Relationship between Sciences and Education Lecturers’ Perceived Use of Mobile Technologies for Instruction

The COVID-19 pandemic led to quarantines and mandatory spatial distancing; people of all ages were encouraged to use technologies instead of actual human contact as part of COVID-19 prevention. The promotion of mobile applications (apps) during the pandemic influenced mobile technology use behavior. This study explored age differences in mobile technology use during the COVID-19 pandemic. A pilot-tested survey was distributed using online survey software. Persons surveyed were 35 years of age or older, currently living in the United States of America with experience using mobile technology. Survey questions pertained to mobile technology use frequency and factors influencing the decision to use mobile technology. The nationwide response included 1212 individuals. The average age of participants is 56.12±12.26 years old (female: male = 1.24:1). Responses were categorized participants into three age groups, 35 to 49, 50 to 64, and 65 or older. Daily mobile technology use frequency increased significantly (p<0.01) for all groups during the COVID-19 pandemic, with participants 35 to 49 having a significantly higher (p<0.01) use frequency than other groups. Regarding factors influencing the decision to use mobile technology, 64.1% of respondents aged 50 to 64 identified the necessity of using this technology during the pandemic as a significant factor, and 64.0% of participants in age 65 or older reported that the availability of functions on mobile devices is critical. Overall, the COVID-19 pandemic led to a significant increase in mobile technology use with people in different age groups differentially valuing the factors that affected their user behavior.

With over 6 billion people having an internet connected mobile device (UNESCO), m-learning has established a solid basis for its implementation worldwide. To become truly successful in this activity, m-learning needs motivated students who use mobile technologies in their educational activities on a daily basis. Since students present a large group of users highly exposed to mobile technologies, it is expected that their views and actual use of mobile technologies in their education will influence the direction of further developments of m-learning positively. One of the recent theories which is related to the acceptance of mobile technologies is the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT). In this paper, this theory is applied in understanding of acceptance and use of mobile technologies by students for further advancement of m-learning. This paper presents the results of an explorative study of the students at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, at the University of Zagreb, Croatia about acceptance mobile technologies and m-learning. The results of this study would help in further development of m-learning at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.

There are many theories that attempt to explain second language acquisition processes and factors determining success or failure. Despite a lack of general agreement between proponents of these theories, research has convincingly shown that the amount of exposure to target language input is one important predictor of ultimate achievement levels. „Time on task‟ is as important in language learning as it is in many other domains (cf. Reber, 1993) and it is therefore important to identify ways in which this can be increased. An obvious possibility is to encourage learners to engage with (and in) the language outside the classroom. Informal learning, in the sense of learning outside of formal education, has been shown to be a major aspect of adult learning (Cross, 2007) and, given appropriate preparation and support, learners can greatly increase opportunities for learning if they can do so independently. Mobile technologies have obvious potential in this regard. However, is it possible to improve language skills in this way? In this article we report on an exploratory study into the use of cellphones for extensive listening practice. We used input enhancement to draw learners‟ attention to not only the meaning of the materials but also the formal (grammatical) aspects of the input. We found that the use of mobile technology presented a number of challenges and in this study did not result in learners acquiring the target structures. We conclude with a number of recommendations for the use and future study of mobile technologies for (language) learning.

PurposeMobile technologies have become indispensable in sales. However, there is a lack of agreement about whether mobile technology use facilitates the sales job or contributes to the salesperson’s stress and reduced job satisfaction. To address this controversy, this study aims to examine the effect of mobile technology use (smartphones, laptop computers and tablets) on salespeople’s role stress and job satisfaction.Design/methodology/approachHypotheses are tested using responses of 265 sales employees working for a broad range of industries in Spain.FindingsThis study shows that mobile technology use during working hours has a positive effect on job satisfaction through a mediating process that involves role stress. In addition, the impact of mobile technology use on role stress is strengthened by technological compatibility.Originality/valueThe current study extends previous research by moving beyond a focus on technology-centric outcomes (i.e. sales performance) to understanding broader, more psychological outcomes, namely, role stress and job satisfaction. Importantly, previous research reporting that salespeople feel “plugged in” to a device all day have not made the distinction about when the mobile device is used. One important difference in this study is that it exclusively focuses on mobile technology use during working hours.

