Abstract:

The purpose of this study is to examine the applicability of smartphone apps in the training of pre-service teachers. In this research, a mixed method approach is preferred. The application of the research was carried out in the spring term of the 2015-2016 academic year in the Physical Education and Game Teaching course. The subjects were the prospective teachers at 2nd grade who were studying in the primary school teaching program. The participant number was 36 in each group in the study; i.e. there were 30 females, 6 males in the experimental group while 29 females and 7 males participated in the control group. The data collection procedure involved a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. As a result of the study, it was found that the prospective teachers mostly thought that the use of smartphone apps in education was useful and they wanted to study with smartphone apps in their future education as well. In addition, it was observed that the students who used the smartphone app which was developed for the study were academically far more successful than those who did not use the app. According to the prospective teachers, smartphone apps in education provided many benefits, such as compensation for the missed classes, repeated usage, facilitation and individualization of learning and easy access.

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