TY - JOUR
T1 - Boundary Crossing for Education Continuity
T2 - Exploring WhatsApp’s Potential in Botswana During and Beyond the Pandemic
AU - Lyken-Segosebe, Dawn
AU - Gamariel, Gladys
AU - Bagai, Kelebonye
N1 - Funding Information:
WhatsApp’s requirement of internet connectivity for functionality is supported by the extensive national coverage of Botswana’s mobile broadband system. The mobile broadband penetration rate was 112% in May 2021 and national network coverage was 98% [37]. Botswana Fibre Networks Ltd (BoFiNet) is the country’s largest internet wholesaler and provides the backbone infrastructure for the national broadband system. The company has national fibre of 10,600 km countrywide connecting cities, major towns, villages and selected strategic locations. Its infrastructure is used by BTC, Mascom Wireless, Orange Botswana and other internet service providers. BoFiNet peers with the world’s biggest content providers including Google, Microsoft, Netflix, Facebook, Apple and Akamai. Facebook is WhatsApp’s parent company [40].
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022. International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies. All Rights Reserved.
PY - 2022/1/28
Y1 - 2022/1/28
N2 - Based on a conceptualization of WhatsApp as a boundary objectthat permits educational institutions to cross over from in-school teaching toout-of-school teaching, this study investigated the viability of WhatsApp as amobile learning (m-Learning) technology tool for the continuity of teaching andlearning in Botswana during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilizing anarrative review of the literature, we found that WhatsApp’s viability is supportedby Botswana’s high mobile phone penetration rate, the extensive coverageof the country’s mobile broadband network, reduced domestic internet pricesand research findings of WhatsApp’s technological, educational and academicadvantages elsewhere. However, teachers require training to develop relevanttechnological and pedagogical competences. WhatsApp’s viability also requiresinclusive access for all children including those from rural poor families and livingwith disabilities, and the protection of children learning online from mobilephone dependency and exposure to potentially harmful content and abuse.
AB - Based on a conceptualization of WhatsApp as a boundary objectthat permits educational institutions to cross over from in-school teaching toout-of-school teaching, this study investigated the viability of WhatsApp as amobile learning (m-Learning) technology tool for the continuity of teaching andlearning in Botswana during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilizing anarrative review of the literature, we found that WhatsApp’s viability is supportedby Botswana’s high mobile phone penetration rate, the extensive coverageof the country’s mobile broadband network, reduced domestic internet pricesand research findings of WhatsApp’s technological, educational and academicadvantages elsewhere. However, teachers require training to develop relevanttechnological and pedagogical competences. WhatsApp’s viability also requiresinclusive access for all children including those from rural poor families and livingwith disabilities, and the protection of children learning online from mobilephone dependency and exposure to potentially harmful content and abuse.
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U2 - 10.3991/ijim.v16i02.27283
DO - 10.3991/ijim.v16i02.27283
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85124313034
SN - 1865-7923
VL - 16
SP - 59
EP - 81
JO - International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies
JF - International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies
IS - 2
ER -