Sung E, Mayer R, 2013, Online multimedia learning with mobile devices and desktop computers: An experimental test of Clark’s methods-not-media hypothesis, Elsevier, Vol. 29, Issue 3, pp. 639-647

As we didn’t have a lectorial today, we were told to talk about a reading we did ourselves for our Project Brief 4. Our topic is on Mediums/Media Technologies and I found a journal article on a study a university did to see if mobile devices and desktop computers are beneficial for our education

This article explores the online mediums that are used in learning and tested students receiving online multimedia lessons on how a solar cell works that consisted of 11 narrated slides with a script of 800 words. Concerning instructional media, students received the lesson on a desktop computer (i.e., iMac) in a lab or on a mobile device (i.e., iPad) in a courtyard. Also regarding instructional method, students received a continuous lesson with no headings (standard method) or a segmented lesson in which the learner clicked on a button to go onto the next slide with each slide having a heading corresponding to the key idea in the script for the slide (enhanced method). Across both media, the enhanced group outperformed the standard group on a transfer, yielding a method effect on learning outcomes for both desktop and mobile media. Across both methods, the mobile group produced stronger ratings than the desktop group on self-reported willingness to continue learning, yielding a media effect on motivational ratings for both standard and enhanced methods. Effective instructional methods can improve learning outcomes across different media, whereas using handheld instructional media may increase students’ willingness to continue to engage in learning.

If I think of this study happening in our current education classrooms I feel as though there would be a greater difference for children at a younger age. But as we increase the age, lets say at a university level, there may not be as much of a change. I say this because, I think that kids are much more amused by technology than people who have already been using it for many years. University students may even enjoy using other things to learn other than technology because we are constantly connected to it and it gives us a time to be away from it.