Barlow-Zambodla, A. (2009) Commonwealth of Learning Mobile Technology Research SAIDE Newsletter, Vol. 15, No. 2
In a previous issue iof the SAIDE newsletter, Alice Barlow-Zambodla provided an overview of projects using mobile technologies in Africa in a desk-top research project for the Commonwealth of Learning. This follow-up article focuses more specifically on two case studies and challenges for mobile technology projects in a developing world context.
Dr. Tony Bates is the author of eleven books in the field of online learning and distance education. He has provided consulting services specializing in training in the planning and management of online learning and distance education, working with over 40 organizations in 25 countries. Tony is a Research Associate with Contact North | Contact Nord, Ontario’s Distance Education & Training Network.
In my very own opinion re-enforced by the fundamental realities faced by African students-their situations, their needs, the demands set up upon them by the African society-demands that they have access to technology tailored to their circumstances. laptops in sub-Saharan Africa are way beyond the purchasing power of even the average tertiary educational institution enrolled students. The age demo graphs indicate that large proportions of Africans are below or slightly above the legal labor force entry ages in their respective countries…this pushes more and more younger students out of school starting from the tertiary levels down to the lower levels of learning due to increasingly large numbers of dependents and high learning costs…it is most imperative that a solution-cheaper substitute education program-be sought.
Since it is evident that mobile penetration in Africa has been phenomenal during the past decade with new, innovative, real life, mobile software applications being introduced such as phone banking and phone money transfer (m-pesa initiative in Kenya,) it is with no doubt that the need for cheaper learning will be satisfied the mobile way.