Service Students' Zoned Utility of Mobile-Technology: Implications for learning space & experience design

Abstract

A study of services-sector management students demonstrated widespread organisational and entertainment utility relating to the use of mobile technology devices in and around campus environments. Nevertheless, although generally positively motivated towards ‘mobiles’ as social and personally integrated lifestyle and organisational aids, some negative attitudes were displayed towards extensive use of mobiles as Mlearning facilitators. These included an awareness of constant communicability, conspicuous technology consumption, solipsistic, diversionary and ‘lazy’ learning drawbacks. Defined limits were placed around various elements of technology within a UbiComp environment relating to social, study or work technology utility (tec-utility) zones with only limited crossover zones of tolerance.

Keywords:

• Mlearning
• mobiles
• UbiComp
• technology utility (tec-utility) zones
• crossover tolerances
• learning space