An intelligent mobile location-aware book recommendation system that enhances problem-based learning in libraries

Despite rapid and continued adoption of mobile devices, few learning modes integrate with mobile technologies and libraries' environments as innovative learning modes that emphasize the key roles of libraries in facilitating learning. In addition, some education experts have claimed that transmitting knowledge to learners is not the only educational goal, as cultivating problem-solving skills is also essential. By integrating the problem-based learning (PBL) model with book resources in libraries, one can identify the advantages of libraries in supporting e-Learning, resulting in innovative and valuable research. Therefore, this study presents a novel intelligent mobile location-aware book recommendation system (IMLBRS) with map-based guidance to support cooperative PBL in a real-library environment. Using map navigation and book recommendation functionalities, learners can search for books associated with problem-solving with increased ease and efficiency, thereby helping learners increase their PBL performance in a library environment. Experimental results reveal that learning performance during PBL supported by the proposed IMLBRS for book searches is superior to learning performance during PBL supported by the online public access catalogue (OPAC). Experimental results also show that the proposed system facilitates better learning performance for learners with a field-dependent learning style than for learners with a field-independent learning style. Moreover, the proposed system facilitates learner contemplation, cooperative learning, and library user education as learners interact with a real-library environment and peers during cooperative PBL.