Improving the Project Risk Competence using M-Learning: A Case of Bachelors in Technical Fields

Abstract

Mobile technology is a popular tool used to improve education efficiency. However, its impact on learners in risk assessment training is largely unknown. Projects are fraught with risks so individuals responsible for a project need to possess strong skills to handle the risky circumstances successfully.  Unfortunately, candidates for a bachelor’s degree in technical fields in Russia have an insufficient risk competence. This study offers a five-unit program to solve this problem. The study involved 128 students recruited from the Noyabrsk Institute of Oil and Gas (Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Russia). All participants were divided in three groups: two experimental and one control. During a semester, participants in the experimental group followed the proposed program in a mobile setting, while the control group was offered the standard curriculum. The results showed an improvement in the student outcomes: the test scores of the experimental groups were higher by 24.78% and 32.75% than that of the control group. Furthermore, mobile learners were found to perform better than classroom learners: their test score was higher by 3.5% to 8%.