Abstract

GUADAMUZ-VILLALOBOS, Jairo. First Steps of Mobile Learning in Costa Rica: Use of WhatsApp as a Means of Communication in the Classroom. Educare [online]. 2020, vol.24, n.2, pp.369-387. ISSN 1409-4258.  http://dx.doi.org/10.15359/ree.24-2.18.

To have students’ opinion on the use of mobile devices to support the teaching and learning process, and the existing possibilities of implementing mobile learning in the Costa Rican university classroom, this research documents the integration of the WhatsApp tool to communication in the university classroom. The research was conducted with groups 01, 02, and 03 of the Reference II course, taught in the School of Library and Information Sciences of the University of Costa Rica, during the second semester of 2017. It shows the process of implementation of the application in the classroom, the systematization of contacts, the use of broadcast lists, the material sent in the communications, and the students’ opinions who were part of the research process. This assessment considered the relation between students and their experiences with other communication tools in the classroom, their preference for using WhatsApp again as a communication tool, and their general opinion on the exercise. In conclusion, there are conditions for mobile learning in the Costa Rican university classroom, and its implementation brings benefits in the teaching and learning process. Also, the students were satisfied with the experience. Finally, this exercise is proposed as the first approach to mobile learning implementation in Costa Rica.

Keywords : Mobile learning; higher education; teaching of librarianship; information and communication technology, Costa Rica.

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