The Effect of Mobile Learning on Students' Achievement and Conversational Skills

Abstract

The present study aimed to examine the effect of Mobile Learning, which is a kind of E- learning that uses mobile devices, on the development of the academic achievement and conversational skills of English language specialty students at Najran University. The study used the quasi-experimental approach. Participants consisted of (50) students who were registered in a course called "Strategies of Teaching and Learning" offered by the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the College of Education to students majoring in English at the Department of English Language at the College of Science and Arts. As usual participant students were divided into experimental and control groups of (25) students in each. The soft copy of the course content was uploaded to the University Blackboard System for students in the experimental group.  Another hardcopy of the course content was delivered to students in the control group by hand in the first meeting. Data collection tools included an academic achievement test and conversational skills rating scale. Results showed that mobile learning had quite significant effect on both students' academic achievement and conversational skills. In light of these findings faculty members were recommended to adapt the use of Mobile Learning in their classes.