Steve VoslooSenior Project Officer: Mobile Learning

Presented at eLearning AfricaWindhoek, Namibia, May 2013

UNESCO Policy Guidelines for Mobile Learning

The mobile revolution

UNESCO is committed to understanding their potential to expand educational opportunities and sharing this information with others.

Our Guiding Question:

How can countries best leverage mobile technologies to support the Education for All goals and enrich learning?

UNESCO’s work in mobile learningApproach:• Conducting research and disseminating knowledge• Providing guidance to member states• Action projects for pilot testing and capacity building• Convening community

Main focus areas/activities:• Policy for mobile learning• Teacher development and mobile technologies• Literacy for women and girls through mobiles• Mobiles for reading• Crowdsourcing for Education for All• Mobile Learning Week

Turning on Mobile Learning in…

• Africa and the Middle East

• Asia• Europe• Latin America• North America• Global Themes

Mobile Learning for Teachers in…

• Africa and the Middle East

• Asia• Europe• Latin America• North America• Global Themes

Mobile Technologies for Teacher Development

Nigeria: Support the pedagogical practice and content knowledge of English language teachers

Senegal: Improve the teaching of science and math in primary schools

Mexico: Enhance the teaching practice of Spanish language teachers working with students who speak indigenous languages

Pakistan: Develop the professional practice of early childhood care and education instructors working in rural areas

UNESCO’s work in mobile learning

Online Complementary Resources

Policy Guidelines for Mobile Learning

Working Papers Series on Mobile

Learning

Teacher Development: Four Country

Projects

Mobiles for Literacy

Development of Women and Girls

Project

Mobiles for reading

Why guidelines?• Mobile learning is not being fully leveraged

to support education• Pockets of excellence/potential• But very few countries have a coherent

plan/national policy, supported by leadership• Very little integration with existing ICT4E

policies, which were written in “pre-mobile” era

Continuum of response to mobile learning

No response Ignore/watch/ban Engage

Aims of the guidelines:• Raise awareness and put mobile learning onto

the ICT in Education agenda.• Promote value and practicability of mobile

learning.• Make high-level recommendations for

creating policies that enable mobile learning.

Primary audience:

• Policy makers

Collaboratively produced

• Established an expert advisory team with wide geographic distribution

• Consultative workshop (2-3 July)• Public input (Aug.-Sep.): responses from

individuals in over twenty countries• Meetings with over 15 UNESCO delegations

and numerous government representatives

Collaboratively produced

• South Korea• India• Thailand• Turkey • South Africa• Nigeria• Mexico

• Uruguay • Senegal• United States• Russia• Pakistan• Columbia • China

What is mobile learning?

Unique benefits of mobile learning

Policy guidelines

Complementary resources

Key areas covered

BENEFITSExpanding reachAssessmentTypes of learningCommunitiesFormal/informalPCPDDisabilitiesSystem strengthening

GUIDELINESPolicies

Teacher trainingContent

Gender and equal access for all

ConnectivitySafety

System strengtheningLeadership

UNESCO Policy Guidelines for Mobile Learning

Unique Benefits of

Mobile Technologi

es for Learning

Policy Recommendations

1) Expand the reach and equity of education

2) Facilitate personalized learning

3) Provide immediate feedback and assessment

4) Enable anytime, anywhere learning

5) Ensure the productive use of time spent in classrooms

6) Build new communities of students

7) Support situated learning

8) Enhance seamless learning

9) Bridge formal and informal learning

10) Minimize educational disruption in conflict and disaster areas

11) Assist learners with disabilities

12) Improve communication and administration

13) Maximize cost efficiency

UNESCO Guidelines on Mobile Learning

Unique Benefits of

Mobile Technologi

es for Learning

Policy Recommendations

1) Create or update policies related to mobile learning

2) Train teachers to advance learning through mobile technologies

3) Provide support and training to teachers through mobile technologies

4) Create and optimize educational content for use on mobile devices

5) Ensure gender equality for mobile students

6) Expand and improve connectivity options while ensuring equity

7) Develop strategies to equal access for all

8) Promote the safe, responsible, and healthy use of mobile technologies

9) Use mobile technology to improve communication and education management

10) Raise awareness of mobile learning through advocacy, leadership and dialogue

The mobile landscape is uneven

Next steps

1. Readwww.unesco.org/education/mlearning-resources/

2. Localise to your context, revisit ICT4E policies

3. Provide feedbackse.vosloo@unesco.org

Thank you