Didactic Foundations for Using Mobile Applications to Develop the Professional Competencies of Technological Education Students

Digital technologies are reshaping higher education, yet the mere availability of mobile applications does not improve learning; their value depends on how they are designed and integrated pedagogically. This article analyses, at a theoretical and methodological level, the didactic foundations for using mobile applications to develop the professional competencies of students in Technological Education, a teacher-training programme with a strong practical component. Drawing on international meta-analyses and systematic reviews and on established theories of multimedia learning, cognitive load, feedback and technology integration, the study (1) proposes six didactic principles for mobile-supported learning, (2) systematises six didactic functions of mobile applications and links them to the competencies they are expected to support, and (3) outlines a five-stage methodological mechanism for integrating mobile applications into instruction, illustrated with two textile-related courses. The article is conceptual: it reports no experimental results, and the proposed links between functions and competencies are hypotheses that require testing in a pedagogical experiment. The framework may help instructors and course designers in practice-oriented programmes to use mobile applications as a structured didactic tool rather than merely as a channel for delivering content.