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This paper aims to present part of the work of an ongoing research project that is looking at socio‐ cultural and technological developments from a mobile technology convergence view; in order to show how culturally aware convergence developments in mobile technology can be adopted and employed for the betterment of society.

The paper presents a scenario for a mobile technology enabled learning environment in support of the conventional learning approach with a focus on enabling parental involvement and contribution to the daily learning objectives of their children and hence enhancing a quality learning experience. It further critically discusses issues of interface design – at both the device and application levels – that will have an impact on the quality of e‐learning, with a focus on mobile technology.

The paper shows how interface design can positively enhance the quality defining characteristics of learning in an e‐learning environment. Ways of achieving these characteristics of learning through effective e‐learning are reported. This is done by addressing requirements for quality‐learning through effective interface‐design considerations, towards meeting the overall quality requirements of learning that should be intrinsic to a holistic e‐learning environment. The value of human computer interaction and the critical factors of promoting productive interaction are addressed.

There are several factors affecting quality of e‐learning as a tool and approach to flexible and independent learning. The advent and use of mobile technology has been investigated in this work from a socio‐cultural and technological perspectives in two continents. The limitations lie in the depth of investigations and how far the findings can be applied to the diversity of learners.

As the effects of cultures and the rapid technological advancements take toll on teaching and learning the findings reported in this paper have far reaching implications for learners from different cultures and also for attempts at bridging existing digital divide.

The approach adopted in the research is unique by virtue of new findings and ideas presented. The paper highlights the opportunities for mobile devices and technology to play a role in the development of communities through technology aided learning (e‐learning), with a focus on e‐learning systems and technology requirements for delivering a quality learning experience.

This paper aims to explore the area of mobile technology and its usefulness for library instruction and information dissemination

This column is exploratory, examining the advantages and disadvantages of mobile technology for librarianship.

There is an inevitable onslaught of mobile technology within the patron populations. It is essential that libraries and the profession as a whole inject the digital services, both traditional and non‐traditional, into mobile technology in order to reach patrons.

The paper examines several studies and offers theoretical options for tackling the important issue of mobile technology in the library. The paradigm of the library as a place needs to change into a paradigm where the library is not only a place, but also a collection of valuable services that can be accessed from anywhere.

The purpose of this paper is to identify the factors that influence people to play socially interactive games on mobile devices. Based on network externalities and theory of uses and gratifications (U&G), it seeks to provide direction for further academic research on this timely topic.

Based on 237 valid responses collected from online questionnaires, structural equation modeling technology was employed to examine the research model.

The results reveal that both network externalities and individual gratifications significantly influence the intention to play social games on mobile devices. Time flexibility, however, which is one of the mobile device features, appears to contribute relatively little to the intention to play mobile social games.

This research successfully applies a combination of network externalities theory and U&G theory to investigate the antecedents of players’ intentions to play mobile social games. This study is able to provide a better understanding of how two dimensions – perceived number of users/peers and individual gratification – influence mobile game playing, an insight that has not been examined previously in the mobile apps literature.

Changes in digital communication technologies have impacted on society so rapidly that educational researchers, policy makers and teachers are challenged by the application of these changes for curriculum design, pedagogy and assessment. The multimedia facilities of digital technologies, particularly mobile hand held devices and touch pads, encourage the processing of several modes simultaneously. Thus the traditional concept of literacy as reading and writing has changed as these rarely occur in isolation within digital communication. Many students are engaged in more sophisticated use of technologies outside school than they experience at school. Moreover, participation in gaming and social networking has created significant social and cultural change.

At the same time there have been many initiatives in classrooms to adapt to the learning potential of new technologies with schools introducing laptops, iPads, or students’ own devices. While issues such as pedagogy and equity offer challenges there are new and exciting ways forward for literacy education in an inclusive learning environment. This chapter will examine attempts to re-define literacy with theories such as ‘multiliteracies’, ‘multimodality’ and ‘new literacies’. These have developed to explain the changes in communication and to offer educators ways to balance the incorporation of new modes of communication with those skills of reading and writing that are seen as core for a literate person.

The purpose of this paper is to facilitate the process of monitoring construction projects. Classic practice for construction progress tracking relies on paper reports, which entails a serious amount of manual data collection as well as the effort of imagining the actual progress from the paperwork.

This paper presents a new methodology for monitoring construction progress using smartphones. This is done by proposing a new system consisting of a newly-developed application named “BIM-U” and a mobile augmented reality (AR) channel named “BIM-Phase”. “BIM-U” is an Android application that allows the end-user to update the progress of activities onsite. These data are used to update the project’s 4D model enhanced with different cost parameters such as earned value, actual cost and planned value. The “BIM-Phase” application is a mobile AR channel that is used during construction phase through implementing a 4D “as-planned” phased model integrated with an augmented video showing real or planned progress.

The results from the project are then analysed and assessed to anticipate the potential of these and similar techniques for tracking time and cost on construction projects.

The proposed system through “BIM-U” and “BIM Phase” exploits the potential of mobile applications and AR in construction through the use of handheld mobile devices to offer new possibilities for measuring and monitoring work progress using building information modelling.

