Student Experience and Ubiquitous Learning in Higher Education: Impact of Wireless and Cloud Applications

doi:10.4236/ce.2013.48A001

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Creative Education

2013. Vol.4, No.8A, 1-5

Published Online August 2013 in SciRes (http://www.scirp.org/journal/ce) http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/ce.2013.48A001

Student Experience and Ubiquitous Learning in Higher

Education: Impact of Wireless and Cloud Applications

Vladlena Benson, Stephanie Morgan

Kingston Business School, Kingston University, London, UK

Email: [email protected], [email protected]

Received May 30th, 2013; revised June 30th, 2013; accepted July 7th, 2013

ative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any me-

dium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Mobile learning apps for smartphones and tablet computer devices have entered Higher Education (HE)

market. While universities are investing in new technologies, they also look into cost reduction strategies,

including cloud computing. We draw upon a case study of a successful migration to mobile virtual envi-

ronment and effective use of cloud computing at a UK university. Success factors and challenges of these

emerging technologies in HE are discussed. The paper concludes with the consideration of student ex-

perience implications and research questions which need addressing in the area of ubiquitous learning.

Keywords: Student Experience; Mobile Learning Apps; Wireless; Cloud Solutions; Educational

Technology; Higher Education

Introduction

Higher education institutions invest in technology to improve

student experience and increase efficiency. Two recent technol-

ogy trends are making an impact on the Higher Education sec-

tor. One, ubiquity of learning and teaching, translates into the

move towards provision of wireless access to virtual learning

environments (VLEs). Mobile VLE apps are emerging tailored

to the variety of smart phones and tablet computers. The func-

tionality of educational apps entering the market replicates the

capabilities of the traditional VLEs. However, problems of

software and device compatibility impede smooth transition to

ubiquitous learning and teaching. The second trend, often asso-

ciated with objectives of efficiency in HE, is focused on cloud

computing. HE institutions traditionally maintained in-house IT

departments and infrastructure. Under the pressure to achieve

operational efficiency, using cloud computing as infrastructure

appears as a sound investment for universities. However, issues

of security and complex regulation need to be addressed for a

successful provision of VLE services with cloud deployment.

This paper considers the above trends in emerging technologies

through the lens of student experience, an increasingly impor-

tant area in today’s competitive HE marketplace. The paper

presents research questions in wireless learning and teaching

for discussion. A case of a successful move to mobile learning

enablement and cloud deployment concludes the paper and

opens a discussion over the critical success factors in wireless

e-learning operations.

Ubiquity and Higher Education: Users Driving

Adoption of Emerging Technologies

Recent advancements in capabilities of mobile devices, both

smart phones and tablet computers, have led to a significant rise

in the penetration rate of wireless devices among the general

population. Even more noticeable over recent years is the in-

creasingly fast-growing rate of penetration of mobile devices

among younger people. Students as true representatives of the

“digital natives” generation (Prensky, 2001) are keen to explore

new technologies. Mobile devices became a default method of

accessing the Internet according to recent surveys (e.g. Internet

in Britain 2011), while the number of UK mobile contract sub-

scriptions have surpassed significantly UK population (Car-

phonewharehouse, 2011). According to the same source the

migration rate of mobile subscribers to smartphones have

reached 30% and this rate is even higher for such countries as

Singapore (54%), Hong Kong (35%), USA (35%), Australia

(34%) and Sweden (35%). The proliferation of smart mobile

devices and higher bandwidth of internet connections have had

a significant impact in Higher Education. Virtual Learning En-

vironments (VLEs) have been deployed by Higher Education

(HE) institutions to provide access to learning materials and

tools for students for over a decade. Advanced capabilities of

mobile devices and better connectivity have led to a growing

number of the student population accessing VLEs through their

smart phones, downloading and working with lecture slides on

iPads instead of paper notes, participating in VLE discussion

forums through their phones, etc. With the growing number of

mobile devices in the hands of the younger population, it is

only a matter of time before HE students will be expecting

wireless access to learning materials to complement and/or

replace current Internet-based VLEs. The trend in HE today,

mobility, is driven by the advanced capabilities and wide avail-

ability of mobile devices, from smart phones to tablet com-

puters. The next step for HE is the highly anticipated but large-

ly under researched move of the transition to mobile apps

available for major mobile device manufacturers from Android

to Apple. Extending student choice in this way will genuinely

move the classroom out to any environment and remove all

V. BENSON, S. MORGAN

geographical and time constraints that have remained whilst

access was required via a computer (the most flexible of which,

the laptop, still requires wireless access, plug in to mobile, and

large batteries or power source). Student demand for mobile

access is likely to increase therefore, but this is likely to impact

on HE systems efficiency.

