INTRODUCTION: Recognition, and indeed promotion and funding, for academics and researchers everywhere, including Africa, depends on publication, specifically publication of research papers in recognized peer-reviewed journals. There is considerable research activity in mobile learning in Africa and this deserves greater visibility and recognition. International Journal of Mobile and Blended Learning is devoting a special edition to mobile learning in Africa and contributions are warmly invited that report, explore, discuss and analyze the theory, practice and context of mobile learning in Africa, of learning with mobile devices on the African continent.
OBJECTIVE OF THE SPECIAL ISSUE: In the last five or six years we have seen a rapid apparent growth of mobile learning across Africa. Sometimes this replicates the experiences and challenges elsewhere, sometimes it responds to challenges of local infrastructure or the specifics of local culture; sometimes it represents the 'localized' version of global and corporate training accessing the international knowledge economy, other times it represents the work of social entrepreneurs, not-for-profits and m4d activists supporting indigenous languages, traditional pedagogy and informal knowledge.
All of this work has been sadly under-documented and under-reported and deserves a wider global audience. The International Journal of Mobile and Blended Learning is the recognized academic peer-reviewed journal of the world's mobile learning research community and works closely with the International Association of Mobile Learning.
This call is intended to encourage the publication of high-quality mobile learning research papers from or about Africa in a respected academic journal with a global readership. Authors considering attending or presenting at the coming eLearning Africa conference in Dar-es-Salaam in May 2011 will be interested to know that there will be a half-day workshop with individual sessions to support and mentor would-be authors and that one of the guest editors will be available to give guidance and feedback.
RECOMMENDED TOPICS: Topics to be discussed in this special issue include (but are not limited to) the following: • Theories of mobile learning in Africa • Practical experiences of mobile learning in Africa • The African mobile learning context • Characteristics and challenges of infrastructure and culture • Local interpretations of mobile learning • Supporting indigenous languages and local cultures • The role of traditional pedagogy and informal knowledge • Understanding mobile learning in an African context • The relevance of the African experience to other challenging environments and societies • Building a greater understanding of ‘African-ness’ and how this relates to accounts of mobile learning
SUBMISSION PROCEDURE: Researchers and practitioners are invited to submit papers for this special theme issue on M-Learning in Africa on or before July 1st 2011. All submissions must be original and may not be under review by another publication.
INTERESTED AUTHORS SHOULD CONSULT THE JOURNAL’S GUIDELINES FOR MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSIONS at http://www.igi-global.com/Files/AuthorEditor/guidelinessubmission.pdf. All submitted papers will be reviewed on a double-blind, peer review basis. Papers must follow APA style for reference citations.
ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOBILE AND BLENDED LEARNING (IJMBL) The International Journal of Mobile and Blended Learning (IJMBL) provides a forum for researchers in this field to share their knowledge and experience of combining e-learning and m-learning with other educational resources. Providing researchers, practitioners, and academicians with insight into a wide range of topics such as knowledge sharing, mobile games for learning, collaborative learning, and e-learning, this journal contains useful articles for those seeking to learn, analyze, improve, and apply technologies in mobile and blended learning. This journal is an official publication of the Information Resources Management Association www.igi-global.com/ijmbl Editor-in-Chief: Dr. David Parsons Published: Quarterly (both in Print and Electronic form)
PUBLISHER: The International Journal of Mobile and Blended Learning is published by IGI Global (formerly Idea Group Inc.), publisher of the “Information Science Reference” (formerly Idea Group Reference), “Medical Information Science Reference”, “Business Science Reference”, and “Engineering Science Reference” imprints. For additional information regarding the publisher, please visit www.igi-global.com. All submissions should be should be directed to the attention of: Dr Dick Ng'ambi, Associate Professor, Centre for Educational Technology, University of Cape Town, South Africa E-mail: Dick.Ngambi@uct.ac.za Or John Traxler, Professor of Mobile Learning and Director Learning Lab, University of Wolverhampton, U.K. E-mail: john.traxler@wlv.ac.uk Guest Editors International Journal of Mobile and Blended Learning
The results for the 2025/2026 special entry examination for the Diploma in Performing Arts held on Saturday 17th May, 2025. Candidates who scored a final mark of 50% and above passed the Examination and have been recommended to the university’s Admissions Committee for consideration.
