Abstract— The mobile devices are used to execute the teaching-
learning-evaluation process in Mobile Learning (m-learning)
methodology. M-learning is a trending field in educational
organizations, companies, and for individual study. With the
explosion of mobile device ownership among the users aged within
18–29 years who are also the attendees of the higher learning
institution (HLI), gives us the opportunity to consider the use of
m-learning methodology to be embedded in the HLI beside
traditional methodologies. Exceptional circumstances such as the
COVID-19 pandemic when traditional face-to-face methodology
suddenly changed to online paradigm, is also forcing us to strongly
consider the m-learning approach. However, HLI may not have a
general policy to implement m-learning into the traditional
learning environment. A proper educational outcome needs to be
configured to implement a new process into the traditional
process. Therefore, a model integrating the m-learning aspects and
the education supply chain management factors obtained from
this study may benefit the stakeholders of HLI, especially
educators and students.
Index Terms— Mobile learning, Supply chain management,
HLI, education, m-learning
I. INTRODUCTION
HE changing nature of the expectations of the global
market always creates a change in the requirement of the
skillset of the graduates. Specially, the adoption of
technology in the society is continuously changing the nature of
knowledge gathering and delivering paradigm. Higher learning
institutions (HLI) are under pressure to match the market
requirement of the skilled graduates. This can be done by
improving the quality of teaching and learning by integrating
up-to-date technologies [1]. The implementation of m-learning
alongside traditional methodologies in the HLI is now in
highest consideration as the possession and usage of mobile
devices has increased among the attendees of the higher
learning institution [2]. Such integration may contribute to the
requirement of the society for a more adaptable and
individualized education putting the learners at the center of the
teaching–learning process [3], [4].
Employing an additional system into the existing system
depends on the proper educational outcome for all stakeholders
of the institution. The educational outcome depends on different
factors within each aspect of education suppliers at different
decision levels of an education institution. The stakeholders of
an educational institution require the appropriate relationship
among these components with a targeted educational outcome
to decide on implementing m-learning into the traditional
learning environment [5]. This study is to embed the aspects of
educational institution and the m-learning environment to
create an integrated model with measured relationship among
all the aspects for the stakeholders understand, measure, and
decide on the integration process.
II. LITERATURE REVIEW
Mobile learning (m-learning) methodology is a teaching-
learning-evaluation process that is executed through mobile
devices and is a trending field in educational organizations,
companies, and also for individual study [6], [7]. Mobile
learning facilitates both individual and collaborative learning
allowing truly anywhere-anytime personalized learning. It
removes some of the formality and adds variety to the
conventional lessons/courses [8]. M-Learning encapsulates
different features of learner-centered pedagogies. This includes
discovery learning, constructivist learning, problem-based
learning, situated learning, etc. which raises self-confidence
and self-esteem of the learners [1], [9].
Integration of m-learning environment into HLI can deliver
learners with several advantages such as ubiquitous access to
media, rich learning content, social interaction and
collaboration with peers, and just-in-time learning at anywhere
and anytime through wireless network technologies [4].
Exceptional circumstances such as the COVID-19 pandemic
when traditional face-to-face methodology suddenly changed to
online paradigm, is also forcing us to strongly consider the m-
learning approach. However, the integration of m-learning has
a lot of associated challenges. The diffusion of m-learning in
higher educational institutions may result in significant cultural
change. The pedagogic practices needs to be changed and new
technologies and teaching methodologies must be adapted by
the university educators, which might be unfamiliar to them [2].
Furthermore, some courses may not be suitable for the m-
learning environment [10]. More importantly, Internet
connection issues concerning bandwidth, security, speed,
reliability and network coverage of service provider warrant
much attention in ensuring the smooth implementation of m-
learning [11]. There is also the issue of university educators
T
Mashiour Rahman, PhD Candidate,
Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM),
mashiour@gmail.com.
Dr. Rosshairy Abd. Rahman, Senior Lecturer,
Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM),
shairy@uum.edu.my.
Dr. Md. Mamun Habib, Professor,
Independent University Bangladesh (IUB),
mamunhabib@iub.edu.bd.
AIUB JOURNAL OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
ISSN: 1608 – 3679 (print) 2520 – 4890 (Online)
Published in AJSE, Vol:20, Issue: 4
Received on 15
th
November 2021
Revised on 30
th
November 2021
Accepted on 28
th
December 2021
AJSE Volume 20, Issue 4, Page 166 - 175 ©AJSE 2021 Page 166
Integrated Mobile Learning Education Supply Chain
Management for Higher Learning Institutions
Mashiour Rahman, Rosshairy Abd. Rahman, Mamun Habib