CONFERENCEhttps://doi.org/10.22364/htqe.2025.24 | 340-357 | PDF
Evaluating the Impact of a Mobile’ Mental Arithmetic’ App on Primary School Students’ Motivation Toward Mental Arithmetic
Elīna Juska-Mirbaha¹
¹University of Latvia, Latvia
Abstract
As technology in education becomes a way of everyday life, it is crucial to transform the mindsets of both students and teachers. This transformation is needed to break down prevailing stereotypes that see technology as a source of entertainment or a burden on teachers’ work and to raise awareness of the potential of technology as an enabler of engagement and motivation in the learning process, thus potentially contributing to better educational outcomes in the long term.
To contribute to this field, this study analysed the impact of mobile learning on the development of mental arithmetic skills and students’ attitudes towards this process by developing a dedicated maths app designed to improve primary school students’ mental arithmetic skills. The needs of teachers and students identified in the valid literature were integrated into the app’s development, ensuring that the solution meets the needs of both stakeholders and respects key pedagogical principles to maximize students’ development.
The study compared pre-test and post-test results to assess the impact of the newly developed mobile app on students’ motivational changes while learning numeracy skills. It measured changes in students’ attitudes and motivation levels when comparing traditional mental arithmetic methods with the newly developed app.
The results of the surveys and focus group interviews showed that the developed mobile learning app contributes to increased student engagement and motivation while serving as an effective tool for self-directed learning experiences. The expert interview showed that the app’s design and content are in line with both the general pedagogical principles and the age range of primary school learners. In particular, the importance of immediate and structured feedback, the possibilities for progress analytics, and the different mental arithmetic strategies were highlighted as contributing to the development of targeted and sustainable skills.
Keywords: educational mobile app, mental arithmetic, mobile learning, motivation, primary school students
In: Human, Technologies and Quality of Education, 2025. Proceedings of Scientific Papers = Cilvēks, tehnoloģijas un izglītības kvalitāte, 2025. Rakstu krājums. Ed. L. Daniela. Riga: University of Latvia, 2025. 698 p.
ISBN 978-9934-36-461-7
https://doi.org/10.22364/htqe.2025