Running head: INTEGRATION OF MOBILE APPS INTO EDUCATION 1

Integration of Mobile Apps into Education

Student Name

Columbia Southern University

Sample Research Paper

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INTEGRATION OF MOBILE APPS INTO EDUCATION 2

Abstract

This paper explores the importance of mobility that is expected in every area of life today.

Students assume that their particular schools’ websites and learning management systems will be

available on their mobile devices. Schools need to consider how mobile applications (apps) can

be used within their academic and social realms. The cost and positive effects will need to be

researched by each institution to discover if mobile apps would be effective tools to use. A

variety of apps are already available for use as is the technology for schools to create their own

apps. Geographic locating, instructional, scheduling, administrative, and e-learning options can

provide additional and more productive learning experiences for students. Educators and

academic institutions do not need to be left behind in the use of mobile applications to facilitate

learning and further assist their students in their educational pursuits.

This is the running head.

Center the word

Abstract. Not Boldface.

The abstract should be between 150-250 words. There is a subtle difference between an abstract

and an introduction. The introduction introduces the topic, often in creative ways and with

background information. The abstract summarizes the paper in a very structured way. You will often

find statements in the abstract that you were taught to never write in an introduction… “This paper

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paper, or if they should keep looking for an article that better suits their needs. Abstracts are

typically found in academic journals, so you have to imagine that the paper you are writing for class

right now might end up in an academic journal someday!

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INTEGRATION OF MOBILE APPS INTO EDUCATION 3

Integration of Mobile Apps into Education

Technology has become an important element in almost every aspect of people’s lives. It

has been integrated into the educational process over and over again throughout the years and

has given newer and better tools to help facilitate learning. One such tool, the Internet, has given

the area of distance education digital steroids that have propelled online learning into a major

league status. In keeping up with emerging technologies, schools are now hoping to incorporate

mobile learning into both their traditional and distance classes. Universities are creating mobile

apps to allow students to participate in their classwork in and out of the classroom (Olavsrud,

2011). The question for educators becomes whether mobile apps are valid and valuable tools or

are just unneeded additions to their curriculums.

Pros of the Issue

Today people on their phones, email on their phones, shop on their phones, and look for

the best gas prices on their phones. Anything someone can do on his or her computer, he or she

can do on his or her phone. In most professions, it would be difficult to succeed without a

mobile device. It allows for more efficient work. To facilitate learning, one might ask why not

access and use all that mobile technology has to offer. Kukulska-Hulme and Traxler (as cited in

Zawacki-Richter, Brown, & Delport, 2009) state that mobile technologies can “open up new

opportunities for independent investigations, practical fieldwork, professional updating, and on-

the-spot access to knowledge. They can also provide the mechanism for improved individual

learner support and guidance, and for more efficient course administration and management"

(para. 14).

Center the full title of the

document. Not Boldface.

When paraphrasing information, text citations should include the author(s) and the year of

publication. If no year is available, use n.d. for no date within the parentheses.

When using information from someone who is quoted within the source but is not the author of the source, this is called a secondary source. Here is an example of how to cite a secondary source. Notice

that Kukulska-Hulme and Traxler are not listed on the reference page because they are quoted within the text by Zawacki-Richter, Brown, and Delport. Since this is a direct quote a page or paragraph number must be included to show where the quoted information is found and will come at the end of the quote if the

author(s) and date are at the beginning of the sentence.

This is a level one heading. Centered, Boldface.

INTEGRATION OF MOBILE APPS INTO EDUCATION 4

Mobile applications (apps) can be used with campus maps and GPS location to help

students navigate across campuses as well as access school directories and event schedules,

Additionally, students can research schools’ libraries and other facilities, find reference

information, practice needed skills, submit assignments, and access grades. (Engebretson, 2010).

Campus groups can use apps to send mass messages and conduct anonymous polling.

“Professors are able to utilize apps to send attendance reports, send automatic emails to absent

students, and have class or group discussion forums” (Engebretson, 2010, para. 3). General

educational apps from various authors can be downloaded by students and can be very

beneficial. Apps in English Language Arts; Mathematics; Science; History and Geography;

Language Development; Art, Music, and Creativity; Reference, Productivity, and Collaboration;

and Accessibility could all play significant rolls in many educational venues (Apple, 2012).

Cons of the Issue

As with any improvement to a system, there are difficulties and obstacles to overcome.

One issue that surrounds using mobile apps in education is that educators are trying to fit the

apps into the traditional, centuries’ old version of teaching (Olavsrud, 2011). This is like fitting

a square peg into a round hole, and less tech-savvy educators would rather not have to deal with

yet another technological advancement. Within learning institutions, having apps that are usable

on a variety of systems is also an obstacle (Olavsrud, 2011). Students and educators are using

varying devices and systems, and apps need to be able to work efficiently across all these

systems. Long writing assignments are also difficult to accomplish through an app on a phone or

tablet. Although shorter discussion forums work well, most would agree that essays and any

kind of creative design are too complex to work out on a mobile device. Security issues also

have to be recognized and dealt with especially “compliance with the Family Educational Rights

Direct quotations require the listing of the author(s), year of publication, and the page or paragraph number.

