flaws of the m-tools usage. The incorporation of the designated approach into the learning routine does not eliminate the opportunity for interactions between learners, as well as their involvement in academic projects. However, the prevalence of m-tools in the HE setting triggers an immediate reduction in the cooperation rates among the participants, a recent study shows (Tseng et al., 2016).
The identified problem is likely to have drastic implications for the overall progress of learners as far as their academic and professional development is concerned (Mohammed & Sadiq, 2015). There is no secret that business operations and decisions are rarely made individually in the contemporary economic environment (Buitendag, Hattingh, & Hains, 2015). The creation of the global economy concept has defined the tendency for organizations to work as a team.
Means to Overcome the Obstacles
Studies show that, while being able to cause drastic consequences, m-tools still can be successfully incorporated into the learning process as long as efficient leadership tools are included in the learning process and the presence of a strong leader is provided. By building the environment, in which teamwork and communication become a part and parcel of the learners’ academic experience, and educator is likely to avoid the negative effects that the promotion of m-tools may trigger.
Moreover, with the application of the strategies above, a tutor is likely to derive a variety of benefits from the use of the target tools. IIn addition, the communication and negotiation issues, which seem to be the cause of the greatest concern in the designated setting, can be addressed by fostering the concept of academic and professional responsibility in learners.
Analysis
The qualitative analysis described above implies that the number of issues listed in Figure 1 should be calculated and that their occurrences should be identified based on the responses of the participants. According to the students’ responses, there is a strong prevalence of complaints concerning the quality of communication between students and teachers; particularly, the overall density of the issue (2 to 3) makes the subject matter rather topical.
In order to carry out the quantitative analysis, the current interview outcomes were compared to the ones retrieved in the course of the previous study. The number of positive and negative responses received in regard to the quality of communication between the students and the teacher and among the students, as well as the characteristics such as the positive attitude toward cooperation, the retrieval of the necessary instructions, and the overall lack of teacher’s guidance was calculated.
As a result, it was possible to identify whether the current m-awareness rates among the participants are high and whether there are any emergent problems in the promotion of the specified tools among the target denizens of the population.
According to the outcomes of the Pearson correlation test conducted to identify the alterations in the number of students, who use m-tools in their studies, and the reasons that they use the designated tools for, points quite clearly that there is a positive correlation between the two factors involved. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that the M-awareness rates among the target denizen of the population have grown significantly.
Table 1. Pearson Correlation Analysis: Teamwork, Feedback, and Communication.
The study has also shown several rather unexpected results and, therefore, helped identify certain complexities that would have passed unnoticed otherwise. For instance, the interviews have pointed clearly to the fact that a range of students seem to have developed issues with solving tasks that require speed and accuracy.
The specified problem can be viewed as the exact outcome of the lack of feedback provided by the tutors Indeed, the use of m-tools does not allow for retrieving a long and profound analysis of one’s work; instead, the response is restricted to several cliff notes that the students are supposed to interpret based on their own understanding of the subject matter.
It would be wrong to claim that the research outcomes have only returned negative results for the current use of m-tools in the educational setting. One must give credit to where it belongs and mention the fact that the interview has indicated a strong tendency for self-directed learning. In other words, in contrast to the traditional concept of a student, who is headed in the right direction being persuaded by their teachers, the present-day student learning in the higher education environment knows exactly where they are headed and what course they are going to take for the most part.
Similarly, the test provided above (Pearson correlation) suggests that the current ratio between the students concerned with the communication- and feedback-related issues is rather high. Therefore, it is essential that the leadership strategy aimed at togetherness of the participants is required.
Results Discussion
Current Awareness Rates
As the results of the qualitative data evaluation have shown, the current awareness rates among the target population are rather high (85%). Therefore, the administration of the assignments based on the use of m-tools can be viewed as an opportunity in the designated environment.
Implications
The study outcomes make it quite obvious that the students are ready for the incorporation of m-tools in the learning environment yet the present-day strategies used by the teachers to include the approach in question in the HE realm need polishing.
Increasing Awareness
The review of the existing literature on the subject matter and the qualitative research outcomes indicate that the students are aware of the benefits that m-tools have to offer to them as learners. Moreover, the study has shown that a range of students use the innovations under analysis eagerly and do not need to be reminded of their positive aspects.
Negative Effects and Their Implications
As the coding of the interview recordings has shown, an impressive amount of students are experiencing difficulties in adjusting to the use of m-tools in the target environment despite ample knowledge of their use. Particularly, of 98%, who are capable of using applications, 34% reported that they feel unmotivated to excel in their studies once the latter are transferred to the environment of an application.
A quantitative analysis of the subject matter also indicates that there are grave issues that need to be addressed when considering the incorporation of the specified tool into the realm of education; particularly, 75% of students have shown that they could use more detailed instructions and more accurate feedback from their academic leader than the one received in the course of using the applications.
As far as the issue of teamwork is concerned, 82% of learners reported that they preferred carrying out individual tasks, which can be interpreted as a powerful incentive to introduce the concept of cooperation into the designated area. Indeed, the fact that more than four-fifths of the participants have little to no concept about the significance of teamwork shows that the further promotion of apps needs to be done in a more elaborate manner so that their communication skills should not be damaged in the process.
