Chapter 7: Mobiles for Learning in Africa: The Elephants in the Room

Using mobile devices to deliver learning in Africa ought to be successful; there should be no problems, it ought to be a no-brainer. The reasons are obvious and easy to identify. They include near-universal ownership and access to simple mobile phones, and comprehensive, energetic and competitive mobile networks. Furthermore, other technology options that might deliver learning are practically non-existent owing to poor infrastructure including unstable mains electricity and poor broadband connectivity, lack of suitable clean secure buildings, lack of technical capacity, lack of software licenses, and lack of human capacity. Even with a more inclusive definition of ICT (information and communication technology), one including simple audiocassettes and radio broadcasts, mobile devices are still the obvious favorite.