BackgroundMobile communication technologies provide novel opportunities to support clinic-based health initiatives. Adoption of technologies for daily use and for health communication can differ between communities, depending upon demographic and cultural characteristics.Design and methodsA survey was administered in adolescent primary care and subspecialty clinics to assess parent-adolescent preferences in use of mobile technologies and social media to support provider-patient communication in an urban Latino community.ResultsOf 130 respondents (65 parent-adolescent pairs), approximately half frequently sent and received text messages but lacked agreement regarding the other’s text messaging use. In contrast, adolescents only rarely used email compared to parents (15.4% versus 37.5%, P=0.006). Of social media, Facebook™/MySpace™ was most frequently used by parents and youth (60% and 55.4%, P=0.59); however, most lacked interest in using social media for health communication. Parents reported more interest than adolescents in receiving email (73.4% versus 35.9%, P<0.001) and text messages (58.5% versus 33.9%, P=0.005) for health, but had more concerns about privacy issues (26.2% versus 9.2%, P=0.01). Respondents who were American born (aOR 5.7, 95%CI 1.2-28.5) or regularly used Instant Messaging or Facebook™/MySpace™ (aOR 4.6, 95%CI 1.4-14.7) were more likely to be interested in using social media for health communication.ConclusionsThese findings underscore the importance of targeted assessment for planning the utilization of communication technologies and social media in clinical care or research for underserved youth.Significance for public healthCommunication technologies provide novel opportunities to support clinic-based health initiatives for underserved youth. However, adoption of technologies among communities may differ depending upon demographic and cultural characteristics. We surveyed a sample of urban Latino parents and youth regarding their current use of mobile and social media technologies and preferences for use of these technologies for health communication. This is the first study to compare the perspective of underserved parents and their youth regarding use of a wide variety of mobile and social communication technologies, concordance between youth-parent pairs in perceived use of texting and preferences for the purpose of health communication. Our findings differ from those from adults surveyed in other under-served communities, highlighting heterogeneity between communities. Variations in use of communication technologies and social media and preferences between parent-youth pairs suggest that understanding these factors within target populations is crucial for successful use to support health and health services.

Sheabutter processing and marketing is a major traditional enterprise among women in the Northern Ghana. The use of mobile technology has increased rapidly in many developing countries including Ghana. Looking at the unique marketing and other forms of transactions among women in the shea industry, it is essential for the industry to adopt mobile technology to ensure smooth transaction and market transformation. Mobile money technology adoption and shea butter marketing among women was studied by using cross-sectional survey data from Tolon District in Northern Ghana. A total of 250 women sheabutter processors and marketers in 13 communities in the district was selected randomly in 2022. The impact of mobile money technology adoption was analyzed using the Heckman Treatment model, and revealed that the adoption of mobile money technology had positive impact on sheabutter marketing. The factors influencing mobile technology adoption were also examined using the Probit model. The study recommends that expansion of mobile technology networks, increased investment in education, provision of credit facilities to processors can improve the sheabutter business. Women processors in rural communities should be trained on how to use mobile phones to access financial services by telecommunication companies and NGOs.

The objective was to appraise the current use of mobile technologies for the conservative self-management of urinary incontinence (UI). Moreover, we aimed to explore whether they integrate recommended features for the use of mobile technologies in healthcare and recognized parameters for optimal conservative UI treatment. We conducted a literature search on Medline, Embase, CINAHL, REHABDATA, Cochrane Library and PEDro databases. Eligible articles included people with UI of any type and use of a mobile technology for the conservative self-management of UI. Two reviewers independently screened, reviewed, and extracted data on study design, type of mobile technologies, valuable features, and outcomes related to UI. Twelve articles (level of evidence II to V) were retained. Technologies used were a mobile app alone (n = 2), a Pelvic Floor Muscle Training (PFMT) device and app (n = 2), a PFMT device and telerehabilitation (n = 1), a smartphone messaging system (n = 1), and an internet-based program (n = 1). PFMT programs prescribed a daily frequency for at least 8weeks. Between 1 and 4 valuable features were reported out of 6 identified. After intervention, at least 1 outcome on UI severity was reported improved in 6/7 studies, satisfaction was high in 3/3 studies and adherence was high (daily usage) in 4/5 studies. There is level 2 evidence that there are benefits of using mobile technologies in terms of improvements in UI, satisfaction, adherence, and costs. Mobile technologies reviewed seem to follow optimal PFMT parameters, but users could benefit further from more built-in features that may optimize rehabilitation outcomes.

