Advances in Mobile Learning Educational Research

This study aimed to improve cadets’ learning activity and outcomes in basic mathematical concepts within the Applied Mathematics course through the implementation of the Electronic Mind Mapping (E-Mapping) method. The research was conducted in the Ship Machinery Study Program and involved 26 cadets who had previously taken the course. A classroom action research approach was employed, consisting of three cycles. Each cycle included a pre-test to assess initial abilities, delivery of instructional material, and task implementation using the E-Mapping method. A post-test was then conducted to evaluate cadets’ understanding and learning outcomes. In this study, E-Mapping was facilitated through mobile devices—primarily smartphones—using the SimpleMind and Canva applications. These tools enabled cadets to create, edit, and visualize mind maps in a flexible and interactive manner. The mobile-supported nature of these platforms allowed cadets to access their mind maps anytime and anywhere, enhancing the flexibility, accessibility, and autonomy of their learning. This approach empowered cadets to engage with mathematical concepts beyond the constraints of classroom time, thereby deepening their understanding. The findings revealed that the use of E-Mapping significantly enhanced cadet learning outcomes, as evidenced by increased levels of learning activity and higher average post-test scores. Positive learning activity improved progressively across the cycles: 30.77% in Cycle I, 66.66% in Cycle II, and 82.05% in Cycle III. Similarly, the average post-test score increased from 64.35 in Cycle I to 73.46 in Cycle II, and 82.12 in Cycle III. The study concluded that the E-Mapping method significantly improved both cadet learning activity and outcomes in the Applied Mathematics course. This improvement indicated that E-Mapping made a meaningful contribution to strengthening cadets’ understanding of fundamental mathematical concepts—such as algebra, trigonometry, and number theory—which are essential for applying mathematics in the field of ship machinery engineering. By enabling the visualization of interconnections among concepts, E-Mapping helped cadets systematically organize and integrate knowledge, thereby facilitating the comprehension of abstract and complex material.