Increasing student engagement and retention using mobile applications

A new book has been published which might be of interest to the MELSIG community. Laura A. Wankel and Patrick Blessigner have edited Increasing Student Engagement and Retention Using Mobile Applications: Smartphones, Skype and Texting Technologies published by Emerald (2013) as part of the Cutting-Edge Technologies in Higher Education series. (ISBN: 978-1-78190-509-8).
Chapters use case studies, surveys and literature reviews to examine how mobile technologies are being used to improve teamwork and leadership skills in students, engaging communities of practice, and inter-cultural global experiences. It also presents frameworks for adopting and deploying these technologies.
The ten chapters are organised into two parts: adoption and application of mobile technologies. The scope is broad including design for learner engagement, the pedagogy and definition of mobile learning, the disruptive potential of the technology in facilitating inter-disciplinary approaches, and supporting online learning. There are chapters that address educational podcasting, the use of personally owned smart technologies by students, media streaming, ebook textbooks, and facilitated work-based learning.
I should declare that I have a chapter, co-authored with Anne Nortcliffe, on The Innovative Use of Smart Devices by Students to Support Their Learning – a case study which considers the formal and informal self-initiated use of smart device applications.