Examining the utility and usability of mobile instant messaging in a graduate-level course: A usefulness theoretical perspective

This study examined the usefulness of a mobile instant messaging (MIM) tool to support teaching and learning. Taking a usefulness theoretical perspective, we examined in detail the utility and usability of using WeChat in a postgraduate-level course. Multiple types of data were collected and analysed, including MIM interaction records, questionnaire surveys and semi-structured interviews. The results show that, overall, MIM can be utilised in a variety of ways to support teaching and learning. These include promoting transmissive, demonstrative, dialogic, journaling, helpline and notebook activities. We also found MIM to be particularly suitable for promoting affective social presence (expression of emotions, self-disclosure) and cohesive social presence (phatics, vocative). Four specific technological attributes of MIM that facilitated information sharing among students were reported. Implications for practice and research, including challenges and possible solutions, are proposed, followed by a discussion of the study’s limitations and suggestions for future research.

[1]  Abduljalil Nasr Hazaea,et al.  The Effectiveness of Using Mobile on EFL Learners' Reading Practices in Najran University. , 2016 .

[2]  Paul A. Kirschner,et al.  Can we support CSCL? Educational, social and technological affordances for learning , 2002 .

[3]  Daniel Churchill,et al.  Educational affordances of PDAs: A study of a teacher's exploration of this technology , 2008, Comput. Educ..

[4]  Matt Bower,et al.  Affordance analysis – matching learning tasks with learning technologies , 2008 .

[5]  Aubteen Darabi,et al.  Cognitive presence in asynchronous online learning: a comparison of four discussion strategies , 2011, J. Comput. Assist. Learn..

[6]  Chih-Hsiung Tu,et al.  Building mobile social presence for u-learning , 2016 .

[7]  S. Parker.  Content Analysis for the Social Sciences and Humanities , 1970 .

[8]  Christoph Pimmer,et al.  The Inherent Tensions of “Instant Education”: A Critical Review of Mobile Instant Messaging , 2018, The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning.

[9]  Fred D. Davis.  Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Ease of Use, and User Acceptance of Information Technology , 1989, MIS Q..

[10]  Paul A. Kirschner,et al.  The social affordances of computer-supported collaborative learning environments , 2001, 31st Annual Frontiers in Education Conference. Impact on Engineering and Science Education. Conference Proceedings (Cat. No.01CH37193).

[11]  S. Shyam Sundar,et al.  Can synchronicity and visual modality enhance social presence in mobile messaging? , 2015, Comput. Hum. Behav..

[12]  Chokri Barhoumi.  The Effectiveness of WhatsApp Mobile Learning Activities Guided by Activity Theory on Students' Knowledge Management. , 2015 .

[13]  Khe Foon Hew,et al.  Student Participation in Online Discussions: Challenges, Solutions, and Future Research , 2012 .

[14]  Khe Foon Hew,et al.  Is Mobile Instant Messaging (MIM) useful in education? Examining its technological, pedagogical, and social affordances , 2017 .

[15]  Jan-Willem Strijbos,et al.  Designing electronic collaborative learning environments , 2004 .

[16]  Jing Lv,et al.  Social presence in relation to students' satisfaction and learning in the online environment: A meta-analysis , 2017, Comput. Hum. Behav..

[17]  M. Farmer,et al.  Mobile Phone Applications (WhatsApp) Facilitate Communication Among Student Health Volunteers in Kenya , 2016 .

[18]  Patient Rambe,et al.  Using mobile instant messaging to leverage learner participation and transform pedagogy at a South African University of Technology , 2013, Br. J. Educ. Technol..

[19]  L Butgereit,et al.  Math on MXit: using MXit as a medium for mathematics education , 2007 .

[20]  G. Conole,et al.  What are the affordances of information and communication technologies ? , 2004 .

[21]  Nian-Shing Chen,et al.  Exploring the affordances of WeChat for facilitating teaching, social and cognitive presence in semi-synchronous language exchange , 2016 .

[22]  D. Garrison.  E-Learning in the 21st Century , 2016 .

[23]  Mi Young Lee,et al.  Effects of Mobile Instant Messaging on Collaborative Learning Processes and Outcomes: The Case of South Korea , 2014, J. Educ. Technol. Soc..

[24]  S. Almekhlafy.  Mobile-Mediated Communication a Tool for Language Exposure in EFL Informal Learning Settings , 2016 .

[25]  Alberto Andujar,et al.  Benefits of mobile instant messaging to develop ESL writing , 2016 .

[26]  Karen Swan,et al.  Developing a community of inquiry instrument: Testing a measure of the Community of Inquiry framework using a multi-institutional sample , 2008, Internet High. Educ..

[27]  Simon So,et al.  Mobile instant messaging support for teaching and learning in higher education , 2016, Internet High. Educ..

[28]  Al-Mothana M. Gasaymeh.  University Students Use of WhatsApp and their Perceptions Regarding its Possible Integration into their Education , 2017 .

[29]  Wai Ming Lam,et al.  The Impact of Social Mobile Application on Students' Learning Interest and Academic Performance in Hong Kong's Sub-Degree Education , 2016, 2016 International Symposium on Educational Technology (ISET).

[30]  D. Garrison,et al.  Assessing Social Presence In Asynchronous Text-based Computer Conferencing , 1999 .

[31]  Tim Green,et al.  Mobile instant messaging for professional learning: Educators' perspectives on and uses of Voxer , 2017 .

[32]  Angela Cora Garcia,et al.  The Eyes of the Beholder: Understanding the Turn-Taking System in Quasi-Synchronous Computer-Mediated Communication , 1999 .