The technological environment in which contemporary small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) operate can best be described as dynamic. The seemingly exponential nature of technological change, characterised by perceived increases in the benefits associated with various technologies, shortening product life‐cycles and changing standards, provides for SMEs a complex and challenging operational context. The development of infrastructures capable of supporting the wireless application protocol (WAP) and associated “wireless” applications represents the latest generation of technological innovation with potential appeal to SMEs and end‐users alike. This paper aims to understand the mobile data technology needs of SMEs in a regional setting. The research was especially concerned with perceived needs across three market segments: non‐adopters of new technology, partial‐adopters of new technology, and full‐adopters of new technology. The research was exploratory in nature as the phenomenon under scrutiny is relatively new and the uses unclear, thus focus groups were conducted with each of the segments. The paper provides insights for business, industry and academics.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the adoption of a mobile insurance claim system (M-insurance) and develops a framework for the adoption of M-insurance by consumers.

This study assesses mobile technology for claim management through the lens of the technology acceptance model (TAM) and diffusion of innovation (DOI) models as a major guideline, using exploratory research through in-depth interviews with four executive experts who are first movers in mobile claim motor insurance in Thailand. Semi-structured interviews and open-ended questions were used to conduct group interviews of insurance consumers who mostly use smartphones. The data were collected in a qualitative research approach from Thai insurance consumers (n=177), and contents were classified and analysed to gain strong insights into respondent opinions, comments, attitudes, behaviour, and experiences.

The results indicate that the external (social) factors influence attitude and behaviour of consumers which link to their intention to adopt M-insurance. These external factors include: preference for face-to-face service; confidence of insurers in accepting claim; and risk of claim knowledge that might cause legal issues among others. In application, the findings shall meaningfully enhance insurer firms’ improvement of adoption rate and development of future features and functions of M-insurance.

This study is based on insurance consumers in each region of Thailand but focuses only on mobile claim management for motor insurance. Although the findings bring new insight and understanding of consumer preferences and behaviours, they were not tested statistically.

The study has practical implications for motor insurance claimants who are concerned over the complicated policy conditions, the perspective risk of claim knowledge and fault admission, and the on-site investigation by surveyor for another party. These are the guidance impediments to overcome M-insurance adoption improvement.

Previously, TAM and DOI approaches have been employed to study general adoption of M-banking by quantitative research which confirmed descriptive data and tested the hypothesis, but neglected crucial data. However, M-insurance is different from M-banking in term of features and functions, purpose and process of usage, and legal liability. Therefore, this study is one of a few empirical studies that attempt to identify insightful factors to consumer uptake of M-insurance which is in its early stage and lacks an underpinning TAM model. This study contributes by identifying insights of “pull” factors to successfully develop M-insurance in Thailand.

This chapter explores ways that tablet devices can be used to support the inclusion of students with disability in inclusive classrooms. A short description of the evidence of efficacy of using tablets to support students with disability is provided. Ways to use tablet devices to support students with disability in the areas of communication, academics, organisation and social emotional skills to support their inclusion in mainstream classrooms are addressed. Lastly, barriers to using tablets to support students with disability in inclusive classrooms are described and ways to remove these barriers are suggested.

This study aims to explore the impact of system quality dimensions, namely, ease of use, accessibility, interactivity and website innovativeness on service quality (SQ) and customer satisfaction.

The study used a quantitative approach, by using a survey method. The unit of analysis was the individual. A total of 618 questionnaires were randomly distributed to university students and staff in Jordan. The partial least square path-modeling method was used in the estimation of causal relationships of the constructs examined in the study.

The outcomes of this study showed that ease of use, interactivity and website innovativeness have significant positive relationships with the SQ. Consequently, SQ significantly influences customer satisfaction.

Limitations of this research were related to the unit of analysis, as it was conducted within the geographical region of Jordan and the university context, where the culture and level of the technological advancement may be different than other countries.

This research can assist mobile commerce (m-commerce) service policymakers to formulate significant policies that could enhance the nature of services being rendered and thus bring greater benefits to the customers.

This research has extended the body of knowledge on emerging trends in m-commerce innovation adoption, more specifically in the university context. Furthermore, it offers insight on the importance of m-commerce in the minds of customers, in such a way that it will bring about the intention to repeat patronage in the future.

This study aims to examine the impact of information and communication technologies (ICT) usage with mobile technologies and e-learning in academic libraries.

Selection of appropriate resources using the Communication and Mass Media, EBSCO, Web of Science and Library Literature and Information Science Fulltext databases.

The “Library as place” concept requires libraries to explore and re-purpose its physical space while redefining its virtual, online space to align with the needs of those who are native to the digital age. Library information specialists (LIS) must also be knowledgeable of – and comfortable with – the use of the new technologies introduced. As mobile technologies continue to evolve and advance in developing countries, libraries and LIS may be best positioned to assist students and researchers in accessing information required to be proficient and productive in scholarly pursuits without physical boundaries.

The existing research literature surveyed here implies that the growth of ICT and evolving concepts of libraries require the need for LIS training and greater understanding of the use of mobile technologies in providing academic library services.

Academic librarians are at the forefront of providing aspiring academics and professionals with access to digital collections and e-learning courses using mobile information communication and technology devices; the implications of the research discussed in this survey of the current literature discloses a need for diverse skills for the appropriate and continuing effectiveness to support students and academic researchers.