Unbundling the App Advantage: Evaluating Exam Performance-enhancing Features of Mobile Learning Apps in Accounting

Research consistently finds mobile learning apps promising tools to enhance students’ engagement, motivation, and performance. However, the evaluation of mobile learning apps always follows a holistic approach. We disentangle the effects and examine the benefits of specific features of a mobile learning app for student learning outcomes in financial accounting. Our study emphasizes the role of quizzes, exam-related exercises, and organizational tools in enhancing student performance. Quizzes and exercises, by offering immediate feedback and practice opportunities, are particularly effective in reinforcing learning. While exam-related exercises have the most considerable impact on exam performance, quizzes are particularly well suited for laying factual knowledge. Revisiting derived design principles from a design science research methodology, we find the principle of using self-learning control features to be most important for improving tangible exam performance.