Exploring the potential of mobile services to support learning and communication in university classes

This paper presents initial results of our on-going activities regarding the use of smart phones and mobile services in university classrooms at Vaxjo University. The purpose of these trials was to explore and identify which content and services could be delivered to the smart phones in order to support learning and communication in the context of university studies. The activities were conducted within the MUSIS (multicasting services and information in Sweden) project where 41 students from two different courses at Vaxjo University participated during a period of 3 months. Generally, the services integrated transparently into students' previous experience with mobile phones. Students generally perceived the services as useful to learning; interestingly, attitudes were more positive if the instructor adapted pedagogical style and instructional material to take advantage of the distinctive capabilities of multicasting. To illustrate, we report a case study of a class in the School of Humanities. We conclude with recommendations for increasing the potential for successful implementation of mobile services in higher education, including the importance of usability, institutional support, and tailored educational content.