Transformation of E-Learning to Mobile Learning for the Academic Work Force in Turkey with Encountered Barriers and Tradeoffs

Abstract

Most of the universities are executing distance learning or e-learning programs in Turkey as the reason of benefits such as low costs, reduced learning times, quick reference variables on the system, reduced grade evaluation time for academic staff, time and location advantages. With the advance of technological development, students have started to reach information everywhere and every time. These features attract students in order to use e-learning education instead of teacher centered education and we can examine the increase in numbers of e-learning based lectures in the universities. Throughout the integration period of e learning, universities frequently suffer with various problems such as framework, lack of qualified academic staff for content creation step, low levels for interactive education systems and etc. At the same time, advanced mobile communication tools are spreading rapidly with the high technology in today's world and Turkey has the youngest generations with highly capable of technological improvements and high ratio mobile phone usages. This research covers the transformation period for the academic institutions throughout the mobile learning integration with examining the barriers and tradeoffs in Turkey. Our aim is to look at the factors which affect the integration period of e-learning programs and measure the drivers. After framing the situation, research will provide suggestions to increase the level of mobile learning integration success.