Achieving Efficiency in VLE Operations:

Cloud Computing

In search of efficiency and flexibility, higher education insti-

tutions are putting cloud computing, another current trend in

HE sector, into practice. Current priorities of HE institutions

include improving service delivery, reducing facility space usa-

ge and energy consumption. Many universities have to deal

with spiralling costs of fragmented IT systems, poor IT project

management and the complexity of legacy technology. All of

these present barriers to achieving better performance and effi-

ciency of VLE operations. Learning and teaching resources

accumulated through the exploitation of VLEs for decades

place spiralling demands on HE infrastructure, while service

disruptions for upgrades and emergencies have a negative im-

pact on students’ experience. Students expect uninterrupted

access to their learning materials, announcements, assessment

results, etc. Infrastructure as a service presents an attractive cost

effective option for virtual learning environment service deliv-

ery. Cloud computing offers many benefits, including pay-per-

usage models, improved flexibility, faster deployment of new

services, decreased maintenance costs and reduced time spent

on IT operations for an in-depth overview see e.g. (Winkler,

2011). Additionally, when outsourced to a dedicated service

provider cloud services management is performed by profes-

sionals specializing in the field for whom quality of service

delivery means their reputation. Cloud computing service pro-

viders have business continuity strategies, disaster recovery and

security tools in place. Hence savings in terms of hardware

operation and maintenance, software licensing and upgrades

can be achieved by HE institutions when outsourcing VLE

provision to a third party. While cloud platform as a service and

software as a service technologies are still at the entry stage in

the HE market, infrastructure as a service presents clear savings

and improved reliability of data centre services.

Achieving Improvement of Student Experience

through Mobile and Cloud Solutions

Mobile platforms for e-learning are an attractive solution to

help engage the student community, enrich learning and help

students throughout academic life. Blackboard Mobile Learn

app, available on Android Marketplace, Blackberry App World

or Apple App store, is one of the leading mobile platforms for

e-learning. Students gain mobile access to their lecture materi-

als, create discussion forums and posts, blog and comment on

learning progress and resources.

The “digital natives” (Prensky, 2001) in higher education to-

day are used to and surrounded by technology and increasingly

expect mobile forms of communication. For HE professionals

mobile learning is a way of extending the campus and offering

students the opportunity to learn in whatever situation or con-

text they prefer. What is unclear is to what extent they can and

will learn in this increasingly informal and opportunistic mode.

Social networking services are seen by many as the next level

of learning management systems (Benson, Morgan, & Tenna-

koon, 2012) promising convergence of social and learning tools.

At present, though, mobile learning apps are offering another

media for access of LMS repositories, doing the old things with

a new tool.

Whilst mobile platforms for e-learning are still in the early

development stages, it is imperative to consider issues needing

research attention and improvement of software and wireless

device capabilities, as well as pedagogical approaches to learn-

ing in mobile circumstances, in order to assess objectively

technology’s current and future impact on education.

According to a recent survey (LSE Focus, 2007) mobile de-

vices are perceived as a significant contributor to maintaining

quality of life. While for university students (BlackBoard, 2012)

a smart phone represents a “key social connector and a learning

tool”. Higher Education institutions consider provision of mo-

bile services to students to be an indicator of performance and

better quality of student experience. Earlier approaches to inte-

gration of wireless devices into e-learning process (e.g. see

Benson, 2008 for an overview) focused on access enablement

to online content. The emergence of powerful and user friendly

smart phones and tablet computers led to a proliferation of mo-

bile apps, both from established elearning systems providers

(e.g. BlackBoard) as well as independent companies and in

house developments by Universities.

Current mobile apps from popular LMS providers are less

than a year old. Blackboard Mobile Learn 2.0 offers a rich

range of functionality with advanced usability features. Direct

interface to the learning resources is a key feature of the app

which enables students and instructors to access, create and

upload content to the LMS. Blogs supporting media attach-

ments, discussion forums and learning journal media features

promise to bring interactive mobile learning to a new level. The

user interface of the latest version of BlackBoard Mobile Learn

supports adding most frequently accessed classes to favourite

lists, this bookmarking feature helps manage and organise the

learning and teaching process. The latest version of the app

offers threaded hierarchy to improve the user interface while

managing multiple tasks.

