The educational role of mobile instant messaging. Findings from a systematic review
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
While the ubiquity and usage of Mobile Instant Messaging (MIM) applications such as WhatsApp has recorded
unprecedented growth, their role for teaching and learning remains unclear. To address this gap, this paper
systematically reviews empirical studies by examining the educational effects, designs, tools and settings of
MIM. For this purpose the databases of PsycINFO, ERIC, Ovid MEDLINE, Web of Science and Google Scholar were systematically searched. Thematic analysis was adopted to analyze and synthesize qualitative data. Findings suggest that MIM is primarily used as group learning platform to enhance pre-existing education formats in a wide range of subjects. The use of MIM in education settings augments the transactional roles of students and requires learners and educators to balance the social and cognitive dimensions of interactional engagement.
Keywords: mobile instant messaging, systematic review, educational technology, mobile learning
Downloads
Article Details
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).