International Journal of Education and Development using ICT

International Journal of Education and Development using ICT > Vol. 14, No. 3 (2018)

Using a mobile application to support students in blended distance courses: A case of Mzumbe University in Tanzania

Ramadhani Shemahonge, Mzumbe University, Tanzania
Joel S Mtebe, University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), Tanzania

Abstract
This study presents a mobile system designed to support students’ learning process and to conduct formative assessment for blended distance courses offered by several universities in sub-Saharan Africa. The development of the mobile application used eXtreme Programming agile method and involved 12 students and 4 instructors from Mzumbe University, in the design and development process. To test the effectiveness of the system, data was collected from 5 instructors and 76 students through group discussions, semi-structured interviews, and questionnaires were adopted. The study found that the majority of instructors indicated that they system enabled them to provide promptly and effective technical and pedagogical support to learners. Moreover, instructors found the system was useful tool for tracking students’ progress and conducting formative assessment through reading and responding to students’ reflections for each module. This research extends our knowledge on how mobile technology can be used to support students in a number of blended distance courses offered by several universities in sub-Saharan Africa.

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