e-Extension Approach for Rural Women through m-learning Modules

Mobile learning module termed as ‘m-learning module’ is any technology or lesson in audio/video format recorded on an SD card/memory card and listened/viewed through mobiles. As this requires no network or cost, women can learn easily at their own pace and time. Rural communities will benefit tremendously from m-learning modules, as most of them possess mobiles. The study was conducted in the Dharwad district of Karnataka. Based on the findings, it was decided to develop an m-learning module on ‘Balanced diet for rural women’. The video format was converted into MP3 format and was copied on SD cards. Sixty-five women from Narendra village were purposively selected for the experiment. A pre-test with the help of a schedule developed for the study was conducted on these selected women to assess their knowledge on balanced diet. Then, the SD cards were distributed to these women and were asked to view it at their convenience as many times as possible for a period of 1 month. At the end of 1 month, a post-test on knowledge was conducted on these selected 65 women. The data were analysed with the help of the ‘t’ test and correlation. The knowledge index of the respondents was low in case of all the three categories with regard to pre-test, namely, food groups (48.87%), balanced diet (67.63%) and total knowledge (57.70%), and the post-test knowledge index was high in case of all the three categories, namely, food groups (65.56%), balanced diet (92.65%) and total knowledge (78.36%). There was significant difference between the post-test and pre-test mean in all the three categories. This clearly indicates that the m-learning module is effective in increasing the knowledge of women.