Significant and relevant factors that can affect the sustainability of mobile learning

Abstract

Educational leaders are concerned about whether m-learning initiatives can address current educational needs and intent of m-learning, have potential to be adopted by users, maintain a certain condition indefinitely or make progress and adapt to possible changes or not. This study aims to facilitate and promote future empirical research with not only specifying the current status of m-learning, but also investigating and improving factors affecting m-learning sustainability. The literature was reviewed about current sustainability factors, educational needs, adoption, success factors, limitations and challenges, and potential changes and risk of mobile learning projects. The following critical sustainability issues were identified and discussed: technological, developmental, pedagogical, assessment, psychological, social, legal & ethical, organizational & institutional and financial issues. In addition to literature, investigations were made in order to obtain additional sustainability factors. One investigation was based on formal interviews conducted with 11 heads of distance education centers and lecturers from seven universities. Another investigation was made for understanding the significance of these factors on m-learning sustainability. This investigation was based on a survey research conducted with lecturers and students from universities which have m-learning facilities and m-learning staff from management, system and support, content development and design, and assessment units. The results were evaluated and analyzed, and a conceptual model for m-learning sustainability was developed. The paper concludes that it was observed that some m-learning sustainability factors are critically important and many m-learning initiatives disregard these factors. The study may provide guidelines to m-learning initiatives for a sustainable mobile learning.