My research focuses on the use of open-source platforms for supporting education in the public schools of Nepal. I, therefore, focus on the fields of mobile HCI, ICT4D and mobile learning. The focus of this research is on relatively cheaper and sustainable mobile technologies. My research aims to make a contribution by highlighting the possible role of previously unexplored mobile open-source hardware/software platform as a potential tool to provide mobile learning that takes into account of the context. This study will review considerable challenges faced by technologies challenges for mobile learning.

1. Learning experiences in the real world:
exploring the potential of low-cost open source
platforms for mobile learning in Nepal
Sujan Shrestha
University of West London

2. Research Area

3. Nepal

4. Computers are the What we like
best medium for
learning and
to believe?
securing the future
of children

5. • 86% - live in rural areas
• 42% - below national poverty line
• urban/rural differences in access to markets, services
and information (Bennett, 2005)
• 36 distinct ethnic, speak over 50 languages
• diversity in tradition and their culture
ICT 4 D: The road 2 development

6. Public Schools

7. Private Schools

8. Reality Check
ekantipur.com

9. 90 Mobile Penetration Increasing? World = 78.58%
80 Yes Yes.. But...
70
60
50
40 Nepal = 30.69%
30
20
10
0
1960
1975
1987
2002
1963
1966
1969
1972
1978
1981
1984
1990
1993
1996
1999
2005
2008
2011

10. Internet Users (per 100 people)
35
30
25 World WLD
Nepal NPL
20
15
10
World = 30.48%
5 Nepal = 6.78%
0
1960
1969
1975
1990
2005
2011
1963
1966
1972
1978
1981
1984
1987
1993
1996
1999
2002
2008
* Estimate.
Source: ITU World Telecommunication /ICT Indicators database

11. Mobile Phones
…pervasive use of cell
phones in schools has
affected students’
performance…
“The DoE move to ban
cell phone on school
premises was necessary
to maintain order,
especially in the
secondary and higher
secondary levels”
http://tinyurl.com/dy9zeaw (August, 2011)

12. Aim: “Investigate the potential of a low-cost open-
source platform to provide onestop (offline) access
to learning materials at anytime anywhere and
evaluate the perceived benefits of open-source
platforms to mobile learning.”

14. WikiReader: NanoNote:
Offline Wikipedia in your pocket Pocket Computer

15. Research Approach
• Stage 1: Public, Private & OLPC Schools
• Stage 2: Pilot Study D. Recommendations
• Stage 3: Main Study
C. Activities & practices
Qualitative study B. Device and Concept
(2 and ½ Months) Evaluation
A. Understanding the
user, context and
educational
requirement

16. Public/Private Schools
Traditional
Lack of
Teaching
access to ICT
Techniques
Lack of
English
Poor Learning
Infrastructure Environment
The Challenges… The Political
Lack of Instability
Resources The Social
Inequality

17. OLPC Schools
• Study the experience in
using laptops
• Highlight benefits and
challenges of ICT-integrated
classes
• How does it address quality
and disparity in our social
and education system and
digital divide?

18. Main Study

19. Issues
• No significant, visible impact yet!
• Difficult to scale and sustain!
• Achievement: due to the supporting infrastructure!
• The affordability of computing remains a primary
barrier.
• schools lack:
– access to technologies & required infrastructure
– access to localised digital resources
– schools lack local capacity, technical, logistical,
financial capacities to use, scale and sustain TEL
projects

20. Need to examine the
prevalence of these
inequalities and their
relationship
Social Divide
Need the best
strategy for
reducing the
disparities Schools Divide
Digital Divide

21. Outcome
• experience of using a
low-cost open-source
mobile platform in a real
world
• understanding which
factors affect technology
adoption
• acknowledge & address
distinctions of context
• make mobile learning
solutions relevant to the
local needs

22. THANK YOU.
TWITTER @SUNNYSUJAN
WWW.SUNNYSUJAN.CO.UK