While the new features of the mobile apps are evolving, it is

important to gain a better understanding of how ubiquitous

access to study materials can improve learning outcomes. The

impact of wireless technology on higher education is likely to

be driven by student experience. Universities take on invest-

ment in mobile technology to improve student learning through

wireless devices already at the fingertips of current students and

beat the competition by demonstrating the importance of stay-

ing ahead of the technology curve. The use of the VLE has

been shown to promote independent learning (e.g. Frederickson,

2005) and one could argue that extending this use to fully mo-

bile access could further increase this. However as with a stan-

dard VLE students will need to be made aware of the purpose

and benefits of using the mobile app, and care should be taken

regarding design to encourage use. There is a risk that many

download the app but do not use the system after the first at-

tempt, removing all the benefits of developing these flexible

approaches. It is vital therefore to assess critical success factors.

Some of the Critical Success Factors to Consider

Smartphones are effectively accepted by students either as a

link to their social community or a favored learning tool, mo-

V. BENSON, S. MORGAN

bile apps have become a way of life for today’s students. When

making a choice of which university to apply for studying,

whether or not an HE institution supports easy access to ser-

vices or information in a way meaningful to technology savvy

younger generation becomes a key differentiating factor.

● The app needs to be easy to access, fast and should be ac-

cessible on a range of mobiles (interoperable) to ensure that

all students with a smart phone are able to use the system

and interact.

● If support is needed the app will probably not be used al-

though online help is likely to be viewed positively.

● The technological aspects will be taken for granted (unless

they go wrong) and so the focus should be on a visually

appealing, easy to use app that will allow students to share

and enable informal and formal learning at the time and

place that best suits their needs.

● Mobile experience is profoundly different to even a laptop,

as it is available at all times and enables them to learn

whilst relating to (in the world of) the concepts about which

they are learning.

● Speed and continuity of service is vital, many legacy sys-

tems may not be able to cope, hence the need to consider

outsourcing to cloud management providers.

Examples of P i tfal l s to Av oi d

The concept of cloud computing and wireless access to e-

learning application leaves several areas to consider. Capabili-

ties of mobile devices present issues of access to learning and

teaching resources, presentation of learning materials, naviga-

tion and compatibility of e-learning materials. On the other

hand cloud as infrastructure as a service presents new chal-

lenges to HE in terms of security and compliance as data is

being hosted by third parties outside of the corporate firewalls.

What students can see on the mobile learning app depends on

at least two factors:

● The ability of a specific wireless device to display the vari-

ety of learning materials that may be included in the course

content. For instance, iPhone, iPad and iPods running mo-

bile operating system do not provide support for Flash.

Therefore earlier e-learning materials developed using

Flash will be inaccessible to Apple users.

● Instructors have control over which course content is avail-

able through the mobile app. Therefore options set so that

only limited content is available to students should be care-

fully thought through by academic staff.

● Pedagogical reasons should drive the mobile learning plat-

form development, rather than pure enthusiasm of a new

gadget from technology-centric instructors (Benson & An-

derson, 2010).

● Students should have a clear understanding as to what ma-

terials are available through the mobile medium and why

others are accessible only online, and how the mobile app

can help improve their learning and their student experience

on and off campus. As with all learning, particularly when

technology is involved, explaining how and why different

elements are designed in a particular way will facilitate

learning (Ausburn, 2004).

Finally, migration to cloud computing needs special consid-

eration. Unlike traditional outsourcing of IT management when

typically organizations knew exactly where corporate data is

hosted, how data is transported, managed and disposed of,

cloud presents a different level of abstraction. Cloud computing

separates data from infrastructure, hence the operational details

of data whereabouts are obscured from the user. To illustrate

this, the precise hardware location of any specific piece of data

is difficult to identify. Multitenancy, (physical coexistence of

data on the same hardware in a data centre), is almost certain in

cloud as infrastructure services. Also, transport of data between

the data centre and the corporate firewall give rise to security

concerns. The differences between in house IT and cloud ser-

vices management entail significant security and privacy issues

that have an impact on university risk management practices

and require careful consideration of legal issues in areas such as

compliance and auditing. Personal student information, intel-

lectual property of HE institutions in the form of learning and

teaching materials are subject to regulation. The abstraction of

infrastructure from data in the cloud requires addressing legal

issues and application of security methods for successful de-

ployment of cloud services in HE.

