A review of mobile learning environment in higher education sector of Hong Kong: Technological and social perspectives

Abstract

The development of mobile technology has been evolving rapidly over the past decade. The advancement of mobile devices, especially smartphones and tablets, enables people to gain access to online information without constraints of time and location. One of the distinguishing features of our society in this new millennium is the change of lifestyle by mobile technology. The way of learning is also changed by mobile technology. Students nowadays learn and share via mobile devices. Mobile learning, also named as m-learning, has already become an integral part of learning in many higher education institutes. Although m-learning is still at a nascent stage for many education institutes, the increasing adoption of mobile devices re-assures the popularity of m-learning in the learning sphere. This paper attempts to review on m-learning in technological and social perspectives. The situation in Hong Kong is critically reviewed. The review of the trend in the literature provides a reference for higher education institutes for decision making in developing m-learning for their students. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.