1) The document discusses mobile learning and policy implications. It outlines UNESCO's work in developing guidelines and resources to support mobile learning policies.
2) The guidelines highlight 12 unique benefits of mobile technologies for learning and 10 policy recommendations to maximize these benefits and expand access to education through mobile devices.
3) UNESCO works with countries around the world to promote mobile learning policies and help teachers integrate mobile technologies into their teaching practices.
Cutting Edge Technology: Mobile Devices in the Classroom. A brief introductory presentation to possible pros and cons of integrating mobile devices into your classroom.
Cutting Edge Technology: Mobile Devices in the Classroom. A brief introductory presentation to possible pros and cons of integrating mobile devices into your classroom.
This presentation was provided by Chris Millet of Penn State University during the NISO Forum "Mobile Technologies in Libraries," held on May 20, 2011.
Technology in African Education: ICT from the Bottom UpKevin Martin
Education is one of the most important facets to economic development in Sub-Saharan Africa. The deployment of Information Communications Technology (ICT) in education and the development of pilot programs in some of the most economically depressed and rural regions of Africa can help drive innovation and empower the next generation. Without proper and adequate education innovation becomes stifled keeping individuals impoverished. Technology helps to transform education in Africa by building a stronger workforce and developing entrepreneurs.
Programs such as; CyberSmart Africa, Interconnection Uganda, and m-learning platform’s like Nokia’s MoMath are some of the efforts helping to fight educational challenges, which include teacher training, classroom resources, and access to information.
Presentation to ictQatar conference "Exploring ICT in Education" 2009. Advices addressing cybersafety in a paradigm that supports 21st century learning. Mala Bawer, Ex Director CyberSmart Education
How the streets of the mega city will innovate, and the case for access to internet and mobile communications being a basic human right in Africa.
Presented by Steve Vosloo at TEDx Stellenbosch, 29 July 2011.
This presentation was provided by Chris Millet of Penn State University during the NISO Forum "Mobile Technologies in Libraries," held on May 20, 2011.
Technology in African Education: ICT from the Bottom UpKevin Martin
Education is one of the most important facets to economic development in Sub-Saharan Africa. The deployment of Information Communications Technology (ICT) in education and the development of pilot programs in some of the most economically depressed and rural regions of Africa can help drive innovation and empower the next generation. Without proper and adequate education innovation becomes stifled keeping individuals impoverished. Technology helps to transform education in Africa by building a stronger workforce and developing entrepreneurs.
Programs such as; CyberSmart Africa, Interconnection Uganda, and m-learning platform’s like Nokia’s MoMath are some of the efforts helping to fight educational challenges, which include teacher training, classroom resources, and access to information.
Presentation to ictQatar conference "Exploring ICT in Education" 2009. Advices addressing cybersafety in a paradigm that supports 21st century learning. Mala Bawer, Ex Director CyberSmart Education
How the streets of the mega city will innovate, and the case for access to internet and mobile communications being a basic human right in Africa.
Presented by Steve Vosloo at TEDx Stellenbosch, 29 July 2011.
Improving cross-cultural awareness and communication through mobile technologiesSteve Vosloo
Paper presented at mLearn 2008 in Telford, UK (10-Oct). Authors: Adele Botha, Madelein van den Berg (Meraka) and Steve Vosloo, John Kuner (Stanford University)
If you had one mobile phone per school, what could you do with that? How could it support education? Presented virtually by Steve Vosloo at USAID m4Ed4Dev Seminar, 14 April 2011
Presentation given at 2012 UNESCO & CoSN International Symposium on mLearning: Exploring the Power of Mobility to Transform Learning. 5 March, Washington DC,USA.
Presented at the Mobile Technologies for Learning and Development Summit (VII International Seminar of the UNESCO Chair in e-Learning ), Barcelona, Spain, October 2010
Presentation on what broadband-enabled education would look like in South Africa, given at the National Broadband Forum, Johannesburg, 24 March, 2009. For more on the broadband for South Africa campaign see: http://www.southafricaconnect.org.za.
By Steve Vosloo, Project Leader for Yoza Cellphone Stories, and Louise McCann, Editor in Chief. Presented at the Cape Town Content Strategy meetup on 24 August 2011.
