Select Secondary Costa Rican Teachers' Perceptions of their Experiences about the Incorporation of Mobile Devices in the Classrooms

In the advent of the digital era, mobile learning has marked a new precedent for traditional educational practices. The use of mobile devices as a technological tool to enhance education has been embraced in different school settings to provide a quality of education to students, and Costa Rica is not the exception. Costa Rica’s educational system seeks to incorporate mobile technologies in their teaching practices to meet the expectations of the 21st century. However, it is crucial to know teachers’ perceptions and experiences regarding the incorporation of mobile devices in the class to successfully implement these mobile technologies. This Interpretive Phenomenological study, examined ten secondary Costa Rican teachers’ perceptions of their experiences regarding the incorporation of mobile devices in the classroom. The study took place in the northern Pacific cost of Costa Rica. The methodology consisted of semi-structure interviews and Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis was employed to analyze the data obtained from the participants. Findings suggest mixed perceptions regarding the use of mobile devices in the classrooms and the challenges participants expressed to successfully incorporate mobile devices in their teaching practice. These mixed perceptions reflect that mobile devices are helpful for the teaching process if following the appropriate guidelines and providing teachers with necessary professional development to allow them to successfully incorporate the mobile devices in their teaching practice. Implications and recommendations are suggested in discussion of the findings.