Innovation Of Labwork Using Blippar Application For Teaching And Learning At PUO

Abstract

Mobile technology has become popular worldwide with a broad range of users, including students from all levels of education. Although the impact of mobile technology in classrooms has been extensively studied, less is known about teachers' perceptions on how mobile technology impacts learning in the classroom. The teaching and learning of engineering courses are always challenging due to its complex and abstract nature, and the mathematics involved. With diminishing resources such as academic staff career movement, lack of competent professional staff, inadequate laboratory infrastructures, teaching and learning of engineering courses become harder and it is progressively becoming difficult to teach basic engineering laboratory courses effectively. As a result, students cannot achieve effective learning outcomes. To overcome these challenges, a quick-response (QR) code with an application which is ‘Blippar’ has been developed to enhance students’ learning outcomes. This approach is cost effective, user-friendly, and attractive. The method comprises a video clip of a demonstration and conduction of a real laboratory experiment. Students can easily use this application on their smartphones or tablets to view creative video clips about procedures of geotechnical experiments such as moisture content, soil hydrometer test and direct shear test. Other than that, information on safety guidelines was also inserted in this application. This application was aimed for students in their fourth semester of civil engineering course at Politeknik Ungku Omar (PUO), Ipoh. A questionnaire was distributed to study the significance of ‘Blippar’ application in Geotechnical Engineering lab work. The data was analyzed by using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). In the results, it demonstrates that the p-value is 0.002, passing the alpha value of > 0.001. So, it proved the importance of innovation in ‘Blippar’ based teaching and learning. This ‘Blippar’ application also verified by some experts from the PUO. This innovation provides an explorative way of approaching the numerous possibilities that arise in teaching and learning using mobile technology.