Education is a constant and continuous stream of information passed on to students. For many reasons mobile phone can never be used (as is now)
i) Mobile phone may become opportunity for examination malpractices
ii) Mobile with camera creates lots of teenage related issues (sex, violence etc.,) within school environment.
iii) educational content cannot be served to millions over phone (cost).
iv) Mobile phones are distracting while at school than enhancer.
v) SMS and MMS are play things for teens than educational.
However, special mobiles with only data transfer from schools and colleges may help… will the service providers take it? No.
I don't know where these examination malpractices still go on but, when we did our IGSCE or even A level examinations our mobile phones were taken from us. We were checked, our bags etc and boys pockets were checked. Similarly in university, everyone is asked to switch their mobile phones off and keep it at front on the lecturer's table.
I don't know what teenage issues it creates because have not seen any such thing at university level. However yes while in A levels or even O levels, I did see that boys had become used to transferring weird videos using bluetooth technology.
Educational content should NOT be served on mobile phones. There is a purpose to going to universities and attending lectures etc. Increases communication and social skills and so forth. Already uploaded lectures on Blackboard is enough.
Then again, I don't know what schools you are talking about but all the good school I know plus those that I went to always confiscated mobile phones if they saw you had one on you. There was locker and bag checking too. As for university level, specifically where I go, everyone knows when to shut their mobile and pay attention to the lecture.
SMS and MMS are not really play things. They are a vital part of mobile communication. Do not mock the technology, mock the usage/abuse of the technology or medium. SMS and MMS were not created to be educational in the first place and neither was mobile technology. It is for communication and it serves it's purpose very well.
I did not get that data package thing from schools and universities. Cheers.
