Abstract:

A number of studies have examined the use of STEM-based mobile apps for elementary school students, however, no research has been conducted on factors that might contribute to individual differences in effectiveness. The purpose of this study was to investigate individual differences in student learning performance after using STEM-based mobile apps. The impact of student, teacher, and lesson plan factors was examined for 38 teachers and 679 students in grades 4 to 8. Overall, student learning performance increased by 26% after using STEM-based apps. Student attitudes toward apps, age, and academic placement had a significant impact on learning performance, while gender and ability levels had no impact. Specifically, students in higher grades, with positive attitudes toward apps, or placed in gifted or French immersion classroom showed significantly higher learning scores. Teacher gender, age, and attitude toward apps were significantly related to learning performance, whereas teacher experience was not. Students who had teachers who were female, older, or had positive attitudes toward apps attained higher learning performance scores. Preparation time, teaching strategy, and planning significantly influenced learning performance, although the intended purpose for using apps did not. When teachers spent more time preparing for app lessons, created their own learning materials, finished lessons on time, and encouraged students to work in pairs, students performed significantly better. The practical implications of these results are discussed in detail.

Keywords:

Mobile apps, science, mathematics, STEM, learning performances, individual differences.