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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
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