M-Universities: Critical Sustainability Factors

Abstract

This study intends to investigate the factors which can affect the sustainability of mobile learning (m-learning) from many perspectives. Current studies on the sustainability of m-learning are reviewed in the context of organizational, financial, legal and ethical, pedagogical, assessment, psychological, and social factors. In addition to the literature review, an investigation based on formal interviews is conducted with 11 heads in university centers for distance education (UCDE) to obtain additional sustainability factors. To test the impacts of the factors on sustainability in m-learning, another investigation which bases on survey research is conducted with administrative personnel in UCDE, and instructors and students in the distance education universities. A total of 667 survey responses are analyzed, and a model for the sustainability of m-learning is developed. This article concludes that some factors have significant effects on sustainability in m-learning and some of them are critically important for m-learning initiatives. M-learning sustainability is studied rarely in some contexts such as organizational, psychological, and social context. Therefore, this study can bridge this gap, and provide a guideline to m-learning initiatives for sustainable education.