Students’ perceptions about the use of a question-answer system via mobile devices in a lecture-based learning environment

Thesis Type: Postgraduate

Institution Of The Thesis: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Turkey

Approval Date: 2014

Student: Amine Hatun Ataş

Principal Supervisor (For Co-Supervisor Theses): ÖMER DELİALİOĞLU

Abstract:

The advents in mobile technologies offer a great potential for in-class learning by supporting conventional teaching methods. Question-Answer Systems used through mobile devices are one of the valuable learning tools to be improved further by taking viewpoints of students into account. The major aim of this study was to explore the opinions, perceptions, evaluations of students on their experiences with a Question-Answer System used on mobile devices in a lecture-based course. Basic Qualitative Research Methodology was employed in this study to understand how students make sense of their experiences in the teaching-learning transaction. The participants of the study were 42 sophomore METU, Computer Education and Instructional Technology students who enrolled in a Computer Hardware course. The sampling method used for data collection was convenient sampling of 25 of 42 students, who participated in five sessions of focus-groups voluntarily. Data analysis was done based on six-steps of inductive analysis. Through all the research process; credibility, consistency, transferability and ethical consideration were taken into account. The results of data analysis showed that students mostly ascribed the meaning of their engagement to the observable behaviors about academic challenge. Concerning inhibiting factors for participating in a lecture, they stressed the constraints of lecture method. As inhibiting factors for asking questions, they mostly stated shyness as a reason.. The results of the research were discussed reflectively with the preexistent results stated in literature so as to investigate the constructed meanings of participants about the context and to make suggestions for further studies.