Toward a Framework and Learning Methodology for Innovative Mobile Learning: A Theoretical Approach

Introduction 

Because of the rapid advancements in the economy, technology, and society that occurred during the last century, the 21st century demands on the educational system increased exponentially in several ways. Critical thinking, collaboration, innovation, information and communication technologies (ICT), digital literacy, and adaptiveness are some of the basic skills required by students and citizens today and in the future. The need for these skills extends beyond enhancing the learning experience; they are essential in the labor market and, increasingly, in everyday life (European Commission, 2013, p. 31). In other words, today’s educators are being asked to equip students with the skills and attributes necessary to address problems, challenges, and opportunities that we know little about because technology and digitization are continuously transforming our lives at an unprecedented rate.

Both Johnsen et al. (2016) and Sharpels et al. (2016) argued that with the emergence of innovations and technologies, the obvious question that academics and education policy makers must answer concerns which ones to adopt, based on what rationale, and based on what benefits for learners. Because students learn in diverse ways, the environment needs to facilitate each learner’s needs; hence, design for learning is crucial (Conole, 2012; Laurillard, 2012). For academics to cultivate learning in an educational environment, whether conventional or virtual, the priority should be to comprehend fully the meaning of learning, the context in which it takes place, and the parameters that may affect it.

The process of learning has been a major subject of psychological research from the inception of the discipline. Researchers and professionals have attempted to categorize, describe, and conceptualize this process. Learning, as described by Gross (2012, p. 235):

Although traditional research on learning was focused on mainly early childhood and adolescence, scientists now acknowledge that learning is a lifelong, lifewide, and daily process. Lifelong learning was underscored by UNESCO as one of the most important keys to reaching the educational goals of 2030, which include education for all and sustainability (2015a, 2015b). Accordingly, the current technological, economic, and social changes have triggered the need for new concepts and strategies to support lifelong learning (Buchem & Hammelman, 2010). Education, including work-based learning, must be transformed. This transformation, however, requires renewed and innovative ways of relating appropriately to the ways in which we live, work, and learn today.

The purpose of this chapter is to propose a framework and learning methodology for innovative, challenged based, personal mobile learning through incorporating elements from a variety of existing methodologies by taking into account the changing landscape of higher education. Following a short introduction, the methodology used for the data collection is explained. An outline of the changing landscape of higher education is followed by a section on mobile learning, micro learning, and emerging innovative technologies. Throughout the chapter, the methodologies and frameworks analyzed are self-determined learning, personal and collaborative learning, challenge-based learning, ubiquitous learning, authentic learning in the social context, and cross-action learning spaces. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the proposed framework and recommendations for its implementation.