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Tutors in Pockets for Economics

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Handbook of Mobile Teaching and Learning

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Abstract

Mobile teaching has both advantages and disadvantages in higher education when compared to traditional teaching methods. Mobile applications (apps) provide a good solution as an assisting teaching tool to solve misconception problems. Tutors in Pockets (TIPs) is a mobile app designed and implemented in the University of Wollongong. It is designed as an assisting teaching and learning tool for economic content. The project is designed as a flexible framework for teaching materials, which can be expanded into other majors and subjects if needed. Any mobile device-supported multimedia materials can be used in this app, such as video, audio, picture, web-link, and text. This app is designed to be easily connected with existing e-learning systems and models as a value-added tool providing an equal access to those developed teaching materials for the students using other mobile devices and students without a mobile device; the teaching materials are also adopted in lectures and tutorials. Both face-to-face interviews and online surveys are adopted to collect students’ and staffs’ feedback on this project. The results show that the TIPs app has a positive influence on students’ learning efficiency, understanding of complex conceptions, long-term memories, correcting of some misconceptions, engaging in discussion with other students and teachers, and performances in subjects. Students also agree that it helps them to use small time period (such as waiting for a bus) to study at anytime and anywhere.

Highlights

  • Mobile apps can be used as good assisting tools in teaching for the new generation.

  • TIPs has a positive influence on students’ learning performances and engagements.

  • TIPs is a flexible app with more potentials.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. WEMOSOFT, Wollongong, NSW, Australia

    Yu (Aimee) Zhang & Jun Hu

  2. Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia

    Jun Hu

Authors
  1. Yu (Aimee) Zhang
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  2. Jun Hu
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yu (Aimee) Zhang .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. CEO, WEMOSOFT, Wollongong, NSW, Australia

    Yu (Aimee) Zhang

  2. Teaching and Learning, The Ohio State University, Upper Arlington, OH, USA

    Dean Cristol

Section Editor information

  1. Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia

    Jun Hu

Appendix A: Survey Results for TIPs

Appendix A: Survey Results for TIPs

Did you have any difficulty or problem in understanding some economic concepts before?

figure b

Do you use mobile phones?

figure c

What mobile device(s) are you using?

figure d

Is English your first language?

figure e

Do you think the animations or cartoons in this subject have positive influences on the following aspects of your study?

figure f

How did TIPs influence your study?

figure g

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Zhang, Y.(., Hu, J. (2019). Tutors in Pockets for Economics. In: Zhang, Y., Cristol, D. (eds) Handbook of Mobile Teaching and Learning. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-41981-2_1-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-41981-2_1-2

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-41981-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-41981-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Social SciencesReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences

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Chapter history

  1. Latest

    Tutors in Pockets for Economics
    Published:
    19 October 2018

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-41981-2_1-2

  2. Original

    Tutors in Pockets for Economics
    Published:
    11 April 2015

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-41981-2_1-1

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