A meta-analysis of the effectiveness of mobile supported collaborative learning

The objective of this meta-analysis study is to investigate learning results under mobile supported collaborative learning (MSCL). Robust Bayesian meta-analysis was applied to eleven studies from Scopus, Web of Science, and ERIC databases. The results reveal that MSCL has a modest but favorable effect generally (d = 0.26, 95% confidence interval [CI] [–0.34, 0.89]). Studies revealed substantial degrees of heterogeneity (τ = 0.556, 95% CI [0.305, 1.027], implying that contextual elements might influence the efficacy of MSCL. Moderator analyses showed that the MSCL was more successful at the high school level and had a greater and consistent influence especially on student motivation. Moderate publication bias was identified. These results highlight the value of MSCL as a potential improvement tool in education but suggest that its effectiveness may vary by context. Future research should examine in more detail the specific factors that increase or decrease the effectiveness of MSCL. Educators and policy makers should consider the potential benefits and limitations of this approach when implementing MSCL.