A Case of a Successful Move to Mobile Platform with

Cloud Computing

As part of the student information system and learning man-

agement system (called StudySpace) upgrade, a Blackboard

Mobile Learn application, available for iPhone, Blackberry and

Android phones, has been launched by Kingston University,

UK. The app allows students flexible mobile access to Study

Space course content and communication tools, the download-

able app is accessible via the learning management system and

QR code as shown in Figure 1.

The mobile platform solution was introduced in January

2012. By the start of the spring semester, the mobile learning

app already had thousands of downloads. The rate of rapid

adoption illustrates the impact of the mobile platform on the

student population, as well as demand on computing services

provided by Kingston University and external stakeholders. In

the experience of other HE institutions, e.g. Stanford University

(BlackBoard, 2012) the number of mobile learning app down-

loads tends to exceed the number of enrolled students. The

impact of the mobile platform deployment has a wider impact

not only on current students, but involves alumni, parents, and

the greater community.

The capabilities of the StudySpace app at Kingston include

access to course content and communication tools. Course ma-

terials most suitable for accessing on the go are enabled by

instructors for mobile learning. One of the most well received

features of the mobile app is instant communication capability.

Integration of mobile text messaging service with online an-

nouncements as well as a Facebook site for the university are

tied in with individual courses and organization. This allows for

seamless and unified communication means for students, staff,

alumni and wider community. One of the key objectives of

introducing the StudySpace mobile app is to improve student

experience by increasing 24-7 access to learning technology

that is not dependent upon location. This reflects the social, and

increasingly work, environment to which students are accus-

tomed.

Furthermore, it enables learning to move in and out of the

classroom in a much easier manner than laptops as students

invariably have their mobile with them, not always the case for

other devices. Class activities including assessments could use

and link to the mobile app (this also enables movement between

V. BENSON, S. MORGAN

Figure 1.

Mobile app for VLE access.

classroom and workplace, for example, placements or work-

based learning, see (Couldby, Hennessey, Davies, & Fuller,

2011)).

The University also turned to cloud service management for

its VLE provision. The choice of an EU based cloud hosting

and storage service provider with careful consideration of regu-

latory frameworks ensured smooth deployment of cloud ser-

vices. Flexible storage options of cloud computing offered

University the highest levels of efficiency and interoperability.

While VLE content is delivered to users faster and more effi-

ciently. As VLE is accessed by students and university faculty

from various countries content is distributed through a network

with multiple nodes throughout the cloud, closer to the VLE

end-users. This minimizes the distance the learning resources or

messages have to travel, bypassing network overloads, de-

creasing latency, and improving the user experience. Business

continuity measures have been improved by the move to the

cloud provision which offered high availability solutions for

VLE service delivery.

During the migration to cloud and BlackBoard mobile staff

at all levels were well informed and engaged in the transition.

Staff development exercises have taken place throughout the

university, this is vital in ensuring successful transition. Stu-

dents also welcomed the new IT project and enjoy the best of

mobile and harness efficiency of flexible cloud services.

An unexpected advantage occurred when the legacy systems

failed for a number of hours and students using the standard

VLE often did not realize they could still access the cloud

based systems if they went direct (in future the link will be

included in the message), whereas students using the mobile

app were still able to use the system. Again this demonstrates

the importance of ensuring systems can cope with the increased

usage and the potential benefit of using the cloud.

Discussion

Whilst the mobile platform appears a lucrative solution for

engaging learners on and off campus (Benson, 2008), the

Blackboard app still suffers drawbacks. User ranking of the

Blackboard Mobile Learn for Android (GooglePlay, 2012)

phones averages at only 2.6 out of 5 (based on 6196 reviews)

according to Google Play data in 2012. The app version for

iPhone and iPad (iTunes, 2012) also lags behind in user re-

viewers (2.5 stars from 2420 users) based on iTunes user feed-

back. So what challenges are ahead of developers and academic

staff alike to help make a mobile learning platform fulfill its

objective to increase the quality of student experience and im-

prove learning and teaching?

There are several levels of challenge to address, including

application dependent, service dependent, compliance related

and pedagogical underpinning of the mobile technology.

Application dependent issues reported on the BlackBoard

Mobile user reviews revolve around the following:

● Compatibility problems—having downloaded the app stu-

dents were unable to find their institution or reported mes-

sages of “your institution does not support” the app.

