Presentation at ICGem Conference in Jakarte, July 2012. Discussing the potential of mobile learning for gender education, especially for awareness raising and change of attitude at the community level.

1. Mobile Learning
for Gender Equality
Andreas Hörfurter
common sense – eLearning & training consultants Ltd.
www.common-sense.ca

2. Background
Different levels of learning needs for achieving gender
equality:
• At policy implementation level:
transmission of information and procedural knowledge
• At community level:
change of attitude
www.common-sense.ca

3. Community Level: Change of Attitude
• Attitude = feelings + believes + behavior
• Proven success of edutainment
initiatives for changing attitudes (eg.
Soul City Initiative in South Africa to
reduce domestic violence)
• Direct involvement of learners increases
success
www.common-sense.ca

4. Community Level: Change of Attitude
Governance and Social Development Resource Centre Research Report
„Changing attitudes and behaviours in relation to gender equality” from 21st
June 2012:
“Communication initiatives aimed at changing individual
attitudes and behaviours initially adopted a diffusion
approach, involving large-scale media and social marketing
campaigns and other one-way communications. More
recently, attention has also been paid to adopting
interpersonal (one-on-one or small group communication)
and participatory approaches.”
From http://www.gsdrc.org/docs/open/HDQ817.pdf
www.common-sense.ca

5. Community Level: Change of Attitude
 Modern communication technologies allow combination
of edutainment approaches and user interaction.
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6. Mobile Learning: Why?
Wide outreach:
-most available
communication tool
- easy to use (low barrier):
even for illiterates
- high accessability
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7. Mobile Learning: Why?
•any time,
•any place learning
•for anybody
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8. Restrictions of Mobile Learning
• Diverse phone models in use
• wide distribution of old and simple models
• high cost for data transmission
• restricted bandwidth in many areas
• small displays and inconvenient typing
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9. Requirements for mobile Learning at community level
• Accessible: independant of phone
model
and data connection
• Suitable for different target groups,
free of barriers (eg. for illiterates)
• Combining edutainment and
interactivity
• Relating to traditional learning
cultures by using storytelling
approaches
www.common-sense.ca

10. I-Call: A mobile learning oral storytelling approach
Audio soap operas accessible via normal GSM
calls (free call)
Learners decide on the course and outcome of
stories:
„If X should do this, press 1 – if X should do
that, press 3“
www.common-sense.ca

11. I-Call: A mobile learning oral storytelling approach
Storytelling as an attractive format for
affective learning goals:
• experience of decision consequences
• Change of attitude
www.common-sense.ca

12. Potential Application for Gender Education
Affective learning goals:
• breaking up role stereotypes
• gender sensitive behavior
• fighting domestic violence
• family planning and health issues
(eg maternal health)
• female livelihoods
•…
www.common-sense.ca

13. Why use I-Call for Gender Education?
• Combination of mass communication and interactivity
• effective change of attitude
• Utilizing widespread communication technology with low
barriers
• Granting privacy for sensitive issues
• Cost effective learning offer
(at 100.000 learners costs of less than 0,25$ per learner)
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14. Mobile Learning at Policy Implementation Level
Mobile Executive Summaries:
• Learning objectives:
Application of knowledge (Know how)
• coffee-cup learning
modular, short learning sequences
• Requirements for phone models in use
-> Smart Phones
www.common-sense.ca

15. Thank you!
www.common-sense.at/i-call
Awards for I-Call mobile learning:
•German eLearning Award
•European eLearning Award EureleA
Contact:
Andreas Hörfurter
common sense – eLearning & training consultants
a.hoerfurter@common-sense.at
www.common-sense.ca