Comparative Study on Use of Mobile Videos in Elementary and Middle School

Abstract

Digital media is increasingly finding its way into the discussions of the classroom. The interest lies particularly in mobile learning. Mobile learning means simply learning and teaching practices done with or via different mobile devices. Learning with the help of mobile devices is increasing and it is considered to be one of the 21st century skills children should adapt already in early stages in schools. The article presents a study on mobile social video application, MoViE, as a part of teaching in biology and geography in 8th and 9th grades and in teaching of water consumption and recycling in 5th grade. The multidisciplinary data was processed to answer the following question: Did the use of mobile videos promote learning? Overall the study is based on comparative research since it studies whether there are differences in results between the students in elementary and middle school? It sets out to investigate group’s technical competence, learning experiences and attitudes towards mobile learning in general. As a result, the differences between the cases were minor. On the contrary, both of the groups, elementary and middle school students, experienced similar technical difficulties and often shared convergent opinions on new mobile learning methods.