The outcomes of the statistical analysis carried out above also point to the fact that there is an evident correlation between the usage of m-tools and the drop in the quality of the communication process. Which is even more thought-provoking, the results concern not only communication among students but also the conversations between learners and educators.
Particularly, the correlation analysis indicates that the increase in the instances of m-tools application is in a direct proportion to the increase in complaints concerning the quality of communication. To be more exact, the correlation test conducted above points quite graphically to the fact that, when promoted in a thoughtless and mechanical manner, the usage of m-tools may not only fail to enhance the learning process but also hamper it significantly.
The Pearson correlation between the need for better guidance and the incorporation of m-tools into the learning process shows clearly that the phenomenon under analysis needs to be addressed in a manner as efficient and expeditious as possible.
Indeed, the fact that the correlation between the reduction in the students’ interest in teamwork and the subsequent drop in their need and interest for receiving feedback from their instructors points graphically to the fact that the incorporation of m-tools into the educational setting has served as not only the booster for knowledge acquisition but also as the factor that has inhibited the process of cooperation among learners along with the reduction in the feedback quality.
The two variables mentioned above, in fact, may have a connection. It can be assumed that the lack of feedback and instructions received from the teacher, i.e., a nearly complete absence of guidance from the educational leader, may have contributed to learners’ unwillingness to attain academic success as a group. Becoming disinterested in their progress due to the absence of response, they turn unwilling to participate in class projects.
Another issue to pay attention to, the connection between the rates of dissatisfaction in the communication between the learners and the instructors deserves to be brought up. Based on the outcomes of the Pearson correlation test provided above, the ratio between the factors identified has reached 0.33. While the given index cannot be interpreted as meaningful enough to draw a strong correlation between the specified factors, it is still considerably higher than the lowest estimate possible, which means that there is a solid chance for a connection between the variables under analysis.
The communication issue, in its turn, has very solidd ties with the feedback concerns identified. The reason for the specified problem to exist, in fact, are rather basic – as it has been stressed in the literature review above, while offering a range of opportunities, the designated tools still serve as significant constraints in the live communication process and, therefore, prevent people from developing their communication and negotiation skills to the required degree.
The same can be said about the conversation problem; particularly, the drop in the quality and consistency of communication between the students and the teachers along with the misconceptions and the lack of concord among students aligns with the adoption of the corresponding m-tools. The outcomes of the quantitative analysis point directly to the need to address the specified issue.
Therefore, based on the outcomes of the tests carried out above, one may assume that the promotion of m-tools in the environment of the higher education has been rather successful and has clearly brought tangible results, yet it has also posed a variety of constraints on the participants involved. Primarily, the communication issue has been impaired significantly. The given outcomes align with the speculations made in the literature review and point to the fact that the incorporation of m-tools requires a more careful and responsible approach from both students and teachers.
Detailing the current problem, one must mention that the incorporation of m-tools into the HE learning process should not be viewed as a substitute to live discussions and conversations with the participants. Moreover, additional measures for improving the quality of the HE process for the students that are forced to complete the courses distantly need to be introduced so that they could receive enough feedback from the tutors and converse with peers efficiently.
Addressing the Issues
It would be wrong to assume that the use of m-tools should be reconsidered as a teaching strategy in the HE educational setting; quite on the contrary, as the overview of the existing literature has shown, the designated approach can be defined as very positive in terms of saving students’ and teachers’ time and allowing the former acquire knowledge within a relatively short amount of time. Particularly, flexibility can be viewed as the essential advantage of m-tools.
However, the incorporation of these strategies into the HE realm requires an elaborate leadership approach that could prevent the development of the aforementioned concerns. The adoption of a different leadership strategy that will help enhance the growth of motivation rates among the students, therefore, can be viewed as the most reasonable step to make.
Recommendations
Seeing that the lack of guidance, support, and feedback from the teacher, as well as the poor quality of communication and cooperation among students, are the essential complaints received regarding the introduction of m-tools in the HE realm, the application of the leadership strategy that will help motivate students for a change in their communication patterns and the development of a more responsible approach can be viewed as an option.
In addition, it is strongly advised that m-tools should be viewed only as supplementary devices and not the foundation for the development of a teaching strategy in the HE environment. Seeing that nonverbal communication is nearly impossible in the specified setting, the use of the applications similar to Skype and other types of software allowing for the elements of nonverbal communication should be suggested as the foundational measures for addressing the problem identified.
There is no doubt that the incorporation of m-tools into the learning process is bound to trigger a range of positive outcomes for students and teachers alike as far as performance rates and flexibility are concerned. m-tools should to be positioned as the key to distanced education and an excellent opportunity for people all over the world to acquire up-to-date knowledge and skills, thus, improving their competency. However, these skills should not come at the cost of their communication abilities and their understanding of the teamwork significance. Consequently, it is essential that students should be guided through the inclusion of m-tools into the learning process.
Reference List
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