I interconnected my earlier learning experience in MDE604 together with another one in my MDE614 – International Issues in Distance Education.

The work related to assessment of the many challenges faced by the peoples of Sub-Saharan Africa with a focus on improving living standards of millions of women, children, and men. There are adverse effects on teachers who may be suffering from HIV/AIDS or looking after family members who are ill, requiring them to take time off from work. This affects the quality of education delivered to the students, as their class time will be shortened or diminished teacher attention is provided.

Using m-Learning to Build Teaching Capacity in Sub-Saharan Africa

There is a growing imbalance between the output of trained teachers from institutions as the demands of primary school provision are expanded. Sub-Saharan Africa has the pressing need to build capacity in the education of teachers, to ensure that they are properly qualified while also sustaining their professionalism throughout their careers. The paper reviews issues and key elements related to mobile learning (m-learning) and how it is being or could be utilized in order to build capacity of educators in the context of sub-Saharan Africa. 

Technology Benefits

Some of the strengths of M-learning are a distinct advantage when it comes to the nations of the developing world, including sub-Saharan Africa, such as improving access to Information Communication Technologies (ICTs), lower cost than desktop hardware, having a gentle learning curve, portability, lower information and verbal literacy requirements, and support of social interactivity.

Low-cost hardware means “lower social/income barriers” than the internet because of cheaper up-front costs for less developed countries. Text-messaging or SMS (short message service), a popular form of cell-phone communication is cheaper than cell phone and telephone calls. Mobile networks cheaper than landlines to install and have a shorter payback periods on investments compared to fixed lines.

Mobile technology is transforming both teaching and learning around the globe, giving instructional designers more options to create rich and varied learning experiences and learners more possibilities to conveniently and flexibly access relevant, learner-centred education and support services. M-learning is supported by a burgeoning global cell phone infrastructure in many parts of Africa that can now include those who have been excluded from educational opportunities. These mobile technologies enables social interaction and support contextual and learner-centred learning. M-learning has certain technical, pedagogical, funding and implementation challenges, but the future looks promising.

Summary

Mobile technology is transforming both teaching and learning around the globe, giving instructional designers more options to create rich and varied learning experiences and learners more possibilities to conveniently and flexibly access relevant, learner-centred education and support services.

In conclusion, m-learning can provide the opportunity for teachers to upgrade their skills throughout their careers and a critical element is to create formalized and institutionalized m-learning approaches in order to meet the need of more qualified teachers of sub-Saharan Africa (Bandele et al. 2007).

References

Bandele,C., Bandele, S. & Ojo, E. (2007). Mobile learning paradigm in africa and the problem of the digital divide. Retrieved April 1, 2009 from AU Library.

Competency Categories Exhibited - 

2. Instructional Design & Development

3. Communication Technologies & Networking

5. Research