Umera Imtinan

The purpose of this paper is to answer the question ‘Why reflection is important to introduce in the teaching and learning’. This paper commences with a brief literature review on reflection, followed by the provision of tentative results of a study on the role of reflection in learning. Data collected from a sample population of 257 undergraduate students at business ethics undergraduate class in Australia were analysed. The data were collected from students’ own reflections that formed part of two of their assessments in the unit. In the first assessment, students were asked to reflect on their own moral development, using Schon’s reflection in and on action, to allow the markers understand the students’ own moral development as highlighted by Kohlberg levels and stages of Moral Development. In the second assessment, the students were asked to reflect on their personal learning as a global citizen and how this assessment has informed their views and perspective on ethical decision-making process and global citizenship using one of the frameworks introduced during the semester (e.g. situation, task, action, result, learning, planning – S.T.A.R.L.P., Gibbs or Kolb). This paper will not discuss students moral developments levels or their ethical decision making, but, will only discuss the ‘reflection’, thus, the findings from this research come in twofold: (i) students acknowledged the new skills they gained, the development of other skills they had through their reflections, such as critical thinking, time management. (ii) Most of the students have demonstrated an understanding of reflection in higher education, and ethical decision making, through use of different frameworks. However, some students felt reflection is difficult, thus, the paper concludes with a recommendation to introduce reflection in the first year of university.

In this chapter, we discuss initiatives that aim to improve children's literacy in low- and middle-income (LMI) countries through m-learning. These projects, predominantly introduced by governments and international aid organisations, often involve the provision of e-books and apps including game-based apps, to be used either inside or outside school. In some cases, lesson plans and content for teachers in poorly resourced schools are also delivered via mobile devices. After a general overview, we briefly describe a selection of projects with reference to m-learning and literacy theory and research. It is indicated in this chapter that the use of mobile devices to improve literacy opportunities for children in LMI countries has a great deal of potential but that, in many cases, there are limitations in pedagogical design and implementation practices, not to mention restricted views of what literacy is and might be for children in these locations.

In higher education environments in the Asia-Pacific particularly in South Asian region, mobile learning introduction and implementation are associated with certain challenges in order to harness its true benefits and potential. This research aims at investigating the feasibility of a potential introduction of mobile learning into Pakistani university environments. The expectations of students and senior university leadership stakeholders on key policy-making roles were investigated during this exploratory case study research. From three of the Pakistani mainstream universities, students and teachers participated in focus groups and discussion sessions, and leadership stakeholders were invited for individual interviews. The findings of the research indicate that there are several implications for practice by university leadership stakeholders if mobile learning is to be included in mainstream education in university environments in South Asian region. Findings of the research show that universities might need to adapt the paradigm shift in pedagogies from traditional face-to-face learning to mobile learning, resulting in updating certain key factors in university teaching and learning environments such as changing teaching philosophies and modifying learning resources. Further, mobile learning initiatives would require universities to modify several policies regarding students' attendance, use of mobile devices in university premises and classrooms and adjusting teachers' workload. The findings of the research could be generalised for the university environments in other South Asian countries such as India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan due to similar sociocultural environments in those countries.

This study aims to examine the risks and opportunities associated with adopting sustainability in higher education, focusing on Pakistan. The issues related to climate change and global warming have surpassed shocking levels to the extent that it is being discussed in major forums on a frequent basis. Most recently a summit organised in Paris, United Nations conference on climate change (COP21), aims to address these issues. More than 150 Heads of States and Governments are due to participate in this conference, making it one of the largest diplomatic conferences ever organised, aside from the United Nations General Assembly sessions. Literature review shows us that many steps have been taken in order to address these issues, however, as we are reminded by Albert Einstein". it is important to avoid doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results". Pakistan, being a developing country, is at a cross-road as a wide range of issues bear down upon it. Maintaining sustainability and stabilising the sustainability agenda is not one of the primary focus for its government. As it is known that poverty and sustainability go hand-in-hand, Pakistan must first adhere to the agenda of the Rio Convention of 1992 for eradication of poverty in order to increase the production and sustainability so that the needs of the majority of people can be met. Pakistan currently stands at number 8 on the list of 10 countries that will bear the worst implications of climate change. It is estimated that current pledges to cut carbon emissions will cost developing countries 50% more in the near future as compared to previous years. Higher education around the world is of prime focus as the forces of change present various challenges. These challenges are multifaceted, interconnected and are reinforced by social, economic, cultural and environmental developments. This setting puts higher education in a leadership role which calls for development of future leaders who are fully equipped to handle these challenges effectively.

Technology has played a key role in reshaping the way education is being delivered in university environments. Mobile technologies are one of the latest technologies to enter the higher education arenas around the world, offering great potential for teaching and learning. Students and teachers have been using mobile devices for formal and informal collaboration, communication, and connectivity within learning environments for a couple of decades without recognizing it as mobile learning. Mobile learning needs to be researched and theorized in order to be included in formal educational Information and Communication Technologies and its full potential harnessed for the future generations. A number of mobile learning researchers borrowed traditional learning models as theoretical foundations for mobile learning research. However, theories from a diverse range of subject areas such as Education, Information Systems, Human-Computer Interaction, and Telecommunication Engineering have also been used as the basis for mobile learning projects around the world. This incorporation of a diversity of disciplines and subjects has made mobile learning a multidisciplinary research field. This chapter aims to review the current mobile learning theories, models, and frameworks with the lens of mobile learning characteristics and challenges pointed out by prominent mobile learning researchers across the world in order to present the case of mobile learning as the future of teaching and learning.