Somewhat late news, but still important for this interested in developing mobile learning applications for developing countries:
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UNESCO and telecommunications company Nokia have recently signed a partnership to use mobile technologies to further the goals of Education For All.Under the initial three-year agreement, Nokia will contribute between five and ten million dollars which will be invested in three types of projects.
In a first phase, research will be conducted to identify possible applications of mobile technology to support Education For All. The results will be transmitted in the form of guidelines to education ministries and policy-makers in developing countries.
The second part of the agreement concerns teachers. It will promote the use of mobile technologies to support training and capacity-building, as well as the management of educational institutions, particularly in gathering data on staff, pupils and school facilities.
The third part of the agreement covers the development of new mobile applications that have educational potential. “Mobile technologies offer access to information and enrich learning environments. UNESCO wants to make sure they are used to promote the delivery of quality education based on the sharing of knowledge,” said the Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova.
“In education mobile technology is a great enabler for empowerment,” says Esko Aho, Executive Vice President, Nokia. “Through cooperation with UNESCO we can accelerate the transformation that mobile communications can bring to the availability and quality of education especially in developing countries.”
Text courtesy of UNESCO media services.
Dr. Tony Bates is the author of eleven books in the field of online learning and distance education. He has provided consulting services specializing in training in the planning and management of online learning and distance education, working with over 40 organizations in 25 countries. Tony is a Research Associate with Contact North | Contact Nord, Ontario’s Distance Education & Training Network.
Well done Nokia and Unesco. I am involved in assisting learners and teachers use Mobile learning in South Africa.
researching mobile learning in south africa
Universal access to the internet for schools can be achieved through mobile learning. I interested in views on this matter