Development of a framework for evaluating the impact and sustainability of mobile learning initiatives in higher education

Abstract

The field of mobile learning is becoming more capable of supporting high quality learning experiences and students are increasingly demanding greater mobility and flexibility. As a result, Higher Education Institutions are increasingly considering the implementation of institutional mlearning strategies. We present the aims and approach of a three year project to be conducted by the Australian Digital Futures Institute to develop an m-learning evaluation framework (MLEF) that will aid the selection and justification of m-learning initiatives. The framework will be encapsulated in an easy to use online evaluation toolkit which will consist of: a standardised evaluation framework, resources and guidelines; an m-learning maturity model; a database of mlearning exemplars; and an interactive mobile user model. The project is a collaborative initiative between USQ, ANU and UniSA and is supported through the Australian Government's Collaborative Research Networks (CRN) program. Participatory monitoring and evaluation (PM&E) methods will be used to develop outputs and deliverables.