The use of mobile devices to improve teaching and learning in distance education in Namibia

Abstract

ODL institutions have adopted the use of mobile devices for teaching and learning. mLearning is an emerging area of distance education that enables lecturers and students to access course content with their mobile devices from anywhere, at any time. The purpose of this study of limited scope was to determine the use of mobile devices for teaching and learning at Namibian open and distance learning institutions. The study focused on the two public ODL institutions in Namibia, namely, the Namibian University of Science and Technology (NUST) - Centre of Open and Lifelong Learning (COLL) and the Namibian College of Open Learning (NAMCOL). To achieve this, a literature study and an empirical investigation were conducted. A mixed-method research approach was applied and included a research sample of 12 lecturers and 12 students from two ODL institutions. Data were collected through questionnaires and semi-structured individual interviews. The research data were studied, analysed and validated. The results of this study showed that lecturers and students are making use of mobile devices for accessing the Learning Management System (LMS)/Moodle. Although the lecturers and students displayed positive attitudes towards the use of mobile devices for teaching and learning, very little has been achieved in the effective use of mobile devices. The study identified challenges that hamper the effective use of mobile devices, such as lack of knowledge in mobile applications for teaching and learning, insufficient storage capacity, opening of applications are sometimes slow, screen size of the mobile devices, as well as lack of access to WIFI and limited/no access to electricity. The study proposed recommendations for considerations to the lecturers, ODL institutions and the Ministry of Higher Education, as well as suggestions for future research.

OAO-instellings het die gebruik van mobiele toestelle vir onderrig en leer aanvaar. mLeer is 'n ontluikende terrein van afstandsonderrig wat dosente en leerders in staat stel om toegang tot kursusinhoud deur middel van hul mobiele toestelle te verkry, vanaf enige plek en op enige tyd. Die doel van hierdie studie van beperkte omvang was om die gebruik van mobiele toestelle by Namibiese oop- en afstandsleerinstellings te bepaal. Die studie het op twee openbare OAO-instellings in Namibië gefokus, naamlik die Namibian University of Science and Technology (NUST) – Centre of Open and Lifelong Learning (COLL), en die Namibian College of Open Learning (NAMCOL). Met die oog hierop is 'n literatuurstudie en 'n empiriese ondersoek onderneem. 'n Gemengdemetode-navorsingsbenadering is toegepas, wat 'n navorsingsteekproef van 12 dosente en 12 studente van die twee OAO-instellings ingesluit het. Data is deur middel van vraelyste en semi-gestruktureerde individuele onderhoude ingewin. Die navorsingsdata is toe bestudeer, ontleed en gevalideer. Die resultate van hierdie studie het getoon dat dosente en studente van mobiele toestelle gebruik maak om toegang tot die leerbestuurstelsel (LBS), naamlik Moodle, te verkry. Alhoewel die dosente en student positiewe houdings jeens die gebruik van mobiele toestelle vir onderrig en leer getoon het, is bitter min bereik in die effektiewe gebruik van mobiele toestelle vir onderrig en leer. Die studie het enkele uitdagings identifiseer wat die effektiewe gebruik van mobiele toestelle belemmer, soos 'n gebrek aan kennis van mobiele toepassings vir onderrig en leer, onvoldoende bergingskapasiteit, toepassings wat stadig oopmaak, die beperkte skermgrootte van die mobiele toestelle, asook die gebrek aan toegang tot WiFi en beperkte of geen toegang tot elektrisiteit. Die studie het aanbevelings aan die hand gedoen vir oorweging deur die dosente, OAO-instellings en die Ministerie Van Hoër Onderwys, asook voorstelle vir toekomstige navorsing.

Izikhungo ze-ODL zamukele ukusetshenziswa kwamathuluzi axhunywa ku-inthanethi ukufundisa nokufunda. I-mLearning yindawo evelayo yemfundo yebanga eyenza abafundisi nabafundi bakwazi ukufinyelela kokuqukethwe kwezifundo ngamathulusi wabo axhunywa ku-inthanethi kunoma iyiphi indawo futhi nganoma yisiphi isikhathi. Inhloso yalolu cwaningo lobubanzi obunqunyelwe kwakuwukuthola ukusetshenziswa kwamathuluzi axhunywa ku-inthanethi ekufundiseni nasekufundeni ezikhungweni zokufunda ezivulekile nezebanga zaseNamibia. Ucwaningo belugxile ezikhungweni ezimbili zomphakathi ze-ODL eNamibia, okuyiMfundo Ephakeme yeSayensi noBuchwepheshe eNamibia (NUST) - Isikhungo Sokufunda Okuvulekile Nokufunda Impilo Yonke (COLL) kanye neKholiji Lokufunda Okuvulekile eNamibia (NAMCOL). Kuze kube manje, kwenziwa ucwaningo lwemibhalo kanye nophenyo olusebenzisa ubufakazi obuqinisekisiwe ukuze kutholakale imiphumela yocwaningo. Kusetshenziswe indlela yocwaningo oluxubile, olufake isampula yocwaningo lwabafundisi abangu-12 nabafundi abayi-12 abavela ezikhungweni ezimbili ze-ODL. Imininingwane yaqoqwa ngemibuzo nangezingxoxo zomuntu ngamunye ezihlelwe kahle. Imininingwane yocwaningo yabe seyifundwa, yahlaziywa yaqinisekiswa. Imiphumela yalolu cwaningo ikhombise ukuthi abafundisi nabafundi basebenzisa amathuluzi axhunywa ku-inthanethi ukufinyelela ohlelweni lokuphathwa kokufunda (i-LMS), okuyiMoodle. Yize abafundisi nabafundi bekhombisa izimo ezinhle maqondana nokusetshenziswa kwamathuluzi axhunywa ku-inthanethi ekufundiseni nasekufundeni, kuncane kakhulu okuzuziwe ekusetshenzisweni ngempumelelo kwamathuluzi axhunywa ku-inthanethi ekufundiseni nasekufundeni. Ucwaningo luveze ezinye izinselelo eziphazamisa ukusetshenziswa ngempumelelo kwamathuluzi axhunywa ku-inthanethi, njengokuntuleka kolwazi lwezinhlelo zokusebenza kwamathuluzi axhunywa ku-inthanethi okufundisa nokufunda, amandla okugcina anganele, ukuvulwa kancane kwezinto zokusebenza, usayizi olinganiselwe wento eyisicaba yethulusi elixhunywa ku-inthanethi, kanye nokuntuleka ukufinyelela ku-WiFi nokufinyelela okulinganiselwe noma okungenawo ugesi. Ucwaningo luphakamise izincomo ezizocutshungulwa ngabafundisi, izikhungo ze-ODL noMnyango Wezemfundo Ephezulu, kanye neziphakamiso zocwaningo oluzayo.