Inquiry #4 - How mobile devices can bridge the education gap between developing and developed countries?

 Everyone in the world should have the right to an education. Unfortunately there are people in the world who do not have access to education. In most developed countries, like Canada, we are lucky to have a quality school system. We have easy access to technology and books and libraries. In developing countries and some rural areas in developed countries they have limited access to books and technology is nonexistent or unreliable in lots of places. Here are some ideas on how to bridge the gap between these inequalities. 

  1. Mobile Learning Labs


While researching online, I have come across a few different versions of mobile learning labs. Some are strictly libraries on wheels while some are fully stocked classrooms. On Princh Blog, content writer, Marc Lapointe, explains how brick and mortar libraries may not be accessible to everyone and if there is a way to bring the library to the people they would have more accessibility to reading books. This is where the idea of “bookmobiles” came into place. Some examples of “Bookmobiles” are buses, boats, and even bikes. These “bookmobiles” can roll into more rural areas and allow people to have the ability to come and borrow books. 

Library on Wheels in India

Another example of Mobile Learning Labs came from Colorado in the US. Where a preschool in a bus comes right to the neighbourhood. This bus is equipped with the latest technology, tables to accommodate 8 students, learning supplies, and even a bathroom on board. The other kind of mobile learning lab I found in a news report in Texas. This learning lab is a reclaimed school bus that is a hot spot and other educational resources, such as tutors. It visits neighbourhoods that have a bad internet connection or areas who are unable to afford a reliable internet connection. The person who runs the bus says in the news report that the internet should be considered an essential utility just like electricity and water because so much has gone digital these days. I think that a mobile learning lab would be amazing to have to help bridge that gap for people who are unable to afford the internet. So much of learning these days is done through technology. I remember traveling and sitting outside Mcdonalds or Starbucks just to use their free Wifi. I this there could be a library travelling around to rural areas but how current would the books be? I am not sure a bus with a wifi hotspot would work in some of these areas that don't even have electricity.

Mobile Learning Lab in Texas

  1. Digital Offline Libraries


I found a few different websites that are offering developing countries offline digital libraries. This seems like a great way to get education services and resources to areas that do not have access to the internet. The first website I thought was interesting is Xulendo Digital Library. The website is half in German as the creators of this program are newly graduated German students. What they created is a library server that contains textbooks, teaching resources, and interactive programs for the state of Malawi, Africa. This program has made it into 7 Malawi schools and they are looking to add more schools and resources. The second digital library set up is the Koombook which is supported by Library Without Borders. The Koombook is a battery powered device that works as a wifi hotspot and is preloaded with content that is needed for the area. It can help out war torn areas or in rural schools. The Koombook comes in a kit that can support 10 to 20 mobile devices. the kit comes with a solar panel to charge the battery so it can work in places that do not have electricity. I really like the idea of an offline digital library but I wonder how new content can be added to these libraries? How often does that happen? I also wonder how easy it is for people in developing countries to get reliable mobile devices?

Koombook

Works cited:

Bibliothèques Sans Frontières. (2018, June 20). “Koombook”, the digital library of the future [Video].


CBSDFW. (2020, July 22). Bridging the Gap: Old School Bus Turned Mobile Learning Lab [Video]. YouTube.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDsesrvvf7k

Digital Library. Next Generation Africa. (n.d.). Retrieved June 12, 2022, from https://nextgenerationafrica.org/en/digital-library/

Lapointe, M. (2021, November 23). Mobile libraries - more than brick and mortar: Princh library blog. Princh. Retrieved June 12, 2022, from https://princh.com/blog-mobile-libraries-more-than-brick-and-mortar/#.YqaEcBPMLX1

Libraries without borders. Libraries Without Borders. (2022, January 6). Retrieved June 12, 2022, from https://www.librarieswithoutborders.org/

Library on Wheels image retrieved from: https://mymodernmet.com/indian-book-van.

Programs: Mobile learning lab. Right On Learning. (n.d.). Retrieved June 12, 2022, from https://rightonlearning.com/mobile-learning-lab/





Comments

  1. AnonymousJune 13, 2022 at 3:01 PM

    I really enjoyed your post and was quite interested in the mobile libraries aspect. I sometimes forget that we have access to so many things that others in developing nations do not. The concept of portable libraries is one that I think holds so much value. If people do not have the means to visit libraries and look at books then take the books to the people. Brilliant!

    ReplyDelete
  2. SheenaJune 13, 2022 at 8:50 PM

    Yes! I loved the mobile library. I was thinking about it last night. I pictured a scenario similar to when an ice cream truck rolled down the road blasting music and all the children would be running after it but in this case it is to get new books.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Madame PutmanJune 16, 2022 at 2:48 PM

    I was looking at mobile libraries in Guatemala and thinking about how useful they would be in mountains where getting to a library in another town would be extremely difficult. They actually have a whole system of mobile book lending/library services on horseback.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Katie GrantJune 17, 2022 at 1:15 PM

    I can imagine children being so excited to see the mobile library pulling up!
    Your question at the end of your post, about how new content is added to digital libraries and how often it is done is a good one. Sending technology into a developing country without a feasible plan for support and updating is a recipe for large amounts of tech garbage. Thankfully many things can be supported remotely, and training local citizens on how to troubleshoot offers digital libraries and devices the potential to be self-sustaining.

    ReplyDelete
  5. D.McNeeJune 19, 2022 at 9:22 PM

    You share some good information here about literacy initiatives in developing nations. I appreciate the thoughtful questions you are asking. I agree with the comment left here by Katie. These initiatives require a very well-thought-out plan in order to be sustainable.

    ReplyDelete

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