Adoption of mobile devices by academic staff

The reality

Abstract

Before mobile technology can be introduced into a teaching and learning situation, it would be expected that the confidence and ability of the teachers’ to understand and use the technology would be a significant factor for successful integration. The research presented in this paper is part of a multi-institute research project to implement a framework using mobile devices for enhanced learning and institutional change across different disciplines and institutions. The paper focuses on a survey to benchmark the use of mobile technology by academic staff in one of the tertiary institutes involved in the wider study. Findings identify that not all staff have equal access to these types of devices nor use these devices extensively to support their work. The reasons for this are wide but include cost, perceived ability and technical factors.