Perceptions on mobile information among undergraduates before and after Covid-19: some comparisons

DOI

10.54886/ibersid.v18i1.4941

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

6-1-2024

Publication Title

Ibersid

Volume

18

Issue

1

First Page

149

Last Page

163

ISSN

18880967

Keywords

Case studies, Covid-19, Focus groups, ICT, Mobile information literacy, Mobile learning, Portugal, Spain

Abstract

A comparative analysis of Social Sciences undergraduates’ perceptions of information literacy (IL) and the use/inclusion of mobile technologies (MT) at the universities of Granada (Spain) and ISPA (Lisboa) before and after the Covid-19 pandemics. An exploratory socio-constructive focus group methodology was carried out based on a sample of eighteen Psychology and Education undergraduates, in the final year of their studies (May 2022). We implemented two focus groups, one in each country. Undergraduates experienced significant gaps, especially in IL knowledge and MT skills. They also perceived attitudinal and technological limitations in their teachers. Morever, there are some differences in attitudes towards MT inclusion in the processes of teaching and learning, according to the context. In this regard, Spanish undergraduates showed better skills and Portuguese ones a higher level of self-perception. Some shortages derived from the Covid-19 pandemic emerge, since there is a growing body of evidence on both the need for student-teacher closeness and the technical limitations of some teacher. After this critical situation, an open-to-experience mentality on the part of all the stakeholders is necessary. Due to the qualitative methodology, we have implemented, the research is limited to a specific sector to be analyzed (Social Sciences undergraduates belonging to the last pregraduate year). Academic, educational institutions and teachers (responsible for the training of future generations) must strive to understand the scope of mobile teaching and the possibilities of mobile devices to increase student’s motivations and to acquire basic skills too. To reflect on this situation turns into a priority to optimize the teaching-learning processes.

Open Access

Hybrid_Gold

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