MOBILE LEARNING (M-LEARNING) INTEGRATION FOR 21ST-CENTURY SKILL ACQUISITION FOR BUSINESS EDUCATION PROGRAMME IN SOUTH-EAST NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES

Abstract

This study investigated the extent of Mobile Learning (M-learning) integration for 21st-century skill acquisition in Business Education programmes in public universities in South-East Nigeria. Two research questions and two null hypotheses guided the study. A descriptive survey research design was adopted, and a census of all 141 Business Education lecturers in federal and state universities offering Business Education programmes in the region was conducted. Data were collected using a researcher-developed questionnaire titled Mobile Learning Integration for Business Education Students' Skill Acquisition Questionnaire (MLIBESSAQ). The instrument was validated by experts and yielded a Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient of 0.86. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions, while an independent-samples t-test was employed to test the hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that M-learning technologies were integrated to a high extent (Grand Mean = 3.26), with smartphones, WhatsApp, Google Classroom, and other mobile applications widely utilized for instructional delivery. However, Virtual Reality (VR) technologies were integrated to a low extent (Grand Mean = 2.36). The hypotheses further revealed no statistically significant differences in lecturers' perceptions based on university ownership (p = .256) and educational qualification (p = .413). The study concluded that although M-learning has become an important instructional strategy for developing students' digital competence and other 21st-century skills, the integration of advanced technologies remains limited. The study recommended improved ICT infrastructure, continuous capacity building for lecturers, increased investment in digital learning technologies, and institutional policies that promote effective M-learning integration in Business Education programmes across universities