| dc.description.abstract | Rapid advancement of information and communication technology enables to produce
more mobile devices. Most of distance education students need access to study
materials, communications tools and further learning materials not only at home and
in their working places, but for example on travels. The purpose of this study was to
examine the utilization of mobile phone in enhancing learner support services in
distance education programmes at Mount Kenya University, in Kenya. In order to
fulfill this purpose, the study was guided by four objectives. The objectives included:
establish the utilization of text messages in enhancing learner support in distance
education; examine utilization of email in enhancing learner support in distance
education; determine the utilization of voice call in enhancing learner support in
distance education; establish the utilization of social media in enhancing learner
support in distance education. Reviewed literature indicates that mobile phones are
gradually supporting distance education in many areas. However, there are some areas
where the use of mobile phone as a learner support system can only be conceived in
relation to the institutional values. This tends to limit exploration of the advantages of
the mobile phones hence making distance education ineffective for some learners with
phones that meet the needs of distance education. The study adopted descriptive
survey research design that supported quantitative and qualitative approaches. This
facilitated the use of questionnaires to collect data from sample comprising of 5
lecturers, 250 students and 03 administrators. Collected data was analysed
quantitatively and qualitatively. Quantitative data was analysed descriptively by use
of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) while qualitative data was analysed
thematically. The analysed quantitative data was presented using frequency
distribution tables while analysed qualitative data was presented in themes based on
the opinion given. Findings showed that the lecturers, students and administrators had
phones that were used depending on their needs. However, utilisation was ineffective
due to attitude and perceptions. In addition, although the information was related to
learning, it had insignificant contribution to the entire learning process as a learner
support tool. The study recommended that mobile phones should be fully integrated in
the entire distance education learning system | en_US |
