Alongside technological developments, a growing understanding of the learning and instructional affordances of mobile technologies has made the investigation of mobile-learning experiences across various contexts and dimensions possible. For instance, the literature in the field is rich in studies that examine how learners change physical locations, utilise several devices and technologies, and interact with various social networks (perhaps across both formal and informal learning settings) as they pursue a learning path or event.

There is much appreciation of learning principles such as contextual, situated, augmented, and collaborative among others that are particularly suited to mobile learning. There is also a wealth of studies reporting on how these principles can be best applied in the field. And new technologies are constantly being employed in the context of mobile learning, for example, “smarter” phones, e-readers, tablets, and augmented-reality applications. However, the evaluation of mobile learning is an area that has lagged behind.

The mobile nature of mobile learners and the application of traditional evaluation strategies and tools have often limited the scope of investigation to what can be observed by researchers or captured by external recording devices (such as video or sound). Thus, a challenge remains to understand what happens while learners are on the move.