Mobile Phones as Educational Tools

Mobile phones and consumer electronic devices are morphing into something like a computer, and computers are embracing features of mobile phones. Device innovation is accelerating. As this happens, entrepreneurs and entities inside and outside the traditional education and training communities will develop new ways to use these tools.

The potential for new, global educational applications via mobile phones or digital devices is the new frontier, particularly in developing countries. An excellent report for the Hewlett Foundation concluded:

“The bottom line is that, for the vast majority of people in developing countries, their PC and Internet access device will be a mobile phone, a handheld computer, or a hybrid of these devices.”

The confluence of the Web and mobile phones may be the trend to watch in the decade ahead.

More than three quarters of the respondents to a survey conducted by the Pew Internet & American Life Project agreed that in 2020, the mobile phone—now with significant computing power—will be the primary Internet connection, and will be the only one for a majority of the people across the world.

Find out more about the Pew Internet & American Life Project.