Using mobile phones for teaching and learning purposes in higher learning institutions: the case of Sokoine University of Agriculture in Tanzania
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Date
2012
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
The study investigated how mobile phones have been used for teaching and learning purposes in
higher learning institutions in Tanzania. Specifically the study assessed how mobile phones
facilitated the teaching and learning process, identified the mobile phone applications used for
teaching and learning, determined the types of learning activities facilitated through mobile
phones and assessed the common limitations of m-learning in at Sokoine University of
Agriculture (SUA). The study employed a survey where teaching staff and students from
faculties and institutes hosting academic programmes were involved. A total of 30 teaching staff
and 40 students were randomly selected and included in the study. In-depth interviews,
observations and questionnaire were used for data collection. It was found that majority of the
respondents used their mobile phones for teaching and learning process. It was found that most
respondents reported to use traditional mobile learning applications including text messages and
calls. Few respondents had smart phones with a number of m-learning applications most of them
being teaching staff. These were able to create upload, download and share academic resources
through their smart phones while others recorded and stored files in their phones. It was also
found that among teaching staff many were not aware of the capacity of their mobile phones
such that they underutilized them. Costs associated with downloading multimedia content was
another constraint which limited some respondents especially students from using phones for
learning purposes. More than that, users were forced to use SMART/VISA cards for buying
online mobile applications of which most respondents were not aware of.
Description
Proceeding and Report
Keywords
e-learning, m-learning, Information and Communication Technologies, Tanzania, Mobile phones