A sustainability framework for mobile technology integration in schools: The case of resource-constrained environments in South Africa

摘要

The application of mobile technology integration in schools has beenwidely researched. However, the sustainability of mobile technologyintegration in resource-constrained environments has received lessattention. Diverse contexts and devices complicate the construction ofa consolidated view of how to sustain the pedagogical practice oflearning with mobile devices in these environments. The purpose ofthis article is to indicate how feedback from teachers and districtofficials informed the development of a sustainability framework formobile technology integration in schools (SFMTIS) in resourceconstrainedenvironments in South Africa. Employing design scienceresearch as methodology, an initial sustainability framework wassynthesised from the existing literature. Teachers’ views wereobtained regarding the integration of mobile technology in theirschools and were subsequently processed to inform the furtherdevelopment of the framework. Teachers, who were trained, and had previously participated in an initiative that introduced mobile tabletuse, and where information and communication technologyinfrastructure was provided to their schools, were purposivelyselected for the study. The Department of Basic Education officialsbased at district offices were also interviewed for their views on thesustainable integration of mobile technology. The findings were usedto refine the initial SFMTIS. Besides the refined sustainabilityframework, the research contributes novel insights into the differentperspectives of the teachers and the district officials, and how thosecan impact the sustainability of mobile technology integration inresource-constrained environments.