A presentation on mobile assisted language learning presented at he 7th International Technology, Education and Development Conference
Valencia, Spain, 4th - 6th March, 2013
Mobile Learning Readiness among Students with Different Specialisations at IIUMFeham Ghalib
In this era of technology, many academics in the Malaysian Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have started to integrate information and communication technology or ICT into their classrooms. This technology that includes the use of mobile platforms allows for flexibility in the learning and teaching process be it inside or outside classrooms.
International Journal of Computational Engineering Research(IJCER)ijceronline
International Journal of Computational Engineering Research(IJCER) is an intentional online Journal in English monthly publishing journal. This Journal publish original research work that contributes significantly to further the scientific knowledge in engineering and Technology.
All the benefits and limitations of mobile learningEZTalks
People are recognizing the benefits of mobile learning. Mobile learning (M-learning) refers to learning with the help of mobile devices, laptops or other similar portable technologies
Ally & Wark (2018) Online student use of mobile devices for learningDr. Norine Wark
ABSTRACT
Mobile technology is becoming prevalent in today’s society. Yet despite the widespread use of Internet-accessible mobile devices, very little research has been undertaken to examine the value that mobile technology may have (Cheung & Hew, 2009), especially within the milieu of higher education. With ever-expanding technological capabilities and rapidly increasing student use of sophisticated mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets (Chaffey, 2017; Chang, Lai, & Hwang, 2018; Guri-Rosenblit, 2009; Peng et al, 2009), it is imperative that educators consider the impact that these devices may have—particularly when it comes to the affordances such devices provide for mobile learning in the digital classroom (Demmans Epp, Watanabe, & Swann, 2017). This paper reports on the demographic and descriptive findings from a three-year study on online graduate-level students’ perceptions and experiences with mobile devices that provides some insight into the relationship between graduate level learners, their online learning contexts, and their use of mobile devices for learning. The results indicate that: (1) the use of mobile devices for learning is common among these students, and (2) these devices and how they are being used are rapidly evolving to provide nearly seamless continuity of formal learning for the increasingly mobile learner.
Guest lecture given at SciencesPO (Paris School of International Affairs) to a Masters course on Trends in Comparative Education Policy (26 April 2017)
1:1 Educational Computing Initiatives — Lessons learned and confirmed at the ...Steve Vosloo
At the 8th Global Symposium on ICT in Education 2014, themed Transforming Education with 1:1 Computing (3-5 November, 2014, Hilton Gyeongju, Republic of Korea)
28 countries represented, sharing their experiences of planning and implementing 1:1 computing initiatives
Hosted by the Korean Ministry of Education and the World Bank, along with KERIS, UNESCO Bangkok and Intel
South Korea is one of the leaders in digital learning, so it was a fitting context for the country
A number of lessons were learned and known ones confirmed …
m-Novels for Africa: A South African Case StudySteve Vosloo
Presented at the Mobile Web East Africa conference, Nairobi, Kenya, 4 February 2010.
The results of the m4Lit pilot project - the Kontax m-novel are described.
Presented at Accenture South Africa
CRM Executive Summit, 8 July 2009, Johannesburg
What does the emerging participatory culture - in which people produce, share and consume content - mean for a developing country like South Africa? I share my technology experiences from the education, e-government and developmental sectors and offer suggestions for engaging low-income markets through participatory media.
