Mobile Technology-Enabled Classroom Interaction: Advancing Interactive Learning in Higher Education

Abstract

Amid the rapid advancement of information technology, mobile technology—characterized by its portability, real-time functionality, and interactive capacity—has been increasingly leveraged to transform models of classroom interaction in higher education. Traditional lecture-based instruction has encountered growing demands for innovation, while the widespread adoption of mobile devices and applications has not only altered students’ learning behaviors but also introduced novel interaction scenarios between teachers and students. However, significant methodological limitations remain in existing studies. Many rely predominantly on traditional survey-based approaches to examine teacher-student interaction, which are insufficient for capturing the dynamic complexity and real-time characteristics of mobile-mediated interaction networks. Furthermore, most investigations into temporal features of interaction remain confined to descriptive statistics, lacking deeper insights into burstiness and memory effects. Focusing on interactive learning in higher education classrooms through the lens of mobile interaction networks, two principal dimensions were explored in this study. First, teacher-student interaction patterns were analyzed by examining overall and individual network structural characteristics, as well as interaction dynamics, through social network analysis to uncover node connectivity patterns and interaction intensity. Second, temporal characteristics of interaction were investigated via time series analysis, with an emphasis on identifying burstiness and memory-related patterns. By integrating structural and temporal dimensions, this study aims to establish a theoretical foundation for the development of mobile technology–enabled interactive learning models. The findings are intended to inform pedagogical strategy optimization and enhance classroom interaction effectiveness while also providing practical guidance for the improvement of mobile educational applications.