LEARNING TOGETHER EVERYWHERE ANYTIME. MOBILE LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Today, the use of mobile learning in higher education can be widespread only if teachers and students are able to understand their possibilities and applications in the right way. The present research aims to analyse types of possessed mobile devices, competences in their use and successful applications in higher education courses. A specific questionnaire has been created and divided into four areas: 1) general personal information, 2) possessed and frequently used mobile devices, 3) awareness of the mobile device potential in distance learning, 4) their advantages in free and informal learning environments). The questionnaire, previously validated, was submitted on-line to a large group of teachers and students. A total of 560 completed questionnaires were collected. Generally, results show that both teachers and students, either male or female, appreciate the potential of mobile devices for education, though at different grades. Indeed, the students’ and teachers’ responses have statistically significant differences. All students agree on mobile devices’ positive aspects for learning and their enormous potential, encouraged and well supported by the Internet, for exchanges and knowledge co-construction. Students have a strong positive evaluation about interaction and knowledge exchanges by social networks. Otherwise, teachers think in a different way and these differences are statistically detected. Moreover, valuable differences have been detected in the appreciation of the opportunities for personal study of 'Ubiquitous’ learning and about teaching in presence or at distance, between women and men. .