There is growing evidence for the use of mobile health technology to support change in physical activity (PA) behaviour. However, studies in COPD have yielded mixed results, possibly because the contextual factors that characterise the use of mobile technology in COPD are not well understood. This study compared intrapersonal characteristics of patients with COPD who use mobile applications (apps) with those who do not. Patients with COPD were eligible if they used smartphones. They were surveyed about their use of mobile apps (any app beyond calls/texts apps), and specifically, apps for PA promotion and for COPD management, performed a 4.5m gait speed test and used an accelerometer (ActiGraph GT3X+) for 7 days. Chi-square, Mann-Whitney U and T-tests were used to compare sociodemographic (age, sex, marital status, education, occupation), health-related (FEV1pp, gait speed, CAT, mMRC, 6MWT) and PA (step count; time in sedentary, light, moderate and vigorous PA) characteristics between patients using and not using mobile apps. A total of 54 participants were enrolled (72% male; 67±8yrs; FEV1 48±18pp). 31/54 (57%) used mobile apps; from these, 15 (48%) used apps for PA promotion, 4 (13%) used apps for COPD management and 4 (13%) used both. Participants using mobile apps walked at a higher speed (Median [M] 1.49 [1.33-1.72] vs. M 1.31 [0.98-1.54]m/s; p=0.021) and spent more time in vigorous PA (M 0.49 [0.14-1.45] vs. M 0.12 [0.07-0.84]min/day; p=0.025) than those not using apps. No other differences were found. Patients with COPD using apps presented higher functionality and PA behaviours than those not using them. Future studies should investigate possible explanations for these findings to inform future mHealth apps.

Mobile technology is an integral part of today's modern world. In developed countries people use mobile technology (smartphones or tablets) every day. This fact is reflected in education where mobile technology has become a widely used digital tool. Much of the existing research has focused on the relationship between mobile technology and knowledge acquisition, specifically the effect mobile technology has on knowledge retention, students' imagination and motivation or the comprehensibility of the subject matter. Considering the scope of the existing studies, a question arises as to how mobile technology helps improve key competencies. Key competencies form the basis of modern education, and their development prepares the students for their professional and social life. Communicative competence is one of the main key competencies. The paper presents the design of a research project aimed at determining the effect of the targeted use of mobile technology on the development of students' communicative competence. The first part of the paper introduces the topic and provides theoretical background on key competencies and mobile technology in education. The next part of the paper focuses on the research outcomes. Research will be conducted through an educational experiment where the authors will be comparing the control and experimental group outputs. The control group will be developing its communicative competence through activities that have already been used in class. On the other hand, the experimental group will be using alternative methods where mobile technology plays a key role in developing communicative competence. In this paper the authors define the research questions, research objective and research hypotheses. It also focuses on the target group and the research time frame. Furthermore, the authors introduce the research tools that will be used to determine the level of students' communicative competence. The third chapter focuses on proposed activities for the control and experimental groups. In the final part of the paper, the authors introduce possible research risks and limitations, as well as future research possibilities.

The use of mobile technologies to enhance 21st century learning is increasing in K-12 schools and teacher education institutions. Thus, there is a need to effectively prepare preservice teachers to use mobile technologies in their future classrooms. This chapter explores the effective use of mobile technologies in teacher preparation in ways that are transferred to K-12 teaching and learning. It goes on to look at two major organizations: the university and partner school involved in the preparation of preservice teachers. Additionally, the purposes of incorporating information and communication technologies in teacher preparation as identified by Davis are explored to understand how mobile technologies align with these purposes. Common challenges of using mobile technologies in teacher preparation are also presented.

