International Journal of Education and Development using ICT

International Journal of Education and Development using ICT > Vol. 13, No. 1 (2017)

Practices and challenges in an emerging m-learning environment

Edgar Napoleon Asiimwe, Örebro University, Sweden
Åke Grönlund, Örebro University, Sweden
Mathias Hatakka, Dalarna University, Sweden

Abstract
This study reports an interpretative case study investigating practices and challenges in an emerging m-learning environment at Makerere University in Uganda. The research was part of MobiCLass pilot project. Data was collected by means of observations and interviews with teachers and various m-learning support staff, including teacher trainers, systems administrators and a software developer. The Framework for Rational Analysis of Mobile Education (FRAME) is used as an analytic framework. The research focuses on how learning content management systems (LCMS) are implemented and used for m-learning purposes. We observed teacher training and m-learning content development practices and found that teacher skills for developing educational content, institutional m-learning policies and training programs are crucial success factors. The main finding is the importance of the support staff; changes to both technology use and teaching practices take a long time and support staff is needed to manage, inspire and support change over a long period.

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