Digital Transformation to Improve Children’s Literacy in Africa: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Advances in technology have allowed digital transformation to reach all productive sectors, including the education sector and its members. This transformation is linked to emerging technologies, the digitalisation of processes and resources, and the demand for users to upgrade to the latest technological updates. The article aims to examine the role of digital transformation in improving children’s literacy in Africa. To achieve this, the researchers used Arksey and O’Malley’s systematic scoping review to identify and map articles over five years (2017–2022) using specified inclusion and exclusion criteria. Twenty articles focused on factors or determinants of digital transformation and literacy for African children. The findings of this study suggest that the literacy sector in Africa faces several challenges in adapting to digital transformation. These challenges include insufficient funding, infrastructure, and skills to prepare learners to participate in the digital transformation. The findings also suggest that African governments should invest in the development of infrastructure and human, technical, and financial capacity to develop the literacy system needed to participate in the digital transformation. The study revealed several opportunities, including the availability of timely reading resources, the sharing of resources among learners, and the potential for improving engagement and accessibility through interactive and customisable resources. The study concludes that there is a need for African schools to adopt digital transformation to improve literacy. A proposed integrated framework for digital transformation and improving literacy was crafted. The framework is likely to be feasible and beneficial to most African countries.