If a quote is not a complete thought and is used as part of sentence, the quote

will NOT begin with a capital letter.

INTEGRATION OF MOBILE APPS INTO EDUCATION 5

and Privacy Act (FERPA) pertaining to student records” (Olavsrud, 2011, p. 22). Quillen (2011)

also tells us that there are not many apps out there that have “content designed to fit the face-to-

face classroom” (p. 16). Most apps designed to run on hand-held devices do not let teachers

monitor student progress or save student data.

My Position on the Issue

As an educator, I want to use anything that will benefit my students. Looking at the

overwhelming advantages of mobile apps and their potential use within academia, I believe they

will become an important asset to education. I would like for my GED students to be able to use

mobile apps to help them succeed in their test preparation. There are not any adult basic

education apps, but there are some apps for basic subjects that could be integrated into our

curriculum. My students might work harder and more often if they could pull out their mobile

devices while waiting in the doctor’s office or in the car line and work on skills they need to

build in order to pass the GED exam. Whether for GED, K-12, or higher education, mobile apps

can be an unparalleled resource for educators and learners alike.

If someone were marketing a fantastic new brand of sneakers, he or she would study

demographics and put ads in places where the population is more apt to purchase the sneakers. If

someone running a restaurant was going to add a new sandwich to the menu, he or she would

add something people really liked to eat. Why is education any different? We need to take

education to where the students are. Among 18 to 24 year olds in America, 67 percent own a

smartphone (Lytle, 2012). Students want to have access to their technology no matter where

they are. Giving them access to their classes on their mobile devices just makes sense.

The world of mobile applications is the new frontier (Quillen, 2011). As educators

explore it, they will find even better ways to use apps to facilitate learning. As educators begin

This is another way to cite a direct quote when using the author’s

name within the sentence.

Academic writing does not include 1st person (I, me, my) unless the

assignment requires personal opinions.

INTEGRATION OF MOBILE APPS INTO EDUCATION 6

to deal with those pesky obstacles they encounter, they will learn how to overcome them. Some

inventive software has already been developed by LanSchool Technologies (Quillen, 2011). To

combat the issues involving teachers not being able to access data from student’s work on apps, a

certification procedure has been implemented for apps. Apps qualifying for certification give

codes to teachers for them to be able to access student progress and usage (Quillen, 2011).

Mobile apps can transform how students learn. As Mike Pennington so succinctly says

(as cited in Walker, 2012), “Schools need to embrace mobile technology and mobile learning.

Students live in this world. These devices belong in the classroom” (para.3). Whether it is

allowing college students to save money by not having to buy expensive $100 scientific

calculators (because the app is only $1.99!) or letting GED students practice basic algebra, apps

can be unparalleled learning resources. It is predicted that in the next five years, smart phones or

tablets will be in the hands of every student in the United States (Walker, 2012). Because of this,

using mobile apps in education seems to be inevitable.

If a quote is a complete thought, it will begin with a capital letter.

INTEGRATION OF MOBILE APPS INTO EDUCATION 7

References

Apple. (2012). iPad in education. Retrieved from http://www.apple.com/education/ipad/apps-

books-and-more/

Engebretson, J. (2010, February 3). Universities log on to hand-held mobile apps. Retrieved from

http://connectedplanetonline.com/topics/distance-learning/universities-hand-held-mobile-

apps-0203/index1.html

Lytle, R. (2012, September 21). 5 apps college students should use this school year. U.S. News &

World Report. Retrieved from http://www.usnews.com/education/best-

colleges/articles/2012/09/21/5-apps-college-students-should-use-this-school-year

Olavsrud, T. (2011, June 20). Colleges deploying mobile learning apps. Retrieved from

http://www.schools.com/articles/colleges-deploying-mobile-learning-apps.html

Quillen, I. (2011). Mobile apps for education evolving. Education Week, 04(02), 16-17.

Retrieved from http://www.edweek.org/dd/articles/2011/02/09/02apps.h04.html

Walker, T. (2012). Get smart! Using mobile apps to improve your teaching. NEA Today

Magazine. Retrieved from http://www.nea.org/home/41992.htm

Zawicki-Richter, O., Brown, T., & Delport, R. (2009). Mobile learning: From single project

status into the mainstream? European Journal of Open, Distance and E-Learning.

Retrieved from ERIC database.

The word “References” should

be centered at the top of the

page and is not boldface.

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