ABSTRACT
The place and significance of technology in education concerning concepts like e-learning, mobile learning, distance learning, and flipped classroom have been the focus of research for a long time. Moreover, during the recent pandemic due to Covid-19 outbreak in the world, the distance education model turned up as an alternative to traditional face-to-face education system. Above all, most universities worldwide have adopted distance education, and the use of mobile technologies has become a requirement. This way, the importance of mobile learning has become all the more evident. This study aimed to interpret and discuss the findings of existing qualitative research into university students’ mobile learning practices and reasons behind why they do or do not prefer mobile learning, by employing a systematic method of research, that is, meta-synthesis. As a result of this meta-synthesis research (N = 10), the university students’ reasons for preferring mobile learning were classified as educational reasons, reasons regarding communication, making life easier, and belief. On the other hand, their reasons for not preferring mobile learning were classified under the categories of technical problems, economic problems, ergonomic problems, belief, and reliance on face-to-face education. Besides yielding similar results to those in the literature, this study drew attention to creating opportunities for using educational mobile learning applications, the issue of personal data security, and the educators’ resistance to technology. It was also concluded that a two-way understanding of mobile learning existed, i.e., it was regarded as saving or wasting time. © 2022, FACTEACHEREDUCATION. All rights reserved.