STUDENTS' ATTITUDES AND PERCEPTIONS TOWARDS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MOBILE LEARNING IN KING SAUD UNIVERSITY, SAUDI ARABIA

The main aim of this research study is to better understand and measure students' attitudes and perceptions towards the effectiveness of mobile learning. This paper reports on the results of a survey of one hundred eighty six undergraduate female students at King Saud University about their attitude and perception to the use of mobile technology in education. An analysis of the quantitative survey findings is presented focusing on the ramification for mobile-learning (m-learning) practices in university learning and teaching environments. The author has attempted to determine how this technology can be optimally used to improve student retention at Bachelor of Art and Medicine programmed at King Saud University in Saudi Arabia. Result of this survey clearly indicate that offering mobile learning could be our method for improving retention of B.A ,and M.D. students, by enhancing their teaching/learning. The biggest advantage of this technology is that it can be used anywhere, anytime and adopt their mobile learning systems with the aim of improving communication and enriching students' learning experiences in their open and distance learning. Due to the rapid development of technology, courses using a variety of media are being delivered to students in various locations in an effort to serve the educational needs of growing populations. In many cases, developments in technology allow distance education programs to provide specialized courses to students in geographically remote areas with increasing interactivity between students and teacher. Although the ways in which distance education is implemented differ markedly from country to country, most distance learning programs rely on technologies which are either already in place or are being considered for their cost- effectiveness. Such programs are particularly beneficial for the many people who are not financially, physically or geographically able to obtain traditional education. Distance education has experienced dramatic growth both nationally and internationally since the early 1980's. It has evolved from early correspondence education using primarily print based materials into a worldwide movement using various technologies. The goals of distance education, as an alternative to traditional education, have been to offer degree granting programs, to battle illiteracy in developing countries, to provide training opportunities for economic growth, and to offer curriculum enrichment in non traditional educational settings. A variety of technologies have been used as delivery systems to facilitate this learning at a distance. Distance education relies heavily on technologies of delivery. Print materials, broadcast radio, broadcast television, computer conferencing, electronic mail, interactive video, satellite telecommunication and multimedia computer technology are all used to promote student-teacher interaction and provide necessary feedback to the learner at a distance. However, recent development in interactive multimedia technologies which promise to facilitate "individualized" and "collaborative" learning, are blurring the distinctions between distance and traditional education. These technologies also have the capability of creating new environment for learning such as "virtual communities". Students in traditional settings are being given entire courses on CD-rum multimedia disks through which they progress at their own pace, interacting with the instructor and other students on electronic mail or face to face according to their needs (Technology Based Learning, 1994). Through international collaboration, students around the world participate in cooperative learning activities sharing information using computer networks (Riel, 1993). In such cases, global classrooms may have participants from various countries interacting with each other at a distance. Mediated educational activities allow students to participate in