2010 4th International Conference on Distance Learning and Education (ICDLE)

M-Iearning in High School: The Impact of using SMS in Mathematics Education-an

Iranian Experience

Zahra Amiratashani
Teacher trainer &senior instructor , Education Ministry
E-mail address: (amiratashany393 2@yahoo.com).

Abstract-The following study was an attempt to investigate the extending learning beyond school into society and
effect of providing co-curricular activities using an m-Iearning home.(Fazlikhani et aI, 2001). Regarding the remarkable
method, i.e., SMS on a group of female Iranian high advances in educational technology, especially distance
school juniors' learning during a course of mathematics. A learning techniques, the co-curricular activities can be
hundred students were divided into four groups of 25, two of supplied by means of new technologies in a faster and
which received treatment, i.e. they were sent math quizzes and more efficient manner. Moreover, according to Zoofan
were provided with feedback by the teacher via SMS over a (2002), the use of modem electronic technology and
period of 10 weeks. The findings of the study suggest that integrating it into the students' learning experiences can
making use of m-Iearning methods in providing informal help them improve their ability in decision-making,
co-curricular activities for high school students can have a choosing role-models, understanding art, problem-solving
great impact on their learning and foster it to a great extent. It and participating in various human communities.
was also found that informal activities through SMS increased
While this study is specifically oriented towards the role
the students' motivation to learn mathematics and it
of m-learning in math education in high school, the findings
encouraged interaction among the students in the process of
and suggestions can be generalized to other levels of
solving mathematical problems so that they could provide
education too. The recommendation about using cell
and receive feedback from their peers. On the other hand,
phones for teaching math can also be used for other subjects
this method proved to be a very time-consuming job on
too.
the part of the teacher. Moreover, the lack of access to cell
phones on the part of some students caused difficulty in the
II. REVIEW OF LITERATU
way of implementing the SMS method.
The following are some of the goals to be achieved by
Keywords-m-learning, co-curricular activities, SMS, implementing m learning:
mathematics education • To improve levels of literacy, numeracy and
participation in education amongst young adults.
I. INTRODUCTION • To explore new and varied educational activities that
Two things are obvious today: the education is one of become available while applying innovative
the most important things in our lives and that information approaches for designing a new kind of educational
technology has strong impact on many aspects of our technology .
everyday life. The possibility of using various • To aims at location - dependent and situation -
information technology tools in teaching and learning dependent knowledge. Situation dependent
mathematics rises new questions about their proper knowledge, the knowledge by its nature transc ends
integration in the school system. This paper tries to disciplines, arise from practical tasks, multi -
investigate the effect of m-learning in teaching mathematics sensorial content and its elements are linked to each
informally at high school level. other not just by texts but also by diagrams, pictures
As information technology, computers and cell phones and map (Siraj, 2004:78)
are present in every part of our everyday life they are going The students used the m - learning environment with a
to be more and more present in various ways of variety of wire less / hand held devices and reported their
education. These are especially important for distance experiences through a survey and interviews at the end of
learning. The present study tried to provide insight in two the semester. The results from this exploratory study
separate areas. First, we investigated the effect of using an provide a better understanding on the role of mobile
m-learning method in mathematics education and second we technology in higher education. (Motiwalla, 2005).
tried to determine the extent of practicality of using a In order to determine the effectiveness of m - learning
distance learning method, i.e. SMS in a high school in the form of pod cast revision lectures in higher education,
environment. Evans (2007) conducted a research too. Statistical analysis
The co-curricular activities are designed with the aim of of the results of the study indicates that students believe that
deepening the learning and teaching processes, improving pod casts are more effective revision tools than their text
and complementing the content of curriculum, and books and they are more efficient than their own notes in

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 2010 4th International Conference on Distance Learning and Education (ICDLE)

helping them to learn. They also indicate that they are more • It makes learning possible during performance of
receptive to the learning material in the form of a pod cast another task.
than a traditional lecture or text book. The study suggests Some of the opportunities and facilities of utilization of
that the use of pod casts as a revision tool has clear benefits mobile specified in the aforementioned book include the
as perceived by under graduate students in terms of the time following (Manteghi, 2007):
they take to revise and how much they feel they can learn. Establishment of a basis for mental relaxation,
Coupled with the advantage of flexibility in when, where establishment of a basis for finding excitement,
and haw it is used, pod casting appears to have significant entertainment, and game, establishment of a basis for
potential as an innovative learning tool for adult learners in individual creativity and using the m- learning facilities and
Higher Education. development of the relations among people. Also the most
In another research conducted by Min Haung (2008) important threats and damages of the aforementioned
questionnaires were used to evaluate the usability of the technology include: biological effects of the mobile phone,
proposed synchronous learning environment, and the results youth crisis- especially at the Iranian society, dependency
indicate that our system can facilitate synchronous learning and addiction to mobile phone, consuming a long time for
by enabling students to access lessons conveniently and SMS, memory occupied and mental conflict, remoteness,
efficiently form a wide variety of locations, using common anxiety and depression, detaining from more consultations,
mobile communication devices. generation of false personality, gradual reduction of
According to Chang & Chen (2005) the portability and modesty and bashfulness at the users and ill- excitement
immediate communication properties of Mobile devises finding.
influence the learning processes interacting with peers, The research conducted regarding the m- learning
accessing resources and transferring data. indicates the modernity and usefulness of this method. No
Experimental results indicate that the proposed system field research in Iran has been done regarding the m­
can enhance three learning performance indicators, namely learning, and only the author has used the same method at
academic performance, task accomplishment rates, and November 2007 for one month with the aim of evaluation
learning goals achievement rates of the pre � university students' progress in mathematics.
The advantages of m- learning include the following:
• it has no location or time limitation III. METHODOLOGY
• The physical position of the individual is not counted The research design of the study was an experimental
as a problem, and he/ she may be educated at any one including four groups of 25 female junior high school
position thereof. students: one experimental and three control groups. The t­
• There is the possibility of communication between test conducted between the scores of experimental and
the learner and the teacher and! or the other learners control group 1 did not show any statistically significant
thereof. difference between the two groups. Then the experimental
• Using the Internet makes the matter of accessing to group and control group2 underwent treatment, i.e.
up- to- date and proper educational contents as receiving math quizzes and questions and feedback for their
possible. performance via SMS for a period of 10 weeks while the
• The individual differences as considered. other two groups, i.e. controll and control3 did not receive
• The number of the learners is not important and it any treatments. At the end of the period a post test was
has no effect on the educational quality. given to all participants in 4 groups and the obtained data
was statistically analyzed using the SPSS Software.
Research desi n is re test ost test with control
� rou s.

Yb X Va experimental

R Yb -x Va I control

x Va 2 control

-x Vi! 3 control

R: random arrangement

X: to use m-learning method, -x : not to use m-learning method, Yb: pre test, Ya : post test

Fig. 1: Salmon's 4groups design

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 2010 4th International Conference on Distance Learning and Education (ICDLE)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
IV. RESULTS
A special thanks to Hossein Abolfathi who has helped
The analysis of the obtained data revealed the
with the paper .
following results:
• There was a significant difference between the
means of pretest and posttest scores in the
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