PREP4DIT – A MOBILE APPLICATION FACILITATING TRANSITION FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

Smartphone usage by students has increased rapidly over the last number of years, and research points to an expectation for increased utilisation of mobile applications in educational environments. Research has also shown that third level international students have particular needs when they arrive in a new country for the first time as they experience a number of personal, social and cultural difficulties. In the Dublin Institute of Technology, the authors sought to investigate the benefits of providing such non-traditional students with a mobile application tailored to their particular information needs. The main aim of the app was to provide the students with important information before they entered the country and also in the early stages of their arrival with a view to easing the transition process. Such a mobile application generally requires substantial financial investment and technological expertise. However, this study focuses on a low cost model that requires minimal computer know-how to produce and deploy a mobile application in a short period of time. The application was developed using freely available online Integrated Development Environments which facilitates use on both Apple (iPhones, iPads) and Android platforms. In addition to developing the app, the authors also field-tested and evaluated the app with a cohort of incoming students on an International Foundation Programme in the Dublin Institute of Technology. This paper describes the entire process in detail, outlining the development, deployment and evaluation of the application.