Chapter 6: Research on Mobile Learning in Adult Education

The 2012 Horizon Report for Higher Education (New Media Consortium [NMC], 2012) predicted the time-to-adoption for mobile apps is one year or less. “Mobiles are becoming better understood in the academic world; there has been a significant amount of time spent finding creative ways to incorporate them both in the physical space and as a tool to help students learn from a distance. As educational institutions become more adept at developing and using mobile apps, their utility and pervasiveness is only due to increase” (NMC, 2012, p. 4). Ericsson Incorporated, a leading manufacturer of mobile devices, estimates that, by 2015, 80% of all people will access the Internet using their mobile devices. Furthermore, there will be more than 3.4 billion mobile broadband subscriptions by 2015 (Ericsson, 2010). A report by Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project (Smith, Rainie, & Zickuhr, 2011) showed 51% of 18–34 year olds currently own a smartphone, 92% of college undergraduate students own a wireless laptop or cell phone, and about 87% of smartphone owners access the Internet or email on their handhelds. The report also indicated that 18–29 year old adults are using their phones to access information (64%) and entertainment while bored (70%). Apps are regularly used to access informal learning media, including: