Mobile Instant Messaging in Higher Education
Summary
The adoption of mobile instant messaging (MIM) platforms has reshaped communication and collaboration within higher education. Such platforms enable real-time interaction, allowing students and educators to exchange text, multimedia and links beyond traditional learning management systems. The ubiquity of smartphones means that MIM can support synchronous and asynchronous learning, fostering community, facilitating peer support and augmenting formal instruction. Across disciplines, it has been employed to deliver case studies, organise collaborative group work, share resources and sustain reflective dialogue. In resource-limited contexts, MIM provides low-cost infrastructure for bridging geographical barriers and accommodating flexible learning schedules. Despite its advantages, debates persist regarding boundary management, information overload and the optimal integration of pedagogical frameworks. Recent work emphasises the need for theory-driven design, clear moderation strategies and empirical evaluation of learning outcomes to ensure that MIM enhances both academic performance and holistic student engagement.
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Mobile Instant Messaging in Higher Education publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in mobile instant messaging in higher education across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Mobile instant messaging (MIM): Digital platforms that enable the exchange of text, multimedia and links in real time over mobile networks.
Behavioural engagement: Observable participation in learning tasks, measured by message frequency, task completion and peer interaction.
Emotional engagement: Learners’ affective responses to the educational environment, including sense of belonging and motivation.
Cognitive engagement: Investment in learning processes, reflected in critical thinking, idea generation and knowledge construction.
Ubiquitous learning: Learning that is accessible anytime and anywhere, facilitated by mobile and networked technologies.
References
- WhatsApp Use in a Higher Education Learning Environment: Perspective of Students of a Malaysian Private University on Academic Performance and Team Effectiveness. Education Sciences (2023).
- Utility of instant messaging application, WhatsApp, as a tool to augment post-graduate radiology education. BMC Medical Education (2024).
- The role of WhatsApp® in medical education; a scoping review and instructional design model. BMC Medical Education (2019).
- Effects of using mobile instant messaging on student behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement: a quasi-experimental study. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education (2022).
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