Using MyLSU app to enhance student engagement and promote a smart town at a rural university in Zimbabwe

Abstract

This paper discusses the evaluation of an app that was developed to enhance student engagement, thereby transforming a rural university into a smart town. This account provides an opportunity to strengthen the deployment of smart services and digital technologies that enhance student engagement. Developed countries have integrated virtual and physical systems to support education and industrial processes while developing countries such as Zimbabwe seem to be lagging. Government and funding organisations for higher education institutions have expressed interest in clear strategies that encompass student engagement in their policies and activities. The study focused on developing an app that enhanced student engagement aspects related to off-the classroom activities such as voting for leaders, sports and social activities. The study employed design science research methodology, a paradigm used for the development of artefacts that are aimed at solving real-world problems. A user-centred design methodology was adopted to guide the app development process as it enhances user acceptance. A total of 220 participants successfully evaluated the app through a questionnaire. The results of the evaluation revealed that the app was usable, easy to learn, and they would recommend it to others and agreed that they could use the app with no assistance. The results show that the app promoted student engagement and promoted concepts of a smart town. These results will help policymakers and educators to refine the app features and content to improve student engagement. Recommendations proffered can help researchers to explore how mobile apps can be used to promote smart-university towns.

Keywords

• design science research methodology
• technology acceptance model
• user-centred design
• mobile apps
• connectivism
• digital natives
• student-based activities