ABSTRACT
Mobile learning (mlearning) has been explored in a very wide range of cultural and institutional contexts, each of which presents unique challenges and opportunities. Many in higher education advocate the use of smart and mobile devices to support and enhance learning. In spite of mlearning's potential, further research is needed to understand the intersections between the culture of learning within the institution and actual learning outcomes. While the general characteristics of effective mlearning can be collated and replicated, findings need to be critically and objectively verified in terms of the levels of effectiveness when they are adopted through varying cultural contexts. Regardless, the inclusion of a theoretical framework in all of the studies strongly correlated with the identification of actual improved learning outcomes. One researcher coded each of the studies based on several attributes: country/countries, study type, discipline area, sample size, instrumentation, theoretical framework, attributes of effective learning, attributes of ineffective learning, study context and further research needed.
