Mobile Learning in Developing Countries

“Mobile learning for HIV/ AIDS healthcare worker training in resource limited settings”


General information

Mobile learning in this case was used to help educate healthcare workers in Peru about how to care for those with HIV/AIDS. 70% of the those in need of treatment do receive it in Peru, so it is crucial that healthcare workers (HCWs) have a means for up-to date training methods. Using Smartphones, workers were trained and evaluated using multiple choice tests.


Analysis

Objectives / Goals /Needs

The goal in this case was to make education materials accessible to people who would normally not have access due to their location. Peru is a developing country and having advanced technological materials is not possible. However, the clinics could access wireless internet and thus use inexpensive Smartphones for training and education. The needs of the area involve not only how one is educated, but what they are educated on. According to the case, HCWs had limited access to training opportunities, poor coordination with training centers, and training that did not meet regional standards (Zolfo et al 2010).


The overarching goal for the patients and HCWs involved in this case was to allow them to have access to state-of-the –art care despite their location.


Constraints / Obstacles

One of the biggest obstacles in this case is location. In this developing country electricity and access to computers is limited. Therefore, HCWs and their trainers had to come up with a way to access the training materials needed without the use of these amenities. Due to the past absence of these things, HCWs were ill-trained and not equipped for the job. This is good neither for the clinics nor for the patients. Therefore, HCWs needed to find a way overcome this obstacle so that the workers are competent enough to treat HIV/ AIDS patients.

In addition, because two different devices were used in the study, the mobile learning platform applications could not be the same for each. Therefore, there were some compatibility issues with using the technology. Peru itself has limited access to educational materials, so a means to extend the realm of research was necessary.

Solution

The solution was to use Smartphones—in this case the iPhone or the Nokia N96. The reason this is a viable solution is because the Smartphones themselves are relatively inexpensive as compared to a computer and one does not necessarily need electricity to use them. Inexpensive solar panels were used to charge the batteries for the phones and back-up batteries are also relatively inexpensive.

To develop the training materials, designers used iClone and Moviestorm. Users also used Moodle and Facebook for discussions. These programs allow for student progress to be tracked, thus holding HCWs accountable for staying up-to date and educated. HCWs were given pretests, given an opportunity to view the 3D module from iClone and Moviestorm, given discussion questions to use on Facebook, allowed to make phone calles using Skype, and were eventually post-tested.

The issue with different applications for the different phones was solved by simply using the applications that corresponded with the particular phone. Therefore, everyone that the iPhone could do could be accomplished by the Nokia users as well. However, in surveys, most HCWs preferred the capabilities and delivery methods of the iPhone over the Nokia.

Pedagogical underpinnings

Due to the pre-test/ post-test format I think behaviorism fits with this case to a certain extent. Learners get immediate feedback as to what they have done and that in turn affects how they perform on the next area of the module. The situated learning theory is also a large part of this because the learners are literally learning right on the job with their mobile learning devices. They are discussing, reflecting, getting feedback, and working right where they are treating people.

Work Cited:

Zolfo, M., Iglesias, D., Kiyan, C., Echevarria, J., & Fucay, L. Llachsahuanga, E., deWard, I., Suarez, V., Llaque, W.C., Lynen, L.(2010). Mobile learning for hiv/aids healthcare worker training in resourse-limited settings. Research and Therapy, 1-6.