Mobile-Heutagogical Practices among Student Teachers: Its Pedagogical Affordances and Challenges

Abstract

The integration of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the classroom for learning is becoming important to improve student engagement and interaction.  This is in line with the educational transformation towards achieving Higher Education 4.0 in Malaysia. Education 4.0 (Edu 4.0) is in line with the Industrial Revolution 4.0 (4IR) and underpin the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2015-2025. There has been a recent surge in published studies on Mobile-Heutagogy (M-Heutagogy), with most studies has been conducted in developed countries, where the outcomes of the studies have revealed that M-Heutagogy has significant impacts on Edu. 4.0. Against this backdrop, this paper aims to discuss the M-Heutagogy pedagogical affordances of such a tool, the challenges that it poses, and the pedagogical change that is entailed for the adoption of the M-Heutagogy in the classroom.  As a preliminary investigation in Malaysia, this study was carried out based on the phenomenological perspective of selected student teachers concerning the above affordances and challenges of M-Heutagogy through interviews. It was revealed that the use of such a novel learning tool helped spur their students’ interest, stimulate their curiosity, and improve their confidence in learning scientific concepts. In particular, the use of M-Huetagogy has proven can help to improve student participation in the learning process through more intense discussions among student teachers, which led to an improved understanding of learning concepts. However, the main barriers to full integration of such a tool in teaching and learning were attributed to the lack of technical support, teaching skills and confidence, and suitable facilities.