Students' Experiences with Mobile Devices for Chemistry Learning: A Case Study

STEM education is a teaching and learning discipline where Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics are taught in an integrated manner so that students are able to apply the knowledge, skills and values of these subjects to solve real-world problems. This chapter aims to identify the Malaysian matriculation students' learning experiences utilising mobile devices for chemistry learning. The study used a qualitative case study approach and was conducted at a matriculation institution in Malaysia. Initially, 84 students used an online diary to reflect on their learning path, whereas 17 students who were active in mobile learning were purposefully chosen for the interview. The conclusion that can be drawn from this research is the students have both positive and negative experiences with using mobile devices to learn chemistry. They thought that utilising a mobile device to learn chemistry encouraged knowledge construction, visualisation of abstract concepts, self-control in learning, and intellectual discourse. The issue of learning resource quality, on the other hand, posed a challenge to their cognitive capacity for studying chemistry. This study provided educators with insights into the significance of incorporating mobile devices for chemistry learning. Mobile devices have been used as an emerging learning tool to promote chemistry learning in the 21st century. The impact of digital technologies enabled by mobile devices can improve students' knowledge of abstract chemistry concepts. Educators can create appropriate chemistry instructional strategies based on the student's learning needs.