Fones R gr8 2 help educ8

Citation

(2002), "Fones R gr8 2 help educ8", Education + Training, Vol. 44 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/et.2002.00444bab.012

Fones R gr8 2 help educ8

Fones R gr8 2 help educ8

A three-year pan-European project aims to capitalize on enthusiasm for mobile telephones, palm and pocket personal computers and other portable devices to attract young adults into lifelong learning through mobile communications. The target group for the project, named m-learning, is 16-24 year olds who are unemployed, in casual employment or in low-skilled jobs, or with basic skill needs. The project will tackle poor literacy and numeracy, non-participation in conventional education and training, and lack of access to computers.

Recent surveys have shown that more than three-quarters of young adults in this age group and 90 per cent of students own a mobile phone. M-learning will:

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  investigate the features and capabilities offered by current and future mobile devices and networks;

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  assess the potential of mobile communications as vehicles for delivering aspects of lifelong learning in very small chunks, possibly through games;

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  research the motivation, preferences and behaviour of young adults currently using mobile phones and hand-held electronic games;

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  study computer-game design;

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  develop prototype "microportals", incorporating links to education, training and careers-information services, helplines and other services of interest to young adults;

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  monitor research into possible health hazards associated with excessive use of mobile phones; and

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  produce a learning package on mobile phones and palm computers.

The project is being co-ordinated by the Learning and Skills Development Agency, in partnership with universities and commercial companies from Italy, Sweden and Britain, and supported by the European Commission Information Society Technologies initiative. Jill Attewell, research manager for learning technologies at the Learning and Skills Development Agency, said: "M-learning seeks to awaken young people's interest in learning and encourage them to go one step further, possibly using Internet cafés for online learning or attending more conventional courses offered by community, voluntary or other education providers. Above all, mobile phones have the advantage of being portable and something the learner can control". The project, which will make use of current and "third-generation" networks and devices, will also develop an "intelligent-tutor" system which will help to identify learners' needs and preferences and guide them to appropriate materials and information.

Further information is available from Jill Attewell, on +44 20 7840 5393 (e-mail: jattewell@lsda.org.uk).