An exploration of student experiences with social media and mobile technologies during emergency transition to remote education

The adoption of mobile computing technologies in higher education has been accelerated during the emergency transition from on-campus to distance learning, which occurred due to the unprecedented situation caused by Covid-19 pandemic. The aim of this study is to explore how undergraduate students experienced learning through mobile computing devices during the emergency transition to remote education; how this experience may have impacted learner engagement and their overall academic performance; and students’ perceptions on the role social media played while learning under lockdown. To gather students’ insights and perceptions, in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with both full-time and part-time undergraduate students. Three main themes emerged from the thematic analysis of the interview data. Firstly, the significant, multifaceted role social media play during distance education in keeping students engaged; secondly, students’ positive experiences with using mobile computing devices to support their learning under lockdown; and thirdly, the frustrations from learning at a distance with mobile technologies. The research findings can empirically inform the design of engaging, inclusive, and inviting mobile learning environments towards improving the experiences of the mobile learner in an everchanging world