● Application failure—when accessing PowerPoint slides app

“crashes”. Conversion of files to PDF formats causes ap-

plication failure.

Device support issues—individual wireless devices will have

an impact on what resources are available and how they will be

presented to the user. One of the most notorious support issues

affecting a wide range of existing learning materials is the Flash

vs Apple support. BlackBoard Mobile Learn and other apps

base their popularity on their support for a variety of wireless

devices but pockets of unsupported functionality and varied

presentation between devices remains.

Service provision problems reported relate to speed of the

app loading resources. Slow download rate of the communica-

tion tools and learning resources are the main causes of concern

for mobile app users. On the other hand, service availability of

the VLE maintained by universities in-house is quite an impor-

tant factor in student satisfaction.

By moving VLE service provision to the cloud, service qual-

ity and reliability improves. However, issues of privacy and

security of data transported between cloud service provider and

users on or off campus creates a number of concerns. These

include regulatory issues around personal data storage and

management, communication of data across borders and other

compliance issues. On the other hand outsourcing of VLE

hosting to a cloud provider enhances security and reliability of

services as the professional approach of many cloud vendors

may mean better security as well as business continuity.

Finally, pedagogical underpinning of the mobile learning

apps is far from maturity. How to ensure that students are not

lost in “virtual learning space”? How to deliver a meaningful

learning experience through a powerful mobile platform but yet

limited in its capabilities at present?

The pedagogic implications of developing systems that are

sufficiently simple to work well on an app but challenging and

interesting to students, and the extent to which students can and

will learn using these technologies, have yet to be explored.

There may be exciting new pedagogical approaches that can be

taken to make full use of the potential of mobile.

All aspects of the technology potential should be assessed to

consider what new learning experiences we can offer students.

What we can be certain of is that students will increasingly

expect these services, and they will expect them to work well.

Indeed HE institutions that are able to truly innovate and en-

hance learning with mobile apps, working around the chal-

lenges above, could gain ground quickly.

Student Experience and Emerging Technologies

Students graduating today will find increased competition for

V. BENSON, S. MORGAN

jobs, and will be expected to work in a global economy, for

many they will be part of a global collaborative environment

communicating without borders. They are already involved in

mobile communities through Facebook and twitter, and will

increasingly expect HE environments to mirror this lifestyle

and prepare them for the “wired” world. At the same time,

Universities need to stay current and relevant to attract and

retain students. Whether mobile learning is student led or Uni-

versity led, it is likely to become increasingly important.

The mobile VLE can improve student experience by en-

hancing engagement, enabling collaboration both formal and

informal with peers and related communities, in an immediate

and modern manner. Our initial student feedback of the system

suggests they are enthusiastic at first, and it is viewed as inno-

vative. Certainly offering a mobile VLE extends student choice

regarding when where and how they learn, is likely to enhance

independent learning, and also collaborative learning. As with

any learning tool though it will be vital to ensure the students

understand the purpose and benefits of the mobile offer, and are

encouraged to actually use it through good course design and

blended learning—using the mobiles in class and on campus as

well as outside the institution.

There is some evidence that many students download the app,

adding it to their long list of available tools, and then promptly

forget about it, or try once and then give up. The technical is-

sues and purposive use of engagement-led content will be im-

portant to success. We have highlighted some critical issues and

some student demands, but far more research is needed to fully

understand good practice. Research questions should focus on

actual student experience of mobile learning and which forms

of mobile activity, in which contexts, generate deep learning

and student engagement.

Conclusion

Over the past year the Higher Education (HE) sector has ex-

perienced a move to wireless learning enabled through mobile

apps. Advanced features of smart phones and tablet computers

have sent the penetration rate of mobile devices soaring

amongst students. Universities are investing in mobile applica-

tions enabling wireless access to current Virtual Learning En-

vironments while carefully considering the benefits of the cloud

for secure and flexible provision of VLE services. Capabilities

of wireless devices present issues of access, presentation and

compatibility of e-learning materials, while cloud as infrastruc-

ture as a service raises concerns of security as data is hosted by

third parties outside of the corporate firewalls. A case of a suc-

cessful move to mobile learning enablement and cloud deploy-

ment opens the discussion around the critical success factors in

wireless e-learning operations. We have considered research

questions through the lens of student experience and call for

further research attention to the pedagogical underpinning of

wireless learning technology.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Academic Development

Centre and Student Information Services at Kingston Univer-

sity for their help and advice in development of this paper.

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