FACULTY OF EDUCATION

DEPARTMENT OF TEACHER DEVELOPMENT

ASSIGNMENT COVER
REGION: MANICALAND

PROGRAMME: PGDE INTAKE:28

FULL NAME OF STUDENT: MATANHIRE TAFADZWA PIN: P2220651C

MAILING ADDRESS: [email protected]

CONTACT TELEPHONE/CELL: 0774081912 ID. NO.: 42-246325S42

COURSE NAME: TECHNOLOGY OF EDUCATION. COURSE CODE: PGDE 111

ASSIGNMENT NO. e.g. 1 or 2: 2 DUE DATE: 10 OCTOBER 2022

ASSIGNMENT TITLE: EVALUATE THE USE OF MOBILE PHONES IN A VIRTUAL

LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

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MARKER’S COMMENTS: ______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________
OVERALL MARK: _____________ MARKER’S NAME: ________________________

MARKER’S SIGNATURE:_______________________________ DATE: ___________ Issue

Date: 03 October 2013

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In this 21st century, mobile phones have become a compelling learning tool used in primary,
secondary and tertiary education. Among other advantages as shall be evaluated in this paper,
its usage ensures that learners easily access online learning platforms and interact digitally. On
the other hand, the use of smartphones can become a great distraction to studies depending
on how it is being used. Ifeanyi and Chukwuere (2018:40) rightfully sums up when they
postulated that the use of smartphone on students has both a negative and positive effect
depending on how it is used. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the use of mobile phones
in a virtual learning environment.

The emergence of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and internet facilities have
impacted all sectors, education included and changed all facets of human lives. This is evident
in the virtual learning using smartphones. As highlighted by Fawareh and Jusoh (2017:1),
“globally people around the world have adopted this new and exciting technology as one of the
most important required facility in their everyday life.” In this regard, smartphones have vastly
increased due to its exciting features such as accessing emails, biometric, accessing social media
platform and many more. In definition, a smartphone is a mobile phone with highly advanced
features such as WIFI connectivity, Web browsing capabilities, and the ability to accept
sophisticated applications. In support, Ebiye (2015) regards a smartphone as a smart device
used for fast access to knowledge, geared towards students achieving their teaching and
learning and academic research objectives. On the other hand virtual learning refers to learning
through smartphones and internet, inside and outside the institution facilities. Thus O’Malley
(2003) encompasses virtual learning as “any sort of learning that happens when the learner is
not at a fixed, predetermined location, or learning that happens when the learner takes
advantage of learning opportunities offered by mobile technologies”.

To start with, the use of smartphones performs phenomenal roles as far as virtual learning is
concerned. Learners no longer solely depend on paper-based materials. Now they can easily

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access their lecture materials on their smartphones, quickly access information online to meet
their information needs via learning management systems and easily access academic
databases. To support this, Masiu & Chukwuere (2018:39-49) postulates that “the smartphone
has also made students’ lives easier, as they can access their school information on the gadget
through electronic learning (e-learning), and mobile learning (m-learning.” In support, Valk,
Rashid, & Elder (2010:34), postulates that smartphones have made learning more flexible, easy
and have helped to reduce the ultimate inherent conventional classroom learning. It’s now
possible for students to access educational materials at anytime, anywhere and it is highly cost-
effective. To add on, smart phones are portable and learners and teachers may not necessarily
need a computer set to access electronic learning materials.

In line with the above, learning can be enhanced when using smartphones in virtual learning.
Kumar (2011:46) brought to bear that smartphone users are able to download recorded online
lectures, and electronic books. In support Norries et al. (2011), postulates that smartphones do
not only enable students to access and read materials, but also, they can take pictures of
abstract concepts that are taught in class with the camera on their smartphones so that they
can relate them with concrete ideas at a later date, mostly in distance education. This is a
tremendous benefit in the area of teaching and learning as it enhances learning.

The introduction of the internet led to the emergence of smartphones which enables learning
to take place irrespective of the geographical location or period of time. In short, it removes
geographical obstacles. In this vein, Tunca (2016) asserts that smartphones are tools for
distance education. In support Corbeil and Valdes-Corbeil (2007) argues that smartphones
greatly enhance interaction between instructors/lecturers and students, thereby, paving way
for instructor and students to learn whiles on the move as compared to the traditional face-to-
face mode of teaching and learning. Thus smartphones are tools for distance education and it
has made course delivery via distance mode very effective. Lecturers and students can interact
digitally irrespective of the geographical location.

Further, use of smartphones enhances flexibility. Students can access their lecture materials on
their phones while they are doing something. They can save all their lecture materials on a
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portable smartphone device without carrying heavy weight laptops or books. Thus in virtual
learning mobile technology makes things faster and effective. To add on, lecturers are able to
prepare PowerPoint presentations and not have to print copies for all the students.

