Using Mobile Phones to Improve Educational Outcomes: An Analysis of Evidence from Asia

Despite improvements in educational indicators, such as enrolment, significant challenges remain with regard to the delivery of quality education in developing countries, particularly in rural and remote regions. In the attempt to find viable solutions to these challenges, much hope has been placed in new information and communication technologies (ICTs), mobile phones being one example. This article reviews the evidence of the role of mobile phone-facilitated mLearning in contributing to improved educational outcomes in the developing countries of Asia by exploring the results of six mLearning pilot projects that took place in the Philippines, Mongolia, Thailand, India, and Bangladesh. In particular, this article examines the extent to which the use of mobile phones helped to improve educational outcomes in two specific ways: 1) in improving access to education, and 2) in promoting new learning. Analysis of the projects indicates that while there is important evidence of mobile phones facilitating increased access, much less evidence exists as to how mobiles promote new learning. Keywords: Mobile phones; mobile learning; distance learning; educational outcomes; information and communication technologies; new learning Read more here ...

NMC Horizon Report > 2012 Higher Ed Edition

The NMC Horizon Report > 2012 Higher Education Edition is a collaborative effort between the NMC and the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI), an EDUCAUSE Program. Read more here ...

The NMC Horizon Report 2012 K-12 Edition

The NMC Horizon Project identifies and describes emerging technologies likely to have a large impact on teaching, learning, research, or creative expression within education around the globe. Read more here ...

TABLETS and IPADS in Education

Many colleges and universities have begun experimenting with tablet computers and iPad classroom integration initiatives that vary from campus-wide distributions to small-scale, single-class pilots. These programs are designed to provide evidence of improved student learning and engagement. Explore this resource site—a collection of all EDUCAUSE resources related to tablets and iPads in the classroom. Read more here ...

New Study Finds iPads in the Classroom Boost Test Scores

A new study shows that students who use iPads in the classroom score better in literacy tests than those who don’t. As previously reported, educators in Auburn, Maine began instructing 266 kindergarteners using the iPad 2 this fall, and those who used the tablet scored higher on literacy tests and were more enthused about learning, according to Apple blog TUAW . Read more here :

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