The Office of Academic Registrar, Makerere University has released full results for the Mature Age Entry Scheme Examinations for the Academic Year 2025/2026 held on Saturday 14th December, 2024.
The Candidates who scored a final mark of 50% and above passed the examination and have been recommended by the Pre-Entry & Mature Age Committee to the University’s Admissions Board for Consideration.
The Directorate of Graduate Training (DGT) has in collaboration with Centre for Teaching and Learning completed the training of the first cohort of Graduate Supervisors.
Participants were academic staff from two colleges namely, College of Engineering, Art and Design (CEDAT) and the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES).
The three-day training that took place at the Telepresence Centre, Senate Building ended on Friday 20thJune 2025.
In his closing remarks to the participants, the Director of Graduate Training Prof. Julius Kikooma said, “This is the first cohort we are working together with the Center for Teaching and Learning to put together continuous professional development Program so that we are able to enforce the new teaching and learning policy.”
He said that before lecturers are allocated students for supervision, they must first go through this form of formal teaching and learning training to equip them thoroughly with certification required of supervision of graduate students.
“We are coming up with process to ensure that the certificates earned by participants allow you to supervise graduate students. This is the direction of the university and we must ensure that such trainings are concluded and completed successfully by all participants”, Prof. Kikooma.
Prof. Julius Kikooma – Director of Graduate Training
“We can only have you certified upon completing all the exercises in the training process. This is when you will be eligible to receive the work load for supervision”, He added.
“This training of Supervisors is going to be continuous so that all academic staff in colleges and schools are equipped. This first cohort is going to be our building block to the future trainings in the colleges.”
With such capacity building trainings, Prof. Kikooma said that the university is on the right path to achieving its targets in the new strategic plan of increasing the number of graduate students while progressively reducing the under graduate students.
He further hinted that, “We are in the process of writing a curriculum on this, which will be presented for approval before it is rolled out.”
He echoed all participants to share the knowledge they have acquired adding, “Share all you have learnt, do not keep it. Be open minded, have proper communication channels and the sky will be the limit for you.”
Dr. Robinah N. Kulabako, The Head of Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at CEDAT welcomed the training adding, “This training is very pertinent. I have had the opportunity to supervise Masters and PhD students for over 15 years and I must say that the need to be subjected to this training cannot be over emphasized because there is need to learn, unlearn and relearn many aspects involved in the supervision process.”
She added, “We are moving towards knowledge-based supervision rather than experience-based supervision. This means we must be informed and equipped to be able to advise, guide and mentor to be able to lead a successful supervision journey for both supervisor and supervisee.”
Dr. Andrew Gilbert Were – a lecturer at CEDAT and a participant said, “It is important that all supervisors of graduate students receive this certification from Makerere University through a systematic training process that enables them to attain diverse skills to facilitate learning of graduate students from diverse cultures and with unique set of circumstances.”
“This training is long overdue. In fact, it was an oversight that we could be allowed to supervise students without undergoing supervisors’ training.”
Dr. Dorothy Ssebowa, The Director Centre for Teaching and Learning support- CEES said, “The training this time round has had a mix of early career professionals including Lecturers, Supervisors and Professors share experiences. We have learnt a lot more from experienced supervisors who have shared practices on how they have done supervision over the years.”
“The knowledge and experience-based approaches have made this collaboration very active, interactive and learner centered which has resulted into a collaborative learning from the interdisciplinarity of staff from CEDAT and CAES. The issue now is to continue with professional development across all levels.” She added.
The Makerere University Directorate of Graduate Training (DGT) in collaboration with the Centre for Teaching and Learning completed the training of the first cohort of Graduate Supervisors. This activity was supported by the iCARTA – Institutionalization of Advanced Research Training in Africa, a NORHED II Project at Makerere University.