A review of mobile pervasive learning: Applications and issues Liyana Shuib a,⇑ , Shahaboddin Shamshirband b,⇑ , Mohammad Hafiz Ismail c a Department of Information System, Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia b Department of Computer System and Technology, Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia c Faculty of Computer & Mathematical Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Perlis, Malaysia article info Article history: Keywords: Mobile technology Mobile learning Pervasive learning Pervasive computing abstract Mobile phones constitute a technology that has become part of our everyday usage. In the absence of an in-depth evaluation of mobile phone appropriation and its utilization, this paper investigates and reviews the usage of mobile phones in the context of pervasive learning. This paper reviews mobile phone usage and associated applications, as well as the negative impact. This paper also covers pervasive computing, and mobile pervasive learning technologies, applications and issues. Fifty-five papers were selected in the review process. The assimilation of pervasive learning with mobile phones marks an incredible venture forward. The incorporation of mobile technology and pervasive learning can enhance the effectiveness and accessibility of learning activities in the future. This new innovation has changed the conventional idea of learning in as much as we are now continually surrounded and submerged in learning encounters. Ó 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction Nowadays everything is becoming more portable. Versatile innovations for communication are increasingly affecting the lives of people. Mobile devices expose people to an incomprehensible wellspring of data and enable communication everywhere (Muthukumaran, Sawani, & Schiffman, 2008; Vetter & Kalakota, 2000). Mobile information and communication technologies have become commonplace in recent years. The evolution of smart- phones in particular has allowed users to utilize applications whenever and wherever they want (Dani & Vanishree, 2013; Pascu, White, Beloff, Patoli, & Barker, 2013; Varshney & Vetter, 2002). This has had a huge impact on the way people communicate with each other and their environment, and how they use and exchange information (Chesher, 2007; Walsh, 2009). Technological progress in the form of affordable sensors enables the development of wireless sensor networks, which, combined with the Internet, have led to an increase in the quality of services in a variety of areas including agriculture, transportation, medicine and logistics. Multimedia, mobility and cloud-based services converge to pervasive media (Elgazzar, Ejaz, & Hassanein, 2013; Harrison et al., 2013; Jung et al., 2013; Muaremi, Arnrich, & Tröster, 2013). The utilization of mobile phones has multiplied exponentially (Cassanelli et al., 2013; Johnson & Trivedi, 2011; Rodrigues, Visvanathan, Murchison, & Brady, 2013). Consequently, it is not surprising that the quantity of mobile phones has dwarfed the number of landline phones in numerous nations. The objective of Zhang, Zhu, and Liu (2012) was to find the general components that impact portable business reception for which the results affirmed that society exerts a particular effect on the consequences in respect of mobile trade selection. Notwithstanding the fact that conventional phones facilitate audio calls, mobile phones provide different functions that permit correspondence and excitement; for example, the prominent Short Message Service, camera phones, MP3 player, Internet, video calling, video games, Multimedia Messaging Service and FM radio (Jokela, Koivumaa, Pirkola, Salminen, & Kantola, 2006; Kaikkonen & Kallio, 2005). Such information and communication technologies coupled with a reasonably priced mobile phone have attracted individuals from different backgrounds, especially the younger generation. Mobile phones are known to be very popular among adolescents. Walsh, White, Cox, and Young (2011) provided evidence concerning the characteristics of youth who become heavily involved with their mobile phones, such as in terms of social indicators and mobile phone usage. The utilization of a mobile phone strengthens connections between people and promotes a belief that all is well, and of security, as they can contact others in times of trouble or crises (Khalil & Abdallah, 2013; Mintz, 2013; Mintz, Branch, March, & Lerman, 2012). In addition, some of the younger generation believe that their status among their associates is http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2015.01.002 0747-5632/Ó 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. ⇑ Corresponding authors. Tel.: +60 379676415. (L. Shuib), tel.: +60 146266763 (S.Shamshirband). E-mail addresses: liyanashuib@um.edu.my (L. Shuib), shamshirband@um.edu. my, shamshirband1396@gmail.com (S. Shamshirband), mypapit@gmail.com (M.H. Ismail). Computers in Human Behavior 46 (2015) 239–244 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Computers in Human Behavior journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/comphumbeh