The Impact of Mobile Devices for Learning in Higher Education Institutions: Nigerian Universities Case Study

Published Online August 2016 in MECS DOI: 10.5815/ijmecs.2016.08.06

Present developments in the field of computer and communication technologies have opened tremendous opportunities for learning. The application of computers and information communication devices is a force to be reckoned with in modern education systems. With the advent of emerging mobile technologies the need to integrate mobile devices in learning is inevitable. Mobile learning emerges as a new progression based on the use of mobile devices together with wireless communications for teaching and learning purposes [1].

Mobile learning is the delivery of educational materials and learning contents through mobile technologies [2]. Mobile technologies used in education include mobile phones, smartphones, PDAs, MP3/MP4 players, e-book readers (e.g. Kindle), netbooks, tablets (e.g. iPad, Galaxy Tab), hybrid tablet/smartphone gadgets (e.g. Galaxy Note) and specialist portable technologies used in science laboratories [3]. The use of these mobile technologies in learning improves accessibility, efficiency and quality of learning by facilitating access to education resources and services. The capability of m-learning technologies to present learning materials, not only in text, but also graphics, video and sound, and easy access via many different devices further enhances the interest of the learners [4].

Mobile learning can take place anytime anywhere, including conventional learning environments such as university classrooms, lecture theatres, libraries, and even canteens as well as learners’ homes, community locations, parks, and in public transport. Students can have access to lecture notes and assignments by using mobile technological devices. It involves connectivity of mobile devices for downloading, uploading, online working via wireless networks, mobile/smart phone networks or both, and linking to university systems such as virtual learning environments (VLEs) and management information systems (MIS) [5]. It could also be in the form of mobile educational apps installed or pre-installed on certain mobile devices.

A focal point of m-learning is information sharing, which makes it possible for learners to interact with each other and share knowledge anytime. It therefore, promotes collaborative learning, extends learning beyond lecture theatres and diminishes barriers such as distance and space significantly. It can be made to support modern classroom learning tools as well as distance learning and e-learning, as a result of which lectures can be delivered in remote areas for the benefit of people across countries and continents [2].

A good implementation of mobile learning will complement and add value to existing formal learning, teaching, assessment and educational administration and management [6]. However, the impact of mobile learning in teaching and learning delivery has not been ascertained by university students in many developing countries such as Nigeria. This paper seeks to provide a broad assessment of the impact of mobile learning in Nigeria Higher Education Institutions and attempts to understand the effects of having lectures notes and slides on mobile devices on students learning tasks. To discover viable solutions, the paper will describe different research questions and survey activities carried out and results obtained from the study.

This paper is organised as follows. Section one is the introduction and second section is a review of related research on m-learning. It summarises existing studies on m-learning effectiveness and evaluates the recommendations made in the literature. The third part discusses the research carried out on the impacts of m-learning on students’ academic performance using universities in Nigeria as a case study. It details the purpose of the research, the methodology and research questions. A brief overview of the analysis of the results of the research is presented in section four while section five gives a detailed discussion of the results gathered and statistical tests. The last part of this paper summaries the findings of the study, discusses recommendations and direction for further study.

• II.    Literature Review

Many research on m-learning have ascertained the acceptability and the potentials of using mobile devices in education, and the benefits of incorporating them in the classroom for collaborative learning and active student’ participation. There are many studies that also discuss the effectiveness and integration of m-learning with classroom and e-learning. Reference [7] state that mobile learning is one of the developing areas in teaching and learning, and it is getting more accepted with the improved accessibility and major enhancement in the capabilities of handheld devices in terms of processing speed, screen sizes, memory capacity, storage volume and network connectivity. The authors state that the use of these modern mobile devices falls in line with planned educational goals to improve students’ study retention and achievement, support segregation of learning needs, and reach out to students who would not have use their mobile phones to participate in learning. Reference [8] observes that mobile technologies offer new opportunities for students' educational activities in that they can be used across different locations and times. Therefore, learners who use mobile technologies for learning are not only far away from their lecturers and tutors, but they are also in full control by having access to information on their mobile devices, thereby giving them a certain amount of liberty, freedom and independence in their course of learning.