When the Covid-19 pandemic broke out last year, it took the world by surprise. However, there are several countries that have advanced digital learning environments and even deployed them before the pandemic.
They found it easy to transit adequately from the physical classroom to the digital classroom.
An integrated communications environment where digital devices communicate and manage educational content is a digital learning environment.
The concept is also based on digital electronics systems which are integrated and implemented for a global community.
The acute digital divide has been reflected during the pandemic and its accompanying lockdowns in Africa. School children, especially the rural dwellers who are educationally disadvantaged were completely cut down from all forms of learning.
Secondary and tertiary education were also gravely affected as the students experienced an abrupt pause in their learning as a result of the pandemic.
Currently, there have been spikes across the world with the new mutation, the Delta variant. Globally, about 4.33 million people have died with about 198 million active cases.
With the far-reaching implications of the virus and the need to take very drastic steps in order to bridge the digital divide and to ensure a working education system, a mobile learning environment that is sustainable and meets global standards must be put in place.
For a continent like Africa that is bereft of even the fundamental facilities such as power and internet, the journey to attaining an all robust digital learning might be difficult but it’s not attainable.
The following are recommendations that can be deployed to ensure mobile learning in a post-pandemic Africa.
Access to wifi at home and on the bus
An internet-enabled home can go a long way in facilitating digital learning. In a busy city like Lagos where students spend very long hours in traffic, this might contribute to optimal use of the time spent in traffic.
As a result of wide filtering and reporting features, students are able to use wi-fi for its intended purpose.
To address both digital access and commitment to keeping students connected to school, wifi in buses and on transit started looking at wi-fi on buses.
Many students spend up to an hour on the bus commuting to and fro from school every day.
Installing wi-fi on buses would be a tangible way to resolve the problem and provide great opportunities for students.
Providing a digital community for parents
They appreciate the up-to-date posts about what is happening at school which they can access right on their smartphones.
They also like having the calendar to remind them about significant days in the school.
This will also simplify tasks for teachers, however, the best part about a parent-teacher communication tool is the fact that we know when a parent has viewed our messages, so we can be aware that the parents are fully aware of the current situation.
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