Abstract:

Blended Learning and technology enhanced education are often discussed in terms of pedagogical implications in resource rich environments, where students have reliable electricity, access to computers and internet connections and where political and social turmoil rarely upset class time. However, in higher education in Uganda at Makerere University, students are learning using blended approaches in their courses, both using mobile phones and computer based learning, despite regular student strikes and unreliable technological access. In Afghanistan, academics in higher education recognize the benefits of blended approaches to education and technology enhanced education and two leading universities in Kabul have made efforts to integrate blended approaches into the classroom. Efforts are underway in both countries to expand technology use in the classroom but obstacles remain. This paper analyzes technology use in Makerere University, a more established program than that in Kabul, and projects lessons learned to programs at Kabul University and the American University of Afghanistan. The lessons learned in Uganda can be applied in Afghanistan as both settings face resource limitations and an unstable educational environment, with student strikes and other campus wide educational interruptions. The cases in Uganda and Afghanistan exemplify opportunities for further research and projects to enhance and expand educational opportunities using technology. Blended learning and technology enhanced education are not just pedagogical tools in these settings, but can also circumvent traditional obstacles to access by underrepresented groups and supplement curricula by increasing technological literacy.

Keywords:

Blended Learning, Mobile Learning, Distance Learning, Technology-Enhanced learning, ICT Skills Education.