Trends in Distance Education and Open Learning: Policy ... - ADEA

Executive SummaryThe study presented in this report makes an assessment of the current progress inmobile learning across the globe and proposes a comprehensive framework for thesuccessful implementation of any m-learning project in the context of the Africaneducational needs. It is known that the mobile technology is bridging the digitaldivide faster than desktop PCs and that highest rate of mobile subscriptions duringthe past decade is in Africa. There have been numerous initiatives and pilot projectson the continent with satisfactory outcomes, but on a smaller scale. Many of theeducational issues such as massive training of primary educators remainunanswered or unaddressed from a mobile learning perspective. Therefore thescope for the introduction of m-learning at different stages of the curriculum and inblended manners is immense. From the case studies scrutinized, it is obvious thatsome projects can be easily replicated to some African formal or informal educationor training settings, however, the specificity of the each country can bringinnovative educational scenarios that can be converted into m-learning projects andthe framework described at the end of this report could be very useful. Similarly toany technology driven project, the emphasis on learning and pedagogical aspectsshould not be distracted. How far components can be re-used and the appropriatechoice of technology have a definite impact on the cost effectiveness of any m-learning project. This research has shown that m-learning should be viewed as aparadigm shift rather than a simple extension of OEDL and is actually in its secondgeneration globally. The benefits from this mode of learning had been poorlytapped in and the numbers of educational constraints that can be tackled with m-learning remain very much unexploited on the continent although it goes along withbusiness opportunities in the education sector.9