Chapter 4: The Role of Disruptive Frugal Technologies (Disruptive and Low-Cost Technologies) in Transforming Education and Promoting e-Learning in Africa

Despite the potential benefits of disruptive frugal technologies in education and e-learning, Zimbabwe lacks a complete grasp of their effective deployment, impact and scalability. It investigates how disruptive, low-cost technologies might increase access to education and close the achievement gap. The importance of investigating the role of disruptive frugal technologies in changing education and promoting e-learning in Africa derives from the fact that African educational institutions usually face resource constraints such as inadequate infrastructure, budget and technical access. Researching disruptive frugal technologies can lead to low-cost and long-term solutions that make education more accessible and affordable by exploiting existing resources and infrastructure. A mixed-methods approach was used to collect data from educators, technology specialists, students and educational institutions using questionnaires, interviews and case studies. The study is based on the disruptive innovation theory. Clayton M. Christensen established the disruptive innovation theory, which describes how new technology or business models disrupt existing markets or industries. This theory helps to comprehend how current technology may improve education by offering low-cost, accessible and scalable alternatives to outdated approaches. The findings indicate that new frugal technologies can overcome challenges such as poor infrastructure, high costs and limited resources to significantly transform Zimbabwean education.