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

Abstract

Abstract-Mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets are becoming increasing popular among students, setting out a new way to communicate, collaborate and learn. The use of portable devices has the capability to inspire new approaches to learning. It is therefore important to examine the students" viewpoints about the educational use of mobile technology in supporting the learning process. The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of mobile devices for learning purposes by exploring the kinds of interactions that students in Nigerian universities have with their portable gadgets. A sample of 240 higher education students participated in the study by completing the researchers" questionnaire. The results of the study indicate the students use their portable devices to exchange education-related messages and academic files with classmates, search the internet and library databases for academic materials, practice online quizzes or tests and hold discussions with classmates among others. The statistical analyses result show that there is no significant difference in the students" use of mobile devices based on gender.

Design, development, and evaluation of a mobile learning application for computing education

“…These results were consistent with other studies that have shown that the application of mobile learning interventions could improve students' learning performance (Chu et al, 2010;Liu et al, 2009). Our study is slightly different in focus from previous work, for example in Bidin and Ziden (2013), Isiaka et al (2011), Liu et al (2012, Ozdamli and Uzunboylu (2015), Shonola et al (2016), andSung et al (2016), which predominantly explored mobile learning from different perspectives, such as adoption and application, feasibility studies of mobile learning implementation, split-attention and redundancy effects in mobile learning, prospects and challenges of mobile learning, adequacy and perceptions of m-learning, the impact of m-learning, and the meta-analysis of effects of mobile learning integration on learning performance. While these reports are interesting, our findings support an extension of novelty about the improvement of learning achievement with a mobile learning tool.…”

“…Velghe (2013) argued that the acceptance of the mobile phone in Africa has increased interest in literacy and introduced new opportunities to societies' deprived, marginalized, and less privileged. Technological innovations and contextualized learning opportunities offered by mobile learning are attractive and exciting to learners (Shonola et al, 2016). In the words of Kafyulilo (2014), "… mobile phones are considered as vital tools for both teaching and learning processes that can best serve as alterna tive device for overcoming the shortage of technological tools in schools in Tanzania and enhance students' learning from anywhere and at any time" (p. 2).…”

“…There are several studies about mobile learning in Nigeria, but they are mainly theoretical and feasibility studies on mobile learning (Isiaka et al, 2011;Osang et al, 2013;Anohah et al, 2017;Oyelere et al, 2016b;Oyelere et al, 2016c;Shonola and Joy, 2015;Shonola et al, 2016). We are not aware of a similar study on the full implementation and evaluation of a mobile learning application for computing education in the Nigerian context.…”

Discovering students mobile learning experiences in higher education in Nigeria

“…Although mobile device ownership could form a basis for comparison, usage of these devices for m-learning is an important factor to be considered. As noble as the previous studies are, the studies have not been able to consider the learners' experiences with m-learning and those factors that influence adoption of m-learning in Nigeria [2], [3], [4], [5] and [6].…”

Marketing Digital : Una nueva herramienta para internacionalizar la educación

“…In contrast, Shonola (2016) has shared a position regarding the use of those devices in the International Education Industry. Since the scope of the business is the learning market, smart devices have the ability of inspiring new approaches to learn.…”