Access to technology and readiness to use it in learning

Abstract

This case study involved 429 distance education diploma students at the University of Botswana. The aim of the study was to find out whether these students had access to MP3 players and other technologies essential in distance learning. Findings show that, contrary to expectations, learners did not have access to MP3 digital audio devices. Secondly, by 2006, access to computers (17.25%) and hence to the Internet (3.7%) had not changed in a significant way since the last surveys in 1999 and 2001. It also emerged that students favoured the technology they were familiar with and expressed apprehension in using computers in learning.

Keywords:

• distance education
• access to computers
• information technology
• mobile learning
• Botswana