increasing access through mobile learning. a socio-technical tale of mlearning actor-network among...

Dianah NampijjaPhD Student

University of AgderDepartment of Global Development and Planning

Increasing access through Mobile learning. A Socio-technical

tale of mLearning Actor-Network among Smallholder farmers

in Uganda.

Mobile phones are among the fastest diffusion technol-ogy in communication history (Castells, 2011).

In Uganda, mobile subscriptions reaches up to 90% with 17 million mobile phone users (UCC 2014).

65% of the population is in informal sector, yet agricul-tural extension is at its low performance with (1:25,000).

Smallholders need to be adaptive learners too!

Context

Smallholder FarmersWho are they?

Research ObjectiveTo foster mobile learning as a strategy to increase access to learning among smallholder farmer communities in Uganda

Methodological Choice Purely Qualitative (semi ethno studies)

Case study design (multiple case studies with fifty farmers) Grameen Foundation Community Knowledge Worker Programme.

Case 1. Grameen Foundation – Community Knowledge Worker Programme (CKW)

Since 2009, serves farmers in remote communities through a network of peer advisor

CKWs are trusted local interme-diaries serving farmers

Smart Android Phones

Two-way communication system (Data from the field )

Key findings

One-on-one/individual meetings

Cluster/Group meeting

Conversational learning

Collaborative

Authentic/Situated

Digital libraries

Online interactions/Whats App

Challenges

Slow adoptions

Lack of funds

End of project contract

Technical problems

Some community resistances

Less pay

Failure by some CKWs to use phone functions

Emerging Issues Mobile phones support learning

But few are reached

Religion, culture and male dominance are hindrance factors

Committed mobile users are women

Gender vs mobile phones ownership

Emerging Issues Strongly supported by social capital in communities

Need to broaden measure of learner performance

Mobile phones can not replace conventional extension. It just supports to reach the unreached

Sustainability of these projects is questionable

Future WorkThe need to explore the role of mobile technologies in facilitating and strengthening social capital and vice versa.

Key ReferencesAlly, M., & Tsinakos, A. (2014). Perspectives on Open and Distance Learning: Increasing Ac-cess through Mobile Learning. Athabasca University: COL.Castells, M. (2011). The rise of the network society: The information age: Economy, society, and culture (Vol. 1): John Wiley & Sons.Sharples, M. (2006). Big issues in mobile learning: Report of a workshop by the kaleidoscope network of excellence mobile learning initiative: LSRI. University of Nottingham. UNESCO. (2013). UNESCO, Policy Guidelines for Mobile Learning: Paris, France: UNESCO.UCC. (2014). Communications Sector performance. Retrieved 4/03/2015 http://www.ucc.co.ug/files/downloads/Communications%20Journal%20-%203.0.pdf

Acknowledgements

Makerere University, Uganda

Thank You