%0 Journal Article
%T The potential use of mobile technology: enhancing accessibility and communication in a blended learning course
%A Tabisa Mayisela
%J South African Journal of Education
%D 2013
%I Education Association of South Africa (EASA)
%X Mobile technology is increasingly being used to support blended learning beyond computer centres. It has been considered as a potential solution to the problem of a shortage of computers for accessing online learning materials (courseware) in a blended learning course. The purpose of the study was to establish how the use of mobile technology could enhance accessibility and communication in a blended learning course. Data were solicitedfrom a purposive convenience sample of 36 students engaged in the blended learning course. The case study utilized a mixed-methods approach. An unstructured interview was conducted with the course lecturer and these data informed the design of the students' semi-structured questionnaire. It was found that students with access to mobile technology had an increased opportunity to access the courseware of the blended learning course. Mobile technology further enhanced student-to-student and student-to-lecturer communication by means of social networks. The study concludes that mobile technology has the potential to increase accessibility and communication in a blended learning course. Recommendations, limitations of the present study, and suggestionsforfuture research were made.
%K blended learning course
%K collaboration
%K communication
%K computer access
%K mobile technology
%K social networks
%U http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0256-01002013000100005