Mobile Learning: A Handbook for Developers, Educators, and Learners

SECTION 2

Creating the Mobile Learning Experience

Creating educational apps presents a unique opportunity to developers, but also comes with many hurdles and challenges. Section 1 presents developers with a thorough picture of the underpinnings of educational theory, as well as the realities of using technology in the classroom. It is essential for developers to understand what educators are looking for and what their students need in an app to be able to create an innovative and appropriate product.

Building upon that understanding, this section aims to present a discussion of the features and methodologies that are best suited for developing mobile apps. We present key design principles that set educational apps apart from their competitors, and enable a more intuitive and usable experience. We also outline the key features of the app development cycle and team, urging interdisciplinary support and frequent communication with teachers and students.

An area of constant debate and discussion as it pertains to students is data privacy and learning analytics, and mobile learning puts an even finer point on this issue. We discuss the obligations developers have to their users’ data, privacy policies, and the ethical ways data can be collected and analyzed to provide a more personalized experience within the app. Use of mobile features, bandwidth and student data all center on one concept we offer in this section: the good app citizen. We offer advice on how to make responsible use ...