Mobile learning in teaching English as second/foreign language to adult learners

Introduction

Mobile learning or sometimes shortened to m-learning can be defined the use and exploitation of handheld and mobile phone applications in the study process (Traxler, 2005, p. 262-263). It can thus be any educational provision where the main technologies are handheld or palmtop devices, thus in this case may include phones, personal digital assistants, tablet PCs and to some extent laptop PCs, but to the exclusion of  Desktops in carts. Traxler (2005) keenly points out that the definition should also address the growing number experiments with dedicated mobile devices such as game consoles and iPods and embrace both mainstream and industrial technological devices.

McLean (2003) considered ‘m-learning’ to be a term coined to cover the wide range of applications which have emerged from the convergence of new mobile technologies, wireless infrastructure and e-learning developments.

Mobile learning can be widened to include “Any sort of learning that happens when the learner is not at a fixed, predetermined location, or learning that happens when the learner takes advantage of learning opportunities offered by mobile technologies" (O’Malley et al., 2003 p.6). We can thus see two distinct features of mobile learning, one being that , m-learning enables the educational process to take place anywhere and at anytime; and also, any kind of handheld device (small and easy to carry) together with a communication technology, is required.

Adult learners are individuals considered to be biologically above reproduction age legally vote marry drive etc, social begins to have the adult roles such as work, become a spouse, parent etc and psychologically able to develop a self-concept of being responsible for their own life.( Crawford, p.1).  Adult learners can be differentiated from the minor or non-adult learners as they can be characterized by the following features; readiness to learn, the need to know, the learners self-concept of being responsible for their own decisions and as such are more likely to make rational decisions, the role of the learners experience compared to the more youthful ones and are more motivated to learn as education to them mat be viewed as a potent motivator for internal pressure such as the desire for increased job satisfaction, self-esteem, quality of life and the like. (Knowles, 1990, p57-63)

There key issues that arise in the mobile learning of adults include the importance of the relationship between the learner and teacher. The cross-curricular activities afforded by the mobile applications, the challenges that accompany the adult learners in the use of the mobile learning application devices and how it affects the effectiveness and the efficiency depending on the resulting indicators of progress in the mobile learning process. (Winters, 2007, p8) The paper will explore the issue of the effectiveness of using mobile learning in teaching. The paper will focus on the use of mobile learning in teaching English as second/foreign language to adult learners by evaluating relevant studies and use of special reference to the qualitative and quantitative data.