Phones are an effective alternative for distance learning in developing countries due to the increasing access to feature phones and smartphones among youth in developing countries.[1]
This page lists some common technologies used for delivering phone-based education.
Feature phones (low-cost, low-tech) are more common than smartphones in many countries in the world[2]
This is by far the most important technology due to the possibility of access to this low-cost technology for the population and the very developed mobile infrastructure around the world, as well as application operators for other uses such as financial applications and even humanitarian work.
Many common educational applications of mobile phones through SMS make use of bits of information delivered by using the 140-character limit of phones, to which either teachers[3] or students can either read or respond in the form of quizzes[4]. Some of the pros and cons of this technology are:
Some phone-based remote learning programs have made use of live call centers that offer tutor support. Students interact by either receiving calls or by calling radio hosts to discuss problems or to receive support in solving problems. One example is the Gyan Vani radio program[5] which offered a toll-free number to students during the COVID-19 pandemic and offered tutoring.
| Authors | Emilio |
|---|---|
| License | CC-BY-SA-4.0 |
| Cite as | Emilio (2020–2023). "Phone-based education". Appropedia. Retrieved October 3, 2026. |