Animated Videos as a Learning Tool in Developing Nations: A Pilot Study of Three Animations in Maradi and Surrounding Areas in Niger

Abstract

Access to information and knowledge has always been a challenge for illiterate or low literate learners in developing nations. As a consequence, pedagogical advances, for low literate learners, have lagged behind, as compared to educational strategies for literate or highly literate learners. The technological revolution based on access to Internet and cell-phones has brought new opportunities to one billion low literate learners in the planet. There is evidence that cell-phones are becoming easily available for users in developing nations. "Scientific Animations Without Borders" (SAWBO) creates educational animations that can be watched on cell-phones and other devices and can be transmitted from mobile phone to mobile phone through Bluetooth® technology. In this article we report the results of a short survey conducted by students from Maradi (Niger) with different groups; farmers, teachers in rural areas, informal entrepreneurs and women in which several 3 D animations were showed on mobile phones: cholera prevention, neem seed extract for insects pest control and triple bagging for storage to prevent post harvest looses. The objectives were to find out the perception of usefulness of the content and easiness of the technology used as a mode of transmission of information and knowledge.

The Evolution of Shea Butter's "Paradox of paradoxa" and the Potential Opportunity for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to Improve Quality, Market Access and Women's Livelihoods across Rural Africa

“…Educational programs should help to locate and address the different gaps and motivate processors to ensure better quality to meet international demands while at the same time position themselves to control the increase returns for their labor and knowledge. Bello-Bravo and Baoua [62] observed that when showing SAWBO videos in Niger, those that observed these videos often talked at length about other education needs in their community. Thus, such educational tools also represent a potential two-way dialogue where ideas from the field (such as indigenous knowledge) can be incorporated into additional educational animations and then used in future educational programs [61].…”

“…All videos can also be downloaded through both of SAWBO's websites, a full version and a mobile version (for people with low bandwidth) or through the online system known as the "Sustainable Development Knowledge Interface" (SusDeViKI) [59][60][61][62]. Thus, for development groups, that wish to use these videos in their educational programs, they can easily access the necessary content from the Internet for deployment into the field on cell phones.…”

Facilitated discussions increase learning gains from dialectically localized animated educational videos in Niger

“…While research shows that people from diverse cultural groups are generally open to learning from the same or similar sets of culturally non-specific animated images, dialectical inaccuracy of voiceovers is reported as off-putting and can diminish the effectiveness of ICT knowledge transfer (Bello-Bravo & Baoua, 2012;BelloBravo, Dannon, Agunbiade, Tamò, & Pittendrigh, 2013;Bello-Bravo, Dannon, et al, 2017;Bello-Bravo, Olana, Enyadne, & Pittendrigh, 2013;Bello-Bravo, Seufferheld, et al, 2013). Addressing people in their own language is not only communicatively pragmatic (Nonaka & Takeuchi, 1995) but can also mitigate any on-going, oppressive power dynamics around the use of ex-colonial or national languages in Africa (Kiramba, 2016), thus better fostering trust in any solutions communicated (Levin & Cross, 2004;Szulanski, Cappetta, & Jensen, 2004) and making them potentially more authoritative, credible, and liable for uptake (Bello-Bravo, Lutomia, Madela, et al, 2017).…”

Systematic Mapping Study of Information Technology for Development in Agriculture (The Case of Developing Countries)

“…As shown in figure 1, around 25 (44%) of the reviewed papers fall in this category. Specifically, the following list of papers': (Amariles et al, 2007;Baro & Endouware, 2013;Bello-bravo & Baoua, 2012;Cáceres & Fernández-Ardèvol, 2012;Cloete & Doens, 2008;Dearden et al, 2011;Dearden et al, 2010;Dissanayeke & Wanigasundera, 2014;Dittoh et al, 2013;Lwoga, 2010;Futterman & Shuman, 2010;Gollakota et al, 2012;Kameswari et al, 2011;Kuriyan et al, 2006;Madon et al, 2009;Martin & Abbott, 2011;Mpazanje et al, 2013;Muthiah et al, 2013;Srinivasan, 2007;Patel et al, 2012;Siyao, 2012;Tomitsch et al, 2010;Mtega & Msungu, 2013;Yusop et al, 2013), main study areas focus on understanding context and documenting best practices. For instance, over five months field pilot of a voice telephony-based information service, (Futterman & Shuman, 2010) and (Yusop et al, 2013) assess the information needs and interests of rural populations in Uganda and Malaysia respectively.…”