To add on, mobile learning is considered a part of flexible learning. It can offer the context
dimension to flexible learning. Thus mobile technologies ensures an excellent tool for
enhancing flexibility and has the potential to accommodate the needs of diverse groups of
students (Choy et al, 2002). To add on, it ffers great flexibility to students as they can access
material at any time, without having to bother about education hours. They can attempt any
educational courses at home or while commuting. Education can be ultimately provided around
the clock.

In the Zimbabwean educational system, smartphones are performing prodigious roles in

learners learning activities. Smartphones are being used mostly in tertiary education for
registering courses and checking lecture time table and exams schedule. To add on checking
grades, some are using it for the payment of school fees. Most universities have a
comprehensive virtual learning environment which already utilizes a profusion of technologies
in the process of course management and effective delivery of learning materials. To add on,
there is effective communication between the learners and teachers when using smartphones.
They can exchange ideas and notes anytime.

On the contrary, while smartphones provide communicative needs, their extensive use may
have collateral damages on the physical, psychological, social, and the educational well-being of
students (Kang & Jung, 2014). Ifeanyi and Chukwuere (2018) postulated that the use of
smartphone on students has both a negative and positive effect depending on how it is used. In
some instances learners might not smartphones for learning. In works of Woodcock et al.
(2012), it was demonstrated that students were always found using their phones for playing
games and other leisure activities more than for learning. Thus despite the remarkable benefits
of the smartphone in learning, students mostly use a smartphone on social media platforms

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such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, twitter, snapchat, tango, rather using it for
educational purposes.

Further the smartphone can become a great distraction to studies. For instance, there is a high
propensity that students who are glued to their smartphone check updates or notification
almost every minute if not strictly controlled. Consequently, this diverts their focus from their
studies and even at a lecture time when a lecturer is at the peak of teaching.

Software and hardware issue are some of the challenges of mobile learning. Even though it
seems like the life of software is smooth, there are other external factors that hinder its smooth
life span. These external factors are changing trends in the field of IT. Software compatibility
issues, not upgrading to a new version, regular system crashes are some of the issues that
hinder the working of the software, thereby interrupting your smooth mobile learning
experiences. On the other hand, hardware uses physical devices and the physical devices used
can wear out after a period of time. They can wear out due to overuse, dust, using the device
roughly, etc. These are some factors that interrupt the smooth working of the mobile or other
devices.

In conclusion, the importance of mobile learning in education can’t be denied and it has
become an important social tool to enhance collaboration between students and teachers. The
use of smartphones in virtual learning is key and efficacious though it’s mixed with challenges.
Despite the phenomenal advantage of smartphone in learning it is considered as double edge
sword as stated in this paper. It can be defined as being ‘spontaneous, private, portable,
situated, informal, bite-sized, light-weight and context aware’ (Traxler 2000.) Possessing such
inherent properties means that education can be delivered and realized for digital native and
nomadic students

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List of Sources
Corbeil and Valdes-Corbeil (2007 Corbeil, J.R. and M.E. Valdes-Corbeil (2007). Are you ready for
mobile learning? Educause Quarterly, 2, 51-58. )
Choy Sarojni C et el (2002). Learner expectations and experiences. Student views of support in
online learning. In: Guthrie H. (Ed) Online learning. Research readings. National Centre for
Vocational Education Research, Adelaide, pp. 106-122.

Fawareh H. M. A., Jusoh, S. (2017). The Use and Effects of Smartphones in Higher Education.
IJIM (11), 6.
Masiu & Chukwuere (2018) Masiu, M.T & Chukwuere, J. E (2018). The Effect of Smartphones on
Students’ Academic Life: A Perceptive from a South African University. International Conference
on Business and Management Dynamics ICBM-2018
Ifeanyi and Chukwuere (2018) Ifeanyi, I. P., & Chukwuere, J. E. (2018). The impact of using
smartphones on the academic performance of undergraduate students. Knowledge
Management & E-Learning, 10(3), 290–308 Woodcock et al. (2012),
Norries, C., Hossain, A., & Soloway, E. (2011). Using smartphones as essential tools for learning:
A call to place schools on the right side of the 21st century. Educational Technology, 51(
Traxler J. (2010). Will student devices deliver innocation, inclusion, and transformation? Journal
of the Research Center for Educational Technology, 31 (2) 129-138.

Tunca (2016) . Smartphones as tools for distance education. Journal Of Educational And
Instructional Studies in the World. 6(2), 2146-7463
Valk, Rashid, & Elder (2010). Using mobile phones to improve educational outcomes:
An analysis of evidence from Asia. The International Review of Research in Open and
Distributed Learning, 11(1), 117-140.