Exploring the Role of Mobile Technologies in the Transformation of Learning Environments

Subject Areas : Qualitative Research

Fatemeh Gudarzi ¹ , Alireza Sadeghi ² , Mostafa Ghaderi ³ , Hasan Maleki ⁴ , Gholamreza Yadegarzadeh ⁵

1 - PhD Student in Curriculum Studies, Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Allameh Tabatabai University, Tehran, Iran.
2 - Associate Professor, Department of Curriculum Studies, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Allameh Tabatabai University, Tehran, Iran.
3 - Associate Professor, Department of Curriculum Studies, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Allameh Tabatabai University, Tehran, Iran.
4 - Full Professor, Department of Curriculum Studies, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Allameh Tabatabai University, Tehran, Iran.
5 - Associate Professor, Department of Curriculum Studies, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Allameh Tabatabai University, Tehran, Iran.

Received: 2025-01-29 Accepted : 2025-03-06 Published : 2025-04-19

Keywords: Mobile learning, personal technologies, physical spaces, conceptual spaces, social spaces, formal and informal learning, technology-based learning design,

Abstract :

This research examines the challenges of designing mobile learning and the impact of mobile technologies on the boundaries of formal and informal learning. Its goal is to analyze the experiences of learners, teachers, and instructional designers in fluid environments and explore the opportunities and challenges related to mobility and learning interactions. To achieve this, a qualitative methodology is used, which includes collecting textual data from 40 case studies from various educational settings such as universities, schools, professional training centers, and online workshops. Additionally, qualitative data is gathered through semi-structured interviews with 32 learners and 7 teachers. These interviews focus on the impacts of mobile technologies on learning processes, changes in the boundaries of formal and informal learning, and the challenges arising from them. The data is analyzed using qualitative content analysis, which helps identify key concepts and social and cultural patterns in mobile learning. The findings indicate that mobile learning faces four major challenges: interaction between different locations and social groups, the impact of personal technologies on access to informational resources, the blurring of boundaries between formal and informal learning, and contextual complexities in mobile learning design. This research suggests that to design more effective mobile learning, communicative approaches and multidimensional concepts should be used to comprehensively consider the various aspects of mobility and learner interactions. The results of this study can assist instructional designers in improving mobile learning environments based on the needs and characteristics of different learners, thereby creating a more integrated and flexible learning experience. These findings may also provide new strategies for designing educational programs across different levels of education.

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