Mobile Learning for Education: Benefits and Challenges

Education and training is the process by which the wisdom, knowledge and skills of one generation are passed on to the next. Today there are two forms of education and training: conventional education and distance education. Mobile learning, or M-Learning, offers modern ways to support learning process through mobile devices, such as handheld and tablet computers, MP3 players, smart phones and mobile phones.This document introduces the subject of mobile learning for education purposes. It examines what impact mobile devices have had on teaching and learning practices and goes on to look at the opportunities presented by the use of digital media on mobile devices. The main purpose of this paper is to describe the current state of mobile learning, benefits, challenges, and it’s barriers to support teaching and learning. Data for this paper were collected through bibliographic and internet research from January to March 2013. Four key areas will be addressed in this paper: 1. An analysis of Mobile Learning. 2. Differentiating E-Learning from Mobile Learning 3. Value and Benefits of Mobile Learning 4. Challenges and Barriers of Mobile Learning:Study showed that M-Learning as a Distance learning brought great benefits to society include : Training when it is needed, Training at any time; Training at any place; Learnercentred content; Avoidance of re-entry to work problems; Training for taxpayers, and those fully occupied during university lectures and sessions at training centres; and The industrialisation of teaching and learning. And also, notebooks, mobile Tablets, iPod touch, and iPads are very popular devices for mobile learning because of their cost and availability of apps.