Mobile technologies in higher education: An empirical study of faculty perspectives

Mobile technologies have become significant in various facets of our daily lives, including education. This study sought to determine faculty perspectives on the use of mobile technologies in higher education institutions (HEIs) and determine the capabilities of these technologies. Data were collected from a random sample of 40 faculty members across several HEIs using questionnaires. The questionnaire asked faculty how they accessed mobile devices and with what frequency. It queried their capabilities in performing various tasks and the perceived benefits and barriers of integrating mobile technologies into teaching and learning. The findings indicate that faculty frequently access and use mobile devices and are highly competent in performing various activities with their devices. They saw the benefits of using mobile technologies with easy access to teaching and learning resources being the main benefit, while security was the main detriment. The structural equation model showed that detriments more significantly influenced faculty decisions to adopt mobile technologies than benefits. Recommendations for HEIs
include updating policy documents to incorporate technology adoption, security, and privacy protocols. Additionally, targeted training for faculty, infrastructure investment, setting up support teams, and implementing pilot programs are necessary to facilitate the effective integration of mobile technologies in a controlled environment.

Keywords: mobile learning, mobile technologies integration, higher education learning, faculty use of mobile devices, faculty perspectives on mobile learning, educational technology