The Contribution of M-Learning as a Climate Change Action

Aim: The study assessed the carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions avoided through M-Learning (short message service- SMS), determined the baseline knowledge retention (KR), and evaluated M-Learning changes in KR among community health promoters (CHPs). Notably, the initial training of CHPs conducted since 2006 had never been formally assessed. Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study and the sample size, n=348 (N=1,392) was calculated through Yamane's (1967) formula at a 95% confidence interval. Pre-intervention (PRIT) and post-intervention (POIT) tests measured KR before and after M-learning in a pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design. Four selected CHPs' key training manual messages from which they had been trained were interchangeably sent in the form of SMS; once per week for 12 weeks after PRIT and before POIT. This had been preceded by a 2-week SMS/ phone trial using different health-related messages. Competence based curriculum (CBC) rubrics; exceeding expectation (EE), 80–100%); meeting expectation (ME), 65-79%; approaching expectation (AE), 50-64%) and below expectation (BE), 0–49% measured both test scores. Results: M-Learning reduced demand by 5,348 A4 papers on the assumption that each respondent would have needed one A4 paper (page) per week for key messages which also avoided 320.9Kg CO2 that would have been generated in paper manufacture from the determination that one A4 paper manufacture is 60gm of CO2. With a 92% response rate (n=320), at PRIT (82.2%) of respondents (n=263) had BE (0-49%) KR with a mean score of 30.25% (1.21 out of 4) but at POIT it rose to 62.25% (2.49 out of 4) which was an improvement ratio of 2.1. Conclusion: This study confirms that M-Learning is an effective KR tool and a sustainable alternative to paper-based learning, reducing CO₂ emissions. It supports integrating digital learning solutions to combat climate change and enhance training effectiveness for CHPs. Recommendations: The County Government of Nyandarua should integrate M-Learning into official training programs for CHPs and other professionals, mandate periodic digital training sessions to reinforce knowledge retention and implement policies that reduce paper dependency in offices and learning institutions, replacing printed materials with digital alternatives.