Mobile learning studies conducted in certain schools in South Africa from 2005 to 2015: a review study

Abstract

Mobile learning studies have been conducted at a secondary school level in South Africa. In particular, most of these studies have been carried out as one-off trials or experiments in one or more schools, on a short-term basis. However, there have not yet been studies that harness and review mobile learning projects undertaken at a secondary school level. To this end, the current study reviewed mobile learning projects conducted at secondary schools in South Africa between 2005 and 2015 which are published in DHET-accredited academic journals. It reviewed such projects by employing eligibility criteria meant to include qualifying journal articles and by synthesising key areas such as educational context, subject domain, research design, sample groups, data sources and summary of findings. The study reveals that three areas, English L1, English L2 and mathematics constituted the primary focal areas of the reviewed studies.

Keywords

• mobile learning
• mobile technologies
• mobile devices
• secondary schools
• accredited academic journals