1. Mobile Learning and
Policy Implications
Steve Vosloo
UNESCO Programme Specialist: Mobile Learning
Presented at the 9th Intel Education Summit
Stockholm, 6 November 2012
9. In Africa mobile connectivity is becoming
increasingly common
2012
Estimated 735
2005 million mobile
87 million mobile subscriptions
1995 subscriptions
600,000 mobile
subscriptions
10. Vastly improved functionality
Bona fide
computer
Large screen
Multimedia smartphones and
communication tablets
Feature phones Seamless internet
Limited internet compatibility
Basic mobile compatibility
phones
Small screens
No internet
compatibility
11. Increasingly
ubiquitous
and powerful
mobile
devices
Potential to
benefit
learners
everywhere
Expanding
applicability
for teaching
and learning
13. UNESCO’s work in mobile learning
Mobiles for
Teacher
Literacy
Development: Working Papers Development of
Four Country Series: Global Women and Girls
Projects Reviews Project
Issues Paper on
Issue Paper on
Mobile Learning
the Future of
Policy
Guidelines Mobile Learning
for Mobile
Learning
Policy
Online Support Resources
14. Turning on Mobile Learning in …
• Africa and the
Middle East
• Asia
• Europe
• Latin America
• North America
• Global Themes
tinyurl.com/unesco
mobilelearning
15. Mobile Learning for Teachers in…
• Africa and the
Middle East
• Asia
• Europe
• Latin America
• North America
• Global Themes
16. Aims of the Guidelines:
• Raise awareness and put mobile learning onto
the ICT in Education agenda.
• Promote value and practicability of mobile
learning.
• Make high-level recommendations for
creating policies that enable mobile learning.
Primary Audience:
• Policy makers
18. UNESCO Guidelines on
Mobile Learning
Unique Benefits of
Mobile Policy
Technologies for Recommendations
Learning
19. 1) Expand the reach and equity of education
2) Facilitate personalized learning
3) Power anytime, anywhere learning
4) Provide immediate feedback and assessment
5) Ensure the productive use of time spent in classrooms
6) Build new communities of students
7) Support situated learning
8) Enhance seamless learning
9) Bridge formal and informal learning
10) Assist learners in unusual circumstances
11) Improve communication and administration
12) Maximize cost efficiency
32. UNESCO Guidelines on
Mobile Learning
Unique Benefits of
Mobile Policy
Technologies for Recommendations
Learning
33. 1) Create or update policies related to mobile learning
2) Train teachers to advance learning through mobile
technologies
3) Provide support and training to teachers through mobile
technologies
4) Optimize educational content for use on mobile devices
5) Ensure gender equality for mobile students
6) Expand and improve connectivity options while ensuring
equity
7) Develop strategies to provide devices for students who
cannot afford them
8) Use mobile technology to improve communication and
education management
9) Promote the safe, responsible, and healthy use of mobile
technologies
10) Raise awareness of mobile learning through advocacy,
leadership, and dialogue
Lance Armstrong, before he fell from grace, said that It’s not about the bike. A theme here is that it’s not about the technology. Mobile phones will not save education. It’s about so much more.Image: Eugene http://www.flickr.com/photos/eugene/2494643/sizes/o/in/photostream/ CC
The pedagogy of mobile learning is critical. This has come through strongly. How can tech effectively support teaching and learning?
Informal usage of mobiles is vastly more common than use of it in formal education. Connecting these worlds is a challenge.Image: mr-blixthttp://www.flickr.com/photos/mr-blixt/4505182518/sizes/l/in/photostream/ CC
Education is highly resistant to change. We need to make the case for mobile learning. Because kids have tablets, or because it’s cool, or because it’s addictive, are not good enough reasons.Image/ tomwahlinhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/tomwahlin/3167491292/sizes/l/in/photostream/ CC
There are examples of mobile learning – from small-scale in single classroom, to large-scale national rollouts. Turkey, Thailand, UAE. Overall it’s about an ecosystem. Infrastructure, content, pedagogy, policies, training, supportive leadership, etc. Are these rollouts thinking about that ecosystem?Image:Suzan Black http://www.fotopedia.com/items/jmhullot-15a0e0f8c195a488a17456423648617e, CC-BY
Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/87913776@N00/305425495/sizes/o/ CCMOBILE PHONES (from ITU or GSMA)There are an estimated 6 billion mobile subscriptions worldwide. 3.2 billion mobile phone subscribers.90% of world’s population and 80% of people living in rural areas have mobile coverage.105 countries have more mobile phone subscriptions than inhabitants. Developing countries accounted for more than 80% of the 660 million new mobile subscriptions added in 2011.In 2011, 142 million mobile subscriptions were added in India alone. Mobile broadband subscriptions have grown 45% annually over the last four years. Sales of tablet computers are expected to surpass sales of PCs by 2016.Cisco: There will be 788 million mobile-only Internet users by 2015 (http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2011/03/world-mobile-data-traffic-to-explode-by-factor-of-26-by-2015/)For the first time in the history of the world, most people can be reached and can communicate with each other.
