Numerous studies show positive cognitive and affective results regarding the adoption of mobile learning; however, adoption levels are low, and when mobile learning occurs, it is not always based on innovative pedagogies. The main objective of this study is to identify and analyse key design principles to develop a model for the adoption of mobile learning in education. This research is based on a systematic review of 20 publications. The findings reveal that most of the current studies focus on the adoption of mobile learning and the design and development of systems and applications. Additionally, these are mostly aimed at educators and instructional designers. Finally, the main dimensions that support the theoretical frameworks are the collaborative, social and communicative, contextual and spatial, pedagogical, technological, and strategic dimensions. Based on these findings, this study presents seven design principles for the adoption of mobile learning.