Learners and caregivers barriers and attitudes to SMS-based mobile learning in Kenya

Oct 15, 2026

Mobile phone use is positioned as a route to extend educational technology benefits to wider audiences, including contexts with limited connectivity. Renewed attention followed COVID-19 school closures, yet persistent concerns remain about whether access and learning support are equitable in practice. This study used a telephone survey of learners (n=122) and caregivers (n=124) using M-Shule, an SMS-based platform in Kenya, to examine attitudes, benefits, and constraints. Results show similar barriers for girls and boys, and equal perceived benefits, with implications for additional support.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages15

Reading Time38 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Rationale for mobile learning and equity

Study context and M-Shule description

Recent SMS implementations in M-learning

COVID-19 and remote education responses

SMS use categories and alignment of this study

SMS-based platform evidence

African Educational Research Journal Vol. 11(4), pp. 665-679, December 2023 DOI: 10. 30918/AERJ.114.23.088 ISSN: 2354-2160 Full Length Research Paper Learners and caregivers barriers and attitudes to SMSbased mobile learning in Kenya Jordan, K. 1,2*, Damani, K.3, Myers, C.4, Khagame, P.5, Mumbi, A.5 and Njuguna, L.5 1University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. 2Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK. 3Jigsaw Consult, London, UK. 4Overseas Development Institute, London, UK. 5M-Shule, Nairobi, Kenya. Accepted 30 October, 2023 | ABSTRACT
The use of mobile phones has been identified as a potential way to bring the benefits of educational technology to a wider audience, including in low-connectivity settings. This is a topic that has received renewed interest recently as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and school closures. While a number of recent studies have demonstrated good potential for mobile phones and SMS to be used to support learning, there are also questions about how equitable this medium is in practice. We conducted a telephone survey with learners (n = 122) and their caregivers (n = 124) who use M-Shule, an SMS-based educational platform in Kenya, in order to understand their attitudes towards mobile learning, and the benefits and constraints. In particular, we consider whether there are differences in responses according to gender and/or location, to shed light on whether use is equitable. We find that girls and boys face similar barriers to use, and the technology is perceived to be equally beneficial. We identify some areas for potential further support for all learners through mobile learning.
Keywords: Educational technology, equity, mobile learning, SMS. | | --- | | *Corresponding author. E-mail: [k.jordan@lancaster.ac. uk](k.jordan@lancaster.ac. uk). | INTRODUCTION One of the main potential benefits of the use of mobile phones to support learning-through ‘mobile learning’, or‘m-learning’ (Traxler, 2005) -relates to equity. As mobile phones have lower connectivity requirements and data costs, and levels of device ownership are often higher in low-income contexts, in comparison with computers and other devices, they arguably represent a more equitable way to digitally access education (GEEAP, 2022; Sharples and Pea, 2014) . This is potentially particularly important in the context of Kenya, where levels of mobile phone ownership (particularly feature phones) are high in comparison to computers (Cotter Otieno and Taddese, 2020) . The role of m-learning has received renewed attention recently, as a result of school closures and the need to support learners remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic (GEEAP, 2022) . However, the pandemic has also highlighted the digital divides that exist which means that seemingly ubiquitous technologies may not be equitable in practice (Crompton et al., 2021; Young Lives, 2021) . In this study, we report findings from a telephone survey undertaken with learners and caregivers who use MShule, an SMS-based mobile learning platform, in Kenya (UNESCO, 2022) . Content delivery and quizzes are facilitated through SMS, and learners’ progression through the content is determined by their performance on quizzes. This combination of SMS and personalised learning represents the next step in the wider research agenda around SMS-based education, with the potential to apply these principles at scale. Furthermore, it also contributes to addressing a gap in the literature in relation to the use of educational technology with schoolaged learners in low- and middle-income country contexts, as the existing literature tends to focus on the level of higher education (Mitchell and Jordan, 2021; Myers et al. , 2021) . Recent SMS implementations in M-learning The use of mobile phones-and specifically SMS-based Afr Educ Res J 666 messaging-to support education dates back to the early 2000s, with the advent of the term ‘mobile learning’(Traxler, 2005) . A key affordance of

FAQs

What is the focus of the telephone survey in this study?

The survey examines learners’ and caregivers’ attitudes toward mobile learning through M-Shule, including perceived benefits and constraints.

Which SMS-based platform is studied in Kenya?

M-Shule, an SMS-based educational platform that delivers content and quizzes via SMS and uses quiz performance to determine progression.

How do the findings relate to equity across gender?

Girls and boys face similar barriers to using the technology, and it is perceived to be equally beneficial.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by eBook King