examples of mobile interventions that support proven education approaches
TRANSCRIPT
How Mobiles Can Support Proven Education Approaches
Steve Vosloom4Ed4Dev Symposium19 August 2011
What is mobile?
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tablet PCs
audio playerse.g. iPods
smartphones NOT ONLY
mobile phones
camcorders
portable DVD players
voicerecorders
USB sticks
e-readers
personalresponsesystems
SD cards
Don’t focus on …
Device or learning only“Any educational provision where the sole or dominant technologies are handheld or palmtop devices”
Problem: Devices age! m4Ed is not just about learning – it’s about supporting the education ecosystem
Don’t focus on …
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Mobility onlyLearning that happens anywhere, anytime
Problem: Books are the ultimate anywhere, anytime devices
1:1 person-to-device ratio
Latest and greatest (5.4bn subscribers, but most not smart)
Lowest common denominator (for many “features phones” provide first and only access to the internet)
Don’t focus on …
Mobile devices that can enhance and extend learning, teaching, assessment and administration
Real needs (not just “because we can”) in context
Mobile device affordances
Do focus on …
Affordances that meet needsInteractive (sometimes)Connected (sometimes)Image, audio, video
recorders(sometimes)Mass storage (sometimes)GPS, accelerometer (sometimes)
PervasiveCoolIntimate and personal
How does mobile support proven education approaches?
Improving literacy
Approach: Maximising the amount of time spent on learning/instruction
Solution: Reduce administrative and transport burden on teachers
Mobile: ◦School or Edu Dept broadcasts SMSes(
Frontline SMS or RapidSMS) for admin updates, timetable changes, venue changes, etc.
◦Simple mobisite with info for teachers
Why mobile?CheapQuick
Effective
Improving literacy
Approach: Provide appropriate level and language reading materials to children and communities
Mobile: m4Lit/Yoza Project with m-novels
51%South African households that own no leisure books
7%Public schools in South Africa that have functional libraries of any kind
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“It's great ... for me it really hard to pick up a book to start
readin but I don mind readin on my phone”
dotty1
“The stories r interesting nd fun 2 read, they kip ma englsh gng”Hlengiwe gulube
www.yoza.mobi / MXit
Why mobile?AccessibleCheapCoolInteractiveReading goes social
System strengthening
Approach: Provide support to parents and caregivers, including information about nutrition and health
Mobile: Create support groups between parents and caregivers and also broadcast nutrition/health tips, e.g. SMS-based groups in Project Zumbido (for HIV patients)
Why mobile?QuickEffective
System strengthening
Approach: Ensure that girls and boys start school at the right age by encouraging on-time entry through public policies, campaigns, and tracking
Mobile: Register births in the field and follow up on when children should start school
Why mobile?Real timeEffective reporting
System strengthening
Approach: Provide post-primary educational opportunities, including second-chance learning opportunities that utilise innovative modes of delivery
Mobile: ◦Dr Math on Mxit for live tutoring after
hours (IM chat)◦Text to Change HIV knowledge
quizzes (SMS)
Why mobile?AccessibleAnywhere, anytime
System strengtheningApproach: Provide post-primary
educational opportunities, including second-chance learning opportunities that utilise innovative modes of delivery
Mobile: Shareable (via Bluetooth) audio and video lessons, e.g. Dissections for All project in South Africa (mobile phones used by students to create short videos of frog dissections and shared)
Why mobile?AccessibleAnywhere, anytimeCool
System strengthening
Approach: Provide post-primary educational opportunities, including second-chance learning opportunities that utilise innovative modes of delivery
Mobile: In community centre play educational videos from phone through Pico projector/TV, e.g. like Text2Teach project in schools in Philippines and Tanzania
Why mobile?Good multimedia contentAnywhere, anytime
System strengthening
Approach: Provide post-primary educational opportunities, including second-chance learning opportunities that utilise innovative modes of delivery
Mobile: Talking Book provides audio content for people who can’t read and don’t have electricity
Why mobile?DurableNo electricityInteractiveRecordable
Thank you
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