Introducing mobile learning in sport management education: Exploring gender differences in Pinterest usage

Abstract

We live in an increasingly interconnected world thanks to the advance of digitalization. Digital tools such as mobile devices or social media platforms have transformed the way in which people and organizations relate to each other. Higher education and sports are two of the areas of society where we have seen more changes caused by the rise of digitalization. In education, digital tools have revolutionized the way in which classes are taught, moving classrooms toward hybrid or online models. In the case of sport, digital tools such as social media are essential for sport managers when interacting with the sport ecosystem. Despite the advances that digital technology is bringing about in society, studies exploring the potential of social media and digital tools in sport management classrooms are scarce. This work explores the possibilities that a little-studied social media platform, such as Pinterest, offers when introduced in the classroom through mobile-based learning and active learning methodologies. In addition, and in a pioneering way in the case of Pinterest, it explores the possible differences depending on the gender of the students. A total of 72 students of the “Sports Equipment and Facilities” course at a Spanish university participated in this study. After finishing the educational intervention with Pinterest, students completed a questionnaire to share their perceptions. Subsequently, t-tests for independent samples were performed through the statistical package SPSS 27.0. The results obtained highlight that all students, regardless of gender, had a positive perception of Pinterest in the teaching-learning process. In addition, women scored higher on all items, with significant differences in four areas. In view of these results, it is concluded that the use of Pinterest through mobile learning is positive in the university context. Furthermore, there is a gender variable influence in the students’ perceptions regarding Pinterest.