Infusing Mobile Technology into Undergraduate Courses for Effective Learning

Background The use of mHealth by primary health care providers is a unique opportunity to improve maternal and child health in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, few studies have examined the effects of primary health care providers’ knowledge and attitudes of mHealth for maternal and child health promotion in low-resource settings. Therefore, this study assesses the knowledge and attitudes of primary health care providers on the use of mobile technologies such as internet-enabled smartphones for maternal and child health services. Methods We used data from a cross-sectional study of seven urban local government areas in Lagos, Nigeria. A total of 518 primary health care providers were surveyed for information on the use of mobile technologies, attitudes, and actual use of mobile technologies for maternal and child health services. Data were analyzed using descriptive and multivariable linear and logistic regression models. Results Our study showed that smartphone ownership is not a predictor of high mHealth knowledge; however, having an internet-enabled smart phone was a strong predictor of higher knowledge of mHealth (regression coefficient, ß=1.20, 95% confidence interval, CI=0.61-1.79) among primary health care providers. Owning a smartphone (ß=1.00, 95% CI=0.12-1.89) and having internet-enabled phone (ß=1.14, 95% CI=0.18-2.10) were both predictors of positive mHealth attitude. Primary health care providers with higher scores on mHealth knowledge were 1.32 times more likely to use mHealth for maternal and child health services. Similarly, those with positive attitude towards mHealth were 1.15 times more likely to use mobile technology for maternal and child health services. Conclusion The results suggest the use of mHealth tools by primary health care providers to render maternal and child health services is affected by their knowledge and attitude towards mHealth. Interventions that focus on increasing mobile technologies with internet enabled devices like smartphones are needed to improve knowledge, attitudes, and use of mHealth in maternal and child health services.

The uses of internet through mobile phones and smart phones day by day. Digital technology has provided faster access to information. Today mobile phones are becoming an integral part of everyday life are changing the way one connects the words. Mobile technology are also explores the type of infrastructure required by the libraries for providing these services in libraries. The paper discusses on the need, advantages, applications for libraries and disadvantages etc. Use and application of mobile technology in libraries. Mobile application and lib services through mobile technology.

Business relationships have been studied for decades (Wilkinson, 2001). However, the literature has been criticized of the lack of focus on information technology (IT) usage within business relationships (Reid &amp; Plank, 2000). As managers have started to employ digital tools such as the Internet, intranets, and extranets, buyer-seller relationship scholars have realized the need to focus on IT deployment within relationships. There is a growing body of research that focuses on the different types of technologies being employed such as electronic data interchange (EDI) (Naudé, Holland, &amp; Sudbury, 2000), Internet-based EDI (Angeles, 2000), and extranet (Vlosky, Fontenot, &amp; Blalock, 2000) and their influence on business relationships. Nevertheless, mobile technology usage within business relationships is a nascent field of scientific inquiry. Besides buyer-seller relationship literature, mobile commerce (MC) (conducting commercial activities via mobile networks) literature also noticeably lacks academic research on business usage of mobile technology (Okazaki, 2005; Scornavacca, Barnes, &amp; Huff, 2005). By combining these indications for further research from the buyer-seller relationship and MC fields it can be argued that there is a clear call for research in this area. Hence, I aim to bridge some aspects of the identified research gap. The research gap is filled in by discussing bonding within buyer-seller relationships to illustrate how mobile technologies create a novel bond in business relationships. It is acknowledged that some research on the adoption of mobile technology in the business context exists (see e.g., Kadyté, 2005). The paper is organized as follows: First, a brief discussion of the background of business relationships, mobile technologies, and bonding is provided. Then, I highlight how mobile technologies are used within relationships with a case study. After that, future trends in this pertinent area are presented. The paper finishes with a concluding discussion.

In Indonesia, developing robust approaches to the community management of biosecurity includes making meaningful connections to small crop farmers across long distances. In the case of Australian Indigenous rangers, connections need to be made to tour guides whose places of work are spread across even greater distances. Clearly these connections are dependent on effective communication that values and links local knowledge, industry practice, scientific developments and policy directions. The rapid adoption of mobile technologies across urban, regional and remote communities worldwide has the potential to provide a communication network for previously isolated people around issues of common concern. This chapter discusses the use of mobile technologies and m-learning (mobile-learning) in a small farming community in West Timor, Indonesian and with Indigenous people in Northern Australia. The case studies examine the issues related to using mobile technologies and m-learning to engage community members and researchers in the community management of significant knowledge and its transfer between stakeholders. Finally, the potential of utilizing mobile technologies and m-learning in the community management of plant biosecurity is examined.