Gender Comparative Analysis of the Impact of Smartphone as a Learning Tool

Progressive efforts have been made globally in ensuring qualitative access to education irrespective of the gender. However, with the advent of mobile high-tech gadgets such as smartphones, the fourth industrial revolution is interrupting the existing approaches to the execution of tasks in every sector of the society including the educational sector. This presents a major challenge as studies, on one hand, have shown that the level at which the male and female are impacted by technological changes varies as they perceive and respond to things differently. On the other hand, studies reveal that the level of awareness, adoption and impact of any technological change in the rural community differs from their urban counterparts majorly due to the wide socio-economic gap. Hence, this study gives a comparative gender analysis of the level of awareness, adoption and impact of smartphones on selected students in a rural-based comprehensive University in South Africa. To achieve this, the gender difference in the level of awareness, adoption and impact of smartphones as a learning tool was estimated and the male and female perception on the use of M learning was investigated. Findings from the study show that the level of awareness, adoption and impact of smartphones as a learning tool was higher in the female participants than the male and the perception of the male and female participants differ.