oa An Outlook on Future Mobile Learning in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is witnessing a unique and rapid economic growth as well as beyond-oil comprehensive investments relatively at most sectors including education and ICT. As part of the global pedagogical shift from teacher-centred approaches to more learner-centred approaches, Saudi educational system already started to adopt distance and mobile learning practices to support this shift. Saudi higher education sector, in particular, is investing heavily to promote teaching and learning practices that can cope with students’ needs in the digital age. Moreover, the rapid advancement as well as the enormous penetration of mobile technologies among Saudi youths have increased the interest in mobile learning. In addition, young population in Saudi Arabia are the biggest users of mobile social media in the Arab World. There are several challenges that accompanied this rapid development of economic and educational systems in Saudi Arabia. Special and unique ‘version’ of mobile learning was formed as a response to these challenges. This paper will review some of the challenges found in previous studies, and will highlight other challenges that are believed to have a major impact on mobile learning in Saudi Arabia. A picture of the future of mobile learning in Saudi Arabia will then be drawn.