Reaching Sub-Saharan Africa Learners Innovatively: The Role of Mobile Technologies. A Narrative Review of Literature.
Abstract: Data from the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) indicates that mobile-cellular penetration has reached over 70 percent in Least Developing Countries, including most of the countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (ITU, 2017). Additionally, out of the 20 percent of the population who can access the internet in Africa, about 40 percent are young people aged 15-24. Considering that a significant percentage of the Sub-Saharan Africa population can access the internet, mostly through mobile phones, this review of literature assesses the extent to which educators can successfully use mobile learning technologies to reach these learners. This review appraises the development of mobile learning in this region and considers its affordances and suitability as a learning technology. Additionally, this review reflects on the limitations of mobile learning and evaluates the implications of M-Learning on education in Sub-Saharan Africa.