The debate about 1-to-1 programs, which aim to equip every student with a laptop or mobile device, that took place at one of the last sessions at NECC, hosted by the Anytime Anywhere Foundation, was not so much about whether the initiatives are necessary or not, but rather what kinds of mobile devices should be used for 1-to-1 programs. On one side, Gary Stager, a visiting professor at Pepperdine University and ed-tech expert, argued that laptops are the appropriate device for such programs, while Sharon Peters, who works with Teachers Without Borders, discussed how cellphones and netbooks could be important devices to explore.
Stager explained educators' fascination with mobile devices as being "terribly excited over very little." He went on to say that trying to find educational uses for cellphones made teachers look silly. "You can create things on a cellphone," he said, "but I'm not sure you can create good things or deep things." Although mobile devices are less expensive than laptops, they cannot be used as a traditional computer, and "we add cost and increase frustration" by trying to make mobile devices behave like computers, said Stager.
Peters, however, talked about how mobile devices like cellphones and netbooks have many advantages, such as being portable, having a low cost, having a wide-range of functionality, and being relatively ubiquitous, especially in developing nations. She conceded that mobile devices do have constraints, such as small screens, small keyboards, and a limited ability to program or code. But with a focus on how the tools are used rather than the tools themselves, there is a lot of potential for educational opportunities, she said.
I am a teacher in Nigeria and have been working with teachers in several African countries. My experience has shown that most African teachers have access to cell phones which are also affordable and readily available unlike laptops. If educational programs are to be delivered to teachers in Africa, utilizing cell phones will be easier and will reach many more teachers and even students better than laptops. So, I suggest that more effort be made to improve cell phones for educational purposes and not just for communication. Thanks.
It seems to me as if picking either the laptop or the cell phone is missing the point, particularly since so many applications work on both kinds of devices. Instead the point should be how do we develop the highest quality learning experiences for Twenty First Century learners.