MOBILE TECHNOLOGY FOR ENHANCING TEACHING AND LEARNING AT THE COLLEGE OF BUSINESS EDUCATION, TANZANIA: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY

Abstract

Mobile phone technology has increasingly been used as an important gadget for enhancing teaching and learning in higher education institutions, Tanzania in particular. However, despite the fact that many students in Tanzanian higher education institutions have access to mobile phones in the learning context, little is known about how those mobile phones are effectively used to enhance teaching and learning process. This study aimed to explore the extent to which mobile phone technology particularly smartphones are used for enhancing effective teaching and learning process at the College of Business Education in the campus of Dar es Salaam. The study collected data through structured and open-ended questionnaires. Purposive and stratified sampling techniques were used to obtain one hundred and five (105) student respondents from the department Business Administration, Accountancy and Marketing. The data were analys6ed and interpreted using descriptive analysis techniques. The findings indicate that, students use mobile phones to facilitate learning including communicating with their fellow students and lecturers on academic issues, downloading materials and accessing student information related to examinations results. Also, the study revealed that poor cellular networks, cost of purchasing airtime and handset are the main challenges hindering the effectiveness of mobile phones usage for enhancing learning and teaching in higher education institutions. The significance of this study is highlighted in the development of technology in the field of education for enhancing teaching and learning