Currently,Africa has the lowest penetration of mobile technology of any continent on Earth. YET it is also the fastest growing mobile market.Those who do not yet own mobile technology are buying it en masse. Growth has been exponential.Data from:Grosskurth, 2010:http://www.stt.nl/uploads/documents/192.pdfITU, 2011: http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/statistics/at_glance/KeyTelecom.htmlGSMA and IBM, 2011:http://www.ibm.com/smarterplanet/global/share/19jan2012/mobile_africa/
Within a decade mobile devices have moved from a fairly “ho-hum” technology (a sort of luxury good) to devices of tremendous functionality. For many people around the globe their mobile device is an appendage of sorts, as central to their day-to-day life as the thumbs and fingers they use to manipulate it. Today a mid-range smart phone is as powerful and likely easier to use than a state of the art desktop computer from 2005. It is also, arguably, far more useful because it is with a person most of the time and therefore more easily integrated into day-to-day tasks. For example while a computer can show you how to get from “Point A” to “Point B” a mobile device can guide you in the here-and-now.
The simple answer is there has been a “fortuitous convergence” Mobile devices have saturated society and they are—based on our research—increasingly relevant to education.
But remember: the mobile landscape is uneven. Varied: infrastructure, costs, handset features, perceptions, literacy levels, etc.Most people buy there airtime here, pre-paid in small amounts.Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/zantinge/5467811/sizes/l/in/photostream/ CC
Guiding question: How can countries best leverage mobile technologies to support EFA goals and enrich learning?All of this work has provided (and will continue to provide) essential input for the Mobile Learning Guidelines. The guidelines seek to synthesize a great deal of information into a lean document that will be useful to people like you.
We identified 12 unique benefits of using mobile technologies for learning.Be aware that this was, of course, an exercise in distillation. There are other benefits and even the benefits we separated out are hardly islands; there is a great deal of cross over. For example, it can be argued that a defining characteristic of personalized learning is that it can happen anytime and anywhere. And certainly learning that can happen anytime and anywhere is going to extend the reach of education. With these qualifications in mind though, I think the list is an important starting point for policy makers and others who are asking: “What’s all the fuss about mobile learning?” I think the list highlights the main benefits of mobile learning while also differentiating it from learning facilitated by other, non-mobile ICTs. I only have time to say a few words about each of these 10 benefits, but should you want additional information, the Guidelines themselves are on the internet and can be accessed… well… anytime and anywhere you have an internet connection.
Increased access to mobile technologiesExtend educational opportunities: BridgeIT, Colombia initiative, BBC JanalaOpen new pathways for learningMobile learning does not replace but complements existing education investments and approaches in ways that best utilize the attributes of mobile devices
Mobile devices are generally owned by their users, highly customizable, and carried throughout the dayIndividualize learning based on different learning styles: visual learning, audio learner
Long or quick learning experiencesUNECSCO Mobile Literacy ProjectSuperMemo
Immediate indicators of successPotential for highly targeted contentUse assessment in the way it was intended: to improve learning, NOT to rank, sort, and punishMake teachers more efficient by automating the distribution, collection, evaluation, and documentation of assessments
Mobiles can be used to access informational content outside of schoolsUse time in class to discuss ideas, share alternate interpretations, work collaboratively, and participate in laboratory activities
Yoza Cellphone StoriesPink Phone project in CambodiaMOOCsPeer-to-peer learning
EcoMOBILE environmental field tripsAugmented reality
Enabled by cloud computingMaximize advantages of different types of devices and technologies
Example: language learning appsHear, “speak”, flag for later review, access supplementary materials
Because mobile technologies can be used to access educational materials anytime and anywhere, they hold special application for learners living in areas afflicted by conflicts or disasters. In the aftermath of a war or flood, students can, in many instances, utilize educational resources and connect with teachers and peers via mobile devices, even when traditional schools and universities are closed. Research has indicated that minimizing educational disruptions in post-conflict and post-disaster areas speeds up recoveries and helps heal fragile societies. Additionally, thanks to the integration of text-enlarging, voice-transcription, location-aware, and text-to-speech technologies, mobile devices can dramatically improve the learning of students with disabilities, even in resource poor communities.
