Promoting a Pedagogical Shift from Didactic Teacher-Centered to Participatory Student-Centered Learning by Harnessing the Portability and Versatility of Mobile Technology.

Abstract

Mobile learning promotes a pedagogical shift from didactic teacher-centered to participatory student-centered learning. The aim of this study was to examine how physical settings and human behaviour within an environment affect user productivity in a designed environment. A case study that emphasized social interactions and comprised a design interaction module was developed. Students evaluated a designed place using mobile technology alongside traditional teaching resources through lectures and design studio sessions. The research methodology comprised a case study that emphasized social interaction using five intended learning outcomes. The case was assessed using tools that measured its congruency with overall as well as specific learning outcomes. The design interaction module was developed and implemented through mobile and face-to-face deliveries. Over a one-week block, five mobile lectures, the minimum required for impacting students’ learning experience, were delivered. Mobile learning was the most suitable approach for teaching the design interaction module. By combining the experiential and instructional learning modes that provided students with more opportunities for understanding the impact of design on the users of an environment, the goal of encouraging students to develop a critical understanding of industrial design was achieved.