Adoption of Mobile Learning Among Distance Education Students in Universiti Sains Malaysia

Munirah Rosli,Rozhan M Idrus,Azidah Abu Ziden,Issham Ismail

doi:10.3991/ijim.v4i2.1167

Abstract

This study was carried out in order to investigate whether mobile learning using Short Message Service (SMS) was a method of learning adopted by the students enrolled in the School of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia. As adult learners who are in vocation, time and isolation are the bane of self-study. Since all the students own a mobile device that can receive SMS, educational messages can be sent directly to their devices. This experimental study explored the impact of learnerâ??s characteristic, learning design and learning environment to their adoptability. This study utilised two models of data analysis, the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) Version 12.0 and the Rasch model analysis for measurement. The analysis was conducted on a sample of 105 students based on gender, age, ethnicity, programme of study and mobile device ownership. The students were from four different courses which are Bachelors of Science, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Social Science and Bachelor of Management. The questionnaire-answer session were administered by the respective course managers in their tutorial sessions during the annual residential intensive course in the main campus of the Universiti Sains Malaysia. The result indicated that mobile learning has helped them to pace their studies. By using mobile learning, learners easily get any information that they need at anytime anywhere. Learners would also like to take another mobile learning assisted course if the courses are relevant to their learning needs. Furthermore, the SMS educational content received through their hand phone are easily remembered.

Highlights

This study was carried out in order to investigate whether mobile learning using Short Message Service (SMS) was a method of learning adopted by the students enrolled in the School of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia
The result that we can derive from this study is that SMS is determined by the perception of usefulness
The terms that are received in mobile learning are easy to remember and very helpful for the learners in their study

Summary

Introduction

This study was carried out in order to investigate whether mobile learning using Short Message Service (SMS) was a method of learning adopted by the students enrolled in the School of Distance Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia. Since all the students own a mobile device that can receive SMS, educational messages can be sent directly to their devices This experimental study explored the impact of learner’s characteristic, learning design and learning environment to their adoptability. Emerging technologies are leading to the development of several new opportunities which enhance and guide the learning process to higher level compared to unimaginable conditions in previous years The use of these technologies turns out to be well aligned with strategic educational goals such as improving student retention and achievement, supporting differentiation of learning needs, and reaching learners who would not otherwise have the opportunity to participate in education [1]. It is because the learning context is often different from the context of application as the goal of training is not accomplished unless transfer occurs

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