makerere university paul b. muyinda, jude t. lubega, kathy lynch an evaluation of the mobile...

Makerere University

Paul B. Muyinda, Jude T. Lubega, Kathy Lynch

An Evaluation of the Mobile Research Supervision Initiative (MRSI) at Makerere University

E/merge2008 Online Conference 7th – 18th July 2008

Emerge2008 Online Conference, July 7 -18 2008 2

Mobile Research Supervision Initiative (MRSI) at Makerere University: Lessons learned

Overview

• Introduction• Makerere University, Department of Distance

Education • Genesis of the MRSI • Main Research Question• Specific Research Questions• Evaluation Methodology • Results • Discussion and Conclusion



Introduction

• Pervasiveness of Mobile Phones• All sectors now have mobile applications• Education sector and mobile phones• Academic and administrative support Makerere• Example – MRSI



Introduction…

• Short Message Service support– Field data collection support– Making face to face appointments– Pointers to useful literature– Motivation– Pacing the student– Encouraging collaboration– Deadlines



Makerere University, Department of Distance Education

• Established in 1991• Programmes offered by distance education• Has 4 programmes run on collaborative basis

– BCom (3500), BEd (2100), BSc (200), CYP (110)

• Student support activities– Face to face (campus and centers), print & radio – Online learning – access constraints (only 1%)– Now mobile learning (97% with mobile phones)– MRSI



Genesis of the MRSI• Research as a partial requirement• Supervision - a nightmare• 40% throughput (Otto & Wrightson, 2005) • Why MRSI

– Make the research process a rewarding and exciting activity– Increase supervisor’s physical and virtual presence– Minimise the perceived negative impact of lack of face-to-face

interaction – Personal touch provider– Hence MRSI

• Initiative started in 2005/06 academic year– Supervisors were encouraged to use mobile phones

• Need for an evaluation



Main Research Question

• Worthiness of the MRSI



Specific Research Questions

1. What research supervision aspects were most adequately handled through distance learner mobile research supervision at Makerere University?

2. What influence did mobile research supervision have on students’ completion rate?

3. What were the constraints faced by the research students during mobile research supervision?

4. What were the cost implications of mobile research supervision to the student, supervisor and Department?

5. What other academic and administrative components could be delivered via mobile phones to distance learners at Makerere University?



Evaluation Methodology

• Mixed quantitative and qualitative approaches • Population – research students, supervisors and DE

administrators• Research students – Simple Random Sampling• In-depth interviews – supervisors (5) and DE (2)

administrators – Purposive• Questionnaire (ownership, connectivity issues and

research supervision)• Interview Guide (connectivity issues and research

supervision)• Analysis - Descriptive statistics



Results – Supervision Aspects Adequately Served by M-learning

• Fix face to face meetings appointments (96%) • Field research guidance from supervisors and

fellow students (90%) • Communication with supervisors to create

intimacy (56%)• Motivating student in field (54%)

– MRSI broke the phobia– MRSI reduced the loneliness in the field– MRSI created a virtual community of practice– Facilitated active and collaborative learning



Results – MRSI and Students’ Throughput

• Research paper does not determine student’s throughput

• No significant difference in completion time • 5 months to complete their research project

paper • MRSI did not in any way influence the

student’s research project completion time. • Attrition rate of 40% reported in Otto and

Wrightson (2005) stems from other intervening factors which are a subject for further research



Results - Constraints• Students were not adequately prepared for the MRSI

• Supervisors – Experienced information overload on phones. • Supervisor – Increased cognitive load when multitasking

Constraints Faced By Research Students

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%

Rigor of the research process

Busy schedule of the research students

Non-availability of the supervisor at certain times

Costly research process

Limited time allocated to the research project paper

Limited guidance

long distances traveled

Need for word processed manuscripts

Non response

Requirement to communicate by e-mail

Electricity load shedding



Results - Cost implications

• Views on MRSI cost experiences were sought

• Airtime credit a major constraint in MRSIExtent of Phone Credit Constraint

62%8%

30%

Sometimes constrained Always constrained

Not constrained



Results – Other Academic & administrative components

• Delivery of content (learning objects) to learners

• Augmenting text based materials• Providing links to useful materials• Reminders• Pedagogical support by tutors



Recommendations

• Need to negotiate with mobile telecommunications service providers to give a concession in communications charges to educational institutions

• Provide call centers



Conclusion

• Mobile phone are handy device for facilitating active and collaborative learning

• It is worth investing in MRSI for distance learners

• It is worth investing in developing e-learning solutions geared towards personalising learning

• M-learning provides learning support to learners at anytime in any place



Issues for Further Research

• Cost/benefit analysis of mobile learning• Causes of high attrition rates of distance

education learners at Makerere University• Mobile learning objects development and

delivery



The End

QUESTIONS AND DICUSSIONS WELCOMEAbout the Authors

Paul B. Muyinda (Presenter)Department of Distance Education, Makerere University, UGANDA,e-mail: [email protected], +256-772-406919

Jude T. Lubega (PhD)Faculty of Computing and IT, Makerere University, UGANDA, e-mail: [email protected], +256-774-600884

Kathy Lynch (PhD)University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, AUSTRALIA, e-mail: [email protected], +61-7-5456-5506

makerere university paul b. muyinda, jude t. lubega, kathy lynch an evaluation of the mobile...

Documents