In such a short time, our mobile phones have gone from being, well, telephones, to becoming our on-the-go Internet browsers, music players, social connectors, video game portals, cameras, fitness trackers, email platforms and so much more.
And is it now becoming a key component in student learning? Many colleges and universities are asking themselves this question and trying to understand their students’ educational wants and needs from their smartphones.
Facebook’s Role in Education
Facebook, a seemingly odd bedfellow for higher education, announced this week it was taking its mobile technology design chops to the higher education world. The social network has partnered with edX to create an educational application to use in Rwanda as part of a new pilot program.
The project, dubbed SocialEDU, also involves the Rwandan government expanding its free wi-fi on college campuses, adapting edX materials for local students, and providing access to Harvard, MIT and other universities’ educational materials.
You can read more about the project on CNN.com.
Do you think the pilot will bring real mobile learning to students in Rwanda? Are you surprised to see Facebook’s involvement? Tell us in the comments.
