Advantages and Disadvantages of M-Learning in University Teaching

Abstract

In the context of contemporary university teaching, the questions of the characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of m-learning have attracted increasing interest, especially in regard to the importance of this type of learning for students’ initial education and their professional work in the future. In view of this, research was conducted with the aim of investigating the students’ attitudes towards the advantages and disadvantages of m-learning in university teaching, as well as the impact of sociodemographic and educational variables on the students’ attitudes. The sample comprised 308 students from the faculties of education and philosophy from 4 universities in Serbia. The survey technique was used for data collection, and the instrument was a questionnaire with the assessment scale designed specifically for the purposes of this research study. The research results show that the surveyed students see the availability and possibility of free use of mobile applications, as well as the access to current topics and content as the greatest advantages of m-learning, while the difficulties in assessing the validity of knowledge tests, mobile device addiction and the Internet access are seen as its greatest disadvantages. The obtained results also imply certain recommendations as to how the students can better recognize the importance of m-learning as an aid to the learning process, the ability to follow lectures and learn content.