Abstract

University students live in an increasingly mobile society and they carry increasingly sophisticated mobile devices, including wireless personal digital assistants (PDAs). For the first time, mobile technology and student lifestyle choices are converging to allow mobile learning (m-learning) to be a viable choice for delivery and execution of coursework material. This study addresses the question: In what ways do mobile devices change student interactions in an e-learning, collaborative education exercise? An experimental design methodology is used with control (desktop users) and experimental (PDA users) groups. The study finds that students who use PDAs tend to write shorter messages than desktop users and mobile learners tend to go online more often. The results are inconclusive regards time online per session. The study concludes with implications for instruction and instructors.

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