The students at the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT)-Dubai Men's College (DMC) have emphasised the importance of HCT's efforts in initiating the different domains of mobile learning in the college's teaching and learning strategies.
The students highlighted that this strategy has added quality to their learning at both the academic and technological levels. In addition to saving the students time the new strategy has led to more direct communication between the student and teacher, without restrictions.
HCT employed mobile learning technologies, including tablets, in the learning process in order to provide the various educational programmes to the students within the framework of 'anytime, anywhere' learning, thus allowing the students to better retain and understand the information, and at times that suit them.
The President of the DMC Student Council (SAC), Saleh Al Taher, stated that mobile learning allows students to track training activities, self-learning, and professional guidance through working via the mobile phone as well as mobile phone application software covered in HCT, which is simple and easy to use. This includes the ability to disseminate interactive learning materials that include study internships, different trainings, as well as incorporate sounds, images, and videos in different languages. Saleh also highlighted that mobile learning is a new revolution in the world of education.
Mansoor Ali, a student at HCT-DMC, believes that implementing the mobile learning technologies at the Higher Colleges of Technology allows innovation and variety to take place in tackling written, visual, or audio texts, due to the technology-based learning preferences of university students in this modern age.
Mansoor added that mobile learning provides the best educational services in different specialisations by delivering information to the students within the classroom and beyond. This introduces the concept of using the latest technological achievements during the development process, while maintaining the highest quality of the programmes.
Interactive Learning
HCT-DMC student, Mohamed Al Yousuf, emphasised that using mobile technologies in the education and learning process contributes to promoting interactive learning methods. Such methods provide a set of relevant skills to HCT students, as well as thinking techniques needed for them to become the leaders of the future. Using mobile technologies also allows learners to benefit from effective learning that encourages interaction and communication among students, faculty members, and local community experts.
Moreover, HCT-DMC student, Ali Al Bahar, emphasised the high quality of work implemented by the Higher Colleges of Technology in providing mobile learning programmes. HCT students take interest in following-up on the most recent technologies in the world, especially in a way that assists them in the development of their studies and thinking techniques. Hence, the Higher Colleges of Technology is able to attract the students' focus by using high-quality educational Apps, as well as adopting and adapting the most recent global mobile learning practices.
HCT-DMC student, Ali Khalifa Al Mehairi, said from his experiences the academic motivation of students doubled with the availability of advanced learning applications.
Students view strong academic qualifications as a vital part of their future education. Studying for these qualifications with the aid of mobile technologies helps to reduce training periods that were previously necessary to prepare the students for the workforce.
Thus, mobile learning is important as it is a motivator of the students' intellectual development, as well as allowing students to be exposed to various media sources which broaden the students' perceptions.
© Press Release 2014
