We've heard of the buzzwords e-learning (learning conducted via electronic media, typically on the Internet) and m-learning (learning conducted using mobile devices), and these words, put into practice, could go a long way to help combat the challenges faced today in the education sector, says Tony Smith, CEO at Oxygen8.
These technologies need far more rapid and widespread adoption to become really effective educational tools. When it comes to m-learning, it has enormous potential, as we use our mobile devices to do just about everything. It is no longer just voice calling, as our mobile phones now allow us to buy, pay, bank, plan and even learn.
The explosion of mobile phones across Africa has led to increased communications, easier and more accessible banking and management of personal finance, improvements in healthcare and accessible entertainment, and now it promises to improve and change education for youths and adults who are looking to enter the job market.
According to an On Device Research report, South Africa has a mobile penetration of 133%, which is an indication that the betterment of our education quality could benefit by utilising this accessible tool in a proactive and creative manner.
Further research shows in 2013, there were more than 770 million mobile phone subscriptions in Africa. According to the report, by the end of 2015, this number is expected to increase to one billion subscriptions, and by 2018, it is forecast to reach 1.2 billion. The report also states the public and private sectors would both be remiss if they did not harness these trends to provide new opportunities for higher educational development and job preparation.
Oxygen8 has trialled SMS in education in the UK, and the British Journal of Education Technology also conducted trials to see how SMS can help in education.
There lies a huge opportunity to help address some of the challenges that schools face, for example: research by the British Journal of Education revealed students receiving short, mini-lessons on their mobile devices via SMS were improving quicker than their counterparts who were learning through traditional methods.
The experiment aimed to test the efficiency of teaching English idioms via SMS in comparison with other traditional methods such as contextual learning and self-study approaches. The findings demonstrated that compared with the traditional methods, SMS-based learning has the advantage of being read on the move at any place, offering flexibility and freedom to students who may feel forced to study at fixed hours.
With South Africa's education system ranking 133rd out of 142 countries, there lies a great opportunity for m-learning and SMS delivery to play a major role, as a large percentage of pupils have a handset - be it a standard phone or a smartphone.
With this said, SMS-based learning is not a substitute for traditional methods, but an additional means of delivery for specific information to students, which could enhance the educational process in a cost-effective and engaging manner.
For further information, please visit: www.oxygen8.co.za.
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