Allison Benner

From e- to m-Learning: feasibility for an African-delivered tertiary program

Since 2000, the Early Childhood Development Virtual University (ECDVU) has offered graduate-level programs in sub-Saharan Africa. These programs have been highly successful in creating a cadre of early childhood development (ECD) leaders in countries throughout Africa. When ECDVU was launched, the program was considered to be at the cutting edge in its use of appropriate and feasible technology. Within the past decade, however, the use of information and communication technologies (ICT), including mobile phones, personal digital assistants and tablets, has expanded dramatically within the Minority (‘Developed’) and Majority (‘Developing’) Worlds. Thus, ECDVU has begun to explore whether and how the graduate-level ECDVU programs might be delivered partially or primarily through tablets or smartphones.