Mobile Phones – Rediscovering Their Niche in Medical Education
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Abstract
Background
The use of mobile devices in medical schools has increased considerably in the past several years. Mobile learning (mLearning), although not a new concept to medicine, is beginning to gain more popularity1. The primary mobile devices being currently used are mobile phones and tablets – mobile phones initially but tablets becoming more prevalent2. The usefulness of mobile phones for medical education is in question, and its effectiveness as an mLearning tool in medical education has yet to be determined.
Objectives
This study aims to investigate how medical students in the University of Southampton (UoS) use their mobile phones and to explore potential mLearning areas that mobile phones can support most effectively. The findings will help determine the role of mobile phones for medical education and help medical schools identify appropriate types of mLearning tools.
Methods
A mixed-method approach consisting of 2 online questionnaires and 3 focus groups is used. The first questionnaire explores how students use their mobile phones, and if they are used as an aid for medical education. The second questionnaire investigates if mobile phone usage by medical students is compliant with current guidelines in academic and clinical environments. The focus groups are to gain more in-depth understanding, complimenting the data from the questionnaires.
Results
Two hundred four students participated in the first questionnaire and 124 the second questionnnaire. The first questionnaire results showed that all respondents (199) owned and used mobile phones: 186 (93%) smartphones and 13 (7%) non-smartphones. In addition to calling and texting, a large number of the respondents used their mobile phones daily for surfing the internet (83%), email (79%), Facebook (77%) and organising learning (65%), but only a small number (16%) used Twitter. For learning, mobile phones were used primarily for researching medical information online and medical apps in both the University and clinical environments. Approximately 53% used their mobile phones for researching medical information, and 29% used medical apps either daily or once a week at the University. Additionally, in clinical areas, respondents used their mobile phones either daily or once a week for researching medical information (43%) or for medical related apps (27%). The key mLearning areas students desired from the University were related to learning support, i.e. a timetable app by 35%, and specific medical revision/reference apps tailored towards the curriculum (27%).
Conclusions
With the evolution of mobile devices shifting towards tablet use, the role of mobile phones for mLearning is coming into question. However, mobile phones are used by virtually every medical student and should be considered an important means to support learning. This study suggests that medical students use their phones on a daily basis in various aspects of their learning – both administrative and academic. An endeavour worth considering by medical schools would be to provide or develop medical apps tailored towards their curriculum. The use of mobile phones by medical students will persist, and medical schools should take steps to create more course-specific content available on mobile devices.
1Frith G. The Smartphone - More than just an iPhone. http://www.leeds.ac.uk/medicine/alumni/articles/2011_jan_phones.html (accessed 11 Jan 2013)
2Dolan B. Nine medical schools that support mobile learning. http://mobihealthnews.com/12346/nine-medical-schools-that-support-mobile-learning/ (accessed 20 October 2012).
The use of mobile devices in medical schools has increased considerably in the past several years. Mobile learning (mLearning), although not a new concept to medicine, is beginning to gain more popularity1. The primary mobile devices being currently used are mobile phones and tablets – mobile phones initially but tablets becoming more prevalent2. The usefulness of mobile phones for medical education is in question, and its effectiveness as an mLearning tool in medical education has yet to be determined.
Objectives
This study aims to investigate how medical students in the University of Southampton (UoS) use their mobile phones and to explore potential mLearning areas that mobile phones can support most effectively. The findings will help determine the role of mobile phones for medical education and help medical schools identify appropriate types of mLearning tools.
Methods
A mixed-method approach consisting of 2 online questionnaires and 3 focus groups is used. The first questionnaire explores how students use their mobile phones, and if they are used as an aid for medical education. The second questionnaire investigates if mobile phone usage by medical students is compliant with current guidelines in academic and clinical environments. The focus groups are to gain more in-depth understanding, complimenting the data from the questionnaires.
Results
Two hundred four students participated in the first questionnaire and 124 the second questionnnaire. The first questionnaire results showed that all respondents (199) owned and used mobile phones: 186 (93%) smartphones and 13 (7%) non-smartphones. In addition to calling and texting, a large number of the respondents used their mobile phones daily for surfing the internet (83%), email (79%), Facebook (77%) and organising learning (65%), but only a small number (16%) used Twitter. For learning, mobile phones were used primarily for researching medical information online and medical apps in both the University and clinical environments. Approximately 53% used their mobile phones for researching medical information, and 29% used medical apps either daily or once a week at the University. Additionally, in clinical areas, respondents used their mobile phones either daily or once a week for researching medical information (43%) or for medical related apps (27%). The key mLearning areas students desired from the University were related to learning support, i.e. a timetable app by 35%, and specific medical revision/reference apps tailored towards the curriculum (27%).
Conclusions
With the evolution of mobile devices shifting towards tablet use, the role of mobile phones for mLearning is coming into question. However, mobile phones are used by virtually every medical student and should be considered an important means to support learning. This study suggests that medical students use their phones on a daily basis in various aspects of their learning – both administrative and academic. An endeavour worth considering by medical schools would be to provide or develop medical apps tailored towards their curriculum. The use of mobile phones by medical students will persist, and medical schools should take steps to create more course-specific content available on mobile devices.
1Frith G. The Smartphone - More than just an iPhone. http://www.leeds.ac.uk/medicine/alumni/articles/2011_jan_phones.html (accessed 11 Jan 2013)
2Dolan B. Nine medical schools that support mobile learning. http://mobihealthnews.com/12346/nine-medical-schools-that-support-mobile-learning/ (accessed 20 October 2012).
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