Messages sent by mobile devices are generally faster, more reliable, more efficient, and less expensive than alternative channels of communicationDisseminate and elicit informationSupport peer-to-peer learning amongst teachers, e.g. Teaching Biology ProjectEMIS
Mobile learning initiatives can be cost-effectiveCan leverage the technology people already ownBUT there is still much research to be done to determine overall cost vs benefits of desktops and tablets, print and digital
And now with those benefits in mind…UNESCO has proposed a set of 10 policy guidelines to help perhaps maximize the traction and impact of those benefits. As before, these recommendations are by no means comprehensive and there is also a bit of blurring between them. That said, they articulate how you and your colleagues might like to approach mobile learning and relevant ICT in education policy. Let me briefly provide some explanation for each of the 10 recommendations. Please keep in mind that the actual document is available to you, so no need to scribble notes.
Most policies are “pre-mobile”Need to review existing ICT in education policiesExamine the unique educational potentials and challenges offered by mobile technology and, when appropriate, incorporate these into broader ICT in education policies Avoid blanket prohibitions of particular devicesProvide guidance on how new investments in technology can work in conjunction with existing educational investments and initiatives
Prioritise the professional development of teachersEncourage teacher training institutes to incorporate mobile learning into their programs and curriculumProvide opportunities for teachers to share strategies for effectively integrating technology in schools with similar needs and student populations
Ensure that, where possible, curriculum, educational resources, and lesson plans are available to teachers via mobile devicesSupport projects that explore the practicability of providing professional development via mobile technology
Ensure that, where possible, content, including online repositories of educational resources, is as widely accessible as possible from mobile devices OER: Support the open licensing of mobile content to ensure its widest possible use and adaptationCreate incentives to encourage software and content developers to think “mobile first”Encourage the development of platforms or software that allow classroom teachers to create or tailor mobile content. Promote the creation of local educational content in local languages for mobile accessAdvocate for standards that make mobile hardware, software, and content accessible to diverse student populations, including students with disabilities
Gender gap: 300 million more men than women own mobile phones in low to middle income countriesAmeliorate existing gender gaps by encouraging women and girls to use mobile phones for learning. Specifically, government officials should identify obstacles preventing women and girls from using mobile devices and propose solutions to overcome these obstaclesPromote mobile technology as a tool that creates educational opportunities for women and girls as well as men and boysIdentify culturally relevant and acceptable ways of normalizing mobile phone ownership for women and girls
Support the provision of robust and affordable mobile networks within and across communities, especially in educational institutions such as schools, universities, and librariesConsider providing full or partial subsidies for access to mobile data and broadband services (“m-rate”)
3 common approaches 1) governments or other institutions provide devices directly; 2) BYOD; or 3) governments and institutions share provisioning responsibilities with studentsEnsure equal access for all students and teachers to mobile technology and participation in mobile learningWhen possible, allow students to “own” their mobile devicesEncourage government departments and educational institutions to negotiate with vendors and leverage the purchasing power of large numbers of students
Promote the “system strengthening” uses of mobile technologiesEncourage schools and individual educators to communicate with students and parents via mobile devicesExtend the reach and effectiveness of EMIS by integrating support for mobile access/technologies
Promote responsible use of mobile devices by teaching digital citizenship When possible, adopt RUPs instead of AUPsWhen practical and within reason, take obvious steps to safeguard online behaviour by blocking access to inappropriate material and communicationArticulate strategies to balance online interaction with offline interaction (to avoid too much “screen time”) Stay abreast of research surrounding potential health risks associated with mobile technology
Negative social attitudes is a major barrierHighlight and model how mobile technology can improve teaching, learning, and administrationShare research findings and evaluations of mobile learning programsEncourage dialogue among key stakeholders – including principals, teachers, learners, parents and community-based organisations – about mobile learning. Provide a coherent vision of how technology, including mobile technologies, will further learning goals