Presentation at UGB in St Louis

1. Exploring Mobile Device Literacy in
Senegal
Dr. Christelle Scharff, Vanessa Rene, Jan Gerhard Schoepp, Nishit Shah, Andrew Greenberg
Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems
Department of Computer Science
Pace University
Thanks to all the students who were involved in the
research and development of this project, and to Pace
University Seidenberg School, Pace University, and CRA-
WCREU and Wilson Center. Thanks to UGB

2. Who are we?

3. http://mobilesenegal.org
https://facebook.com/mobilesenegal

4. Research in Information and
Communication Technology for
Development (ICTD) and Mobile
for Development (M4D0

5. The Context
● 57.7% of the adult population is literate
[CIA, 2017]
● French versus local languages (Wolof)
● 83% of Senegalese population owns a
cellphone [ARTP, 2015]
● 15% of users own smartphones [PI, 2016]
● $0.80 USD for 1 hour of Internet or 200
MB valid for 24 hours
● #1 West African country on Facebook [PI,
2016]
● Mobile phone use is linked to calls, texts,
pictures/videos, and to send money [PI,
2016]
● Growing presence of Tech Hubs
(MobileSenegal) and local developer
communities

6. Mobile Device
Literacy
● Digital literacy -> Mobile device literacy
● Ability to use mobile phones for
purposes other than making and
receiving voice calls [Wyche et al, ITCD,
2016]
● The literature emphasizes the
importance of training to improve mobile
device literacy
○ Training in context
○ Efficiency of videos
○ Involvement of intermediaries
○ Use of gamification

7. Research
● Information and Communication
Technology and Development
(ICTD)
● Mobile for Development (M4D)
● Investigate low mobile app
adoption and its links to mobile
device illiteracy
● Explore mobile device usage
patterns
● Explore the difficulties
encountered by developers and
entrepreneurs
● Create a space for developers and
users to interact
● Evaluate AppliCafé as a solution
IRB # 994145-1

8. AppliCafé
Kiosk
Mobile
app
Videos
InternetCafé -> AppliCafé

9. The AppliCafé Kiosk

10. The AppliCafé Mobile App
● Not a Google Play Store app !
● Use of an agent at the AppliCafé kiosk
● Select a language, either French or
Wolof (even listen to Wolof) (TBD)
● Watch how-to videos on mobile
literacy
● Learn about curated local apps
● Showcase local developers
● Engage users through Facebook

11. ● 4 initial videos :
● What is Android?
● What is Google Play
Store?
● What is an app?
● How to install an app?
The AppliCafé Videos

12. Research Methodology
● Field trip to Senegal in January 2017
● Exploratory research
● Focus group with local developers and entrepreneurs (20 men, 3 women)
○ Questions: App ideas, interactions with users, app testing, gettings
downloads and users
● Interviews with users on mobile phone usage patterns (6 men, 1 woman)
○ Questions: App usage, app awareness, budget, Internet, emails and
Facebook, difficulties with phones
● Feedback on the kiosk, app, and videos

13. Exploratory Research in Senegal

16. Findings - Users
● Mobile devices and social status
● Phones gifted by device-literate family or
friends outside of Senegal
● WhatsApp and Viber, most popular apps
● Employment status and internet usage
● Wifi versus data, and apps versus web sites
● No knowledge of Senegalese apps
● Email addresses unknown (3/6)
● Help from intermediaries to install apps (5/6)

17. Findings - Users
● Monitor as a centerpiece of the kiosk
● Used for education purposes and diverse audiences
● Location, location, location!
● Security
● Need of training on apps
● Discovery of apps
● Featured app suggestions - note taking, scheduling,
accounting
● Videos suggestions: “What is AppliCafé”, “What is Google?”,
“What are the web and the Internet?”, “What is an email
address?”, “How to create an email address?”

18. Findings - Developers and Entrepreneurs
● Concerns on power, location, maintenance, updates,
security, scalability, replicability, price
● Important to have a space (“palaver tree”)
● Location, location, location!
● Wifi access is a plus
● Multi-purpose space - workshops, e-learning etc.
● Mobile apps and Facebook
● Useful to train users, to carry “proof of concept”
and “demos” and “launch” and for app promotion

19. Conclusion and Future Work
● Expand on video content
○ Videos must be translated into local language, Wolof
● Expand on the application
○ Reconsider UI (some things are not as obvious as we think) and update content
● Interact with people and online (through Facebook, WhatsApp, etc.)
● Second trip to Senegal in January 2018
○ Speak with a larger sample size (including more women)
○ Mobile usage patterns
○ Use of videos as learning tools and testing of effective retention of the
information