Description

In order to develop necessary mobile apps, various apps programming methods are investigated first. In this project, a mobile ready webpage is firstly developed using HTML5 programming code. Then, PhoneGap is used to convert the HTML5 code to the Apple iOS and Android App. In order to enhance the effectiveness of the M-learning platform, the interface of the app was designed based on the research of interface design of other similar apps and research result from existing articles. To make the app more attractive, a complementary set of icon and banner was also designed.

Three M-learning platforms are developed as follows:

• Mobile ready website: http://www.mypolyuweb.hk/~mfymtang/EngMaths/
• Apple App named as "EngMaths"
• Android App named as "EngMaths"

Evaluation & Findings

For the evaluation part, test and feedback questionnaire were conducted to compare the students' mathematics performance with and without using the apps. The platform was introduced to the target students during the commencement of the teaching. About half of the students were studied with the apps, while the other students were studied with traditional notes. A test was conducted to measure the mathematical capability of the students. The test was graded and questionnaire was used to allow students self-evaluate their satisfactory level of using the app for learning. The results between two sets of learning materials were compared. Data, such as learning effectiveness, ease to use, convenient to use and study motivation were collected and measured, so as to verify the developed M-Iearning platform.

During the design of the educational model, questionnaires were used to address several key problems in the development of the M-Iearning platform including what, how and when to learn. Mathematical contents including Matrix, polynomial, and exponential functions are essential to students' study. On the other hand, a mobile app is the best M-Iearning platform for their study and giving two weeks study time would be the most ideal. 

Finally, an evaluation was conducted to compare students' mathematics performance with and without using the apps. The average test result by using traditional notes and apps were 30.8 and 56.8 respectively. The average score from the questionnaire also shows that students' self-evaluated satisfactory level is higher in most of the aspects by using the app for learning. This concluded that based on the average score of the test results and feedback questionnaire, the students studied with the mobile app have better performance than those studied via traditional notes. They agreed that the mobile app provided a more attractive, easier and more effective learning support compare with the traditional notes in their study.