Mobile Phone: An Innovative Disruptor In The Education Scenario

A look into the new teaching and learning process through mobile phones.

Technology has played a very important role in innovating the teaching-learning process in higher education. There have been a lot of changes in classroom teaching with the introduction of the digital interface that is now being used. In this particular post, I am taking the example of a simple mobile phone and how it has changed the teaching-learning scenario.

Mobile phones: The beginning as a disrupter

When the mobile phone first became handy in the hands of the students their focus and attention span in the classes was completely reduced and they were always fiddling with their phones in class.

I once said in a meeting, “the mobile phone is a disrupter and we should put up a notice that the students should not be permitted to bring their phones to the classrooms”.

There have been a lot of changes since the mobile phone started becoming popular. The mobile phone is now being used for all types of communication and the most important media through which it is being used in higher education is ‘Whatsapp’.

The mobile phone as a friend (Innovative disrupter)

From a disrupter, the mobile phone became a friendly useful instrument that brought the teacher and the taught close to each other. The student could reach the professor at any time of the day if he required help in his lesson or research writing that he had undertaken.

The professor also maintained a close relationship with the students. He sent them class notes, videos, and his comments on assignments through the phone.

In the B School (business school) that I taught in, we had a class group where we could send a message to the group out of official working hours. This worked in a very cohesive manner.

Sometimes students complained that they were overburdened because the professors would contact them at any hour and expect them to work day and night, even beyond the extended working hours. We of course just quietened them and said this was a necessary training ground for hard work and if they wanted a job in the corporate sector they better work hard.

The mobile phone and its usage in the enterprise resource planning system (ERP)

Higher education runs entirely through the ERP system. The entire functionality of the ERP system could be run through the mobile phone. The professors took the attendance of students on their mobile phones.

They could also send assignments by entering the assignment on ERP. The student could immediately open the assignment anywhere even if he was away from his institute and knew exactly when was the date of commencement and last date of submission of the assignment given.

The timetable could also be accessed by the student so if there was any change in the day’s classes or daily routine, it would reflect on the ERP which the student could access on their mobile phones.

The examination time table would be announced through the ERP and quickly accessed by the students on their mobile phones. Such was the marvel of this new instrument which was once called the disrupter.

Online classes and examinations

During the Covid-19 period, almost all countries in the world were in lockdown. Schools and colleges continued their classes through online mode. The mobile phone was used for Zoom meetings, classes and examinations to be held during the year.

Job Interviews through mobile phone

The students did not lose one year due to the lockdown. Instead, it is the mobile phone that led the students to have online interviews and get jobs. They have even joined their places of work online.

The takeaways:

#1. The mobile phone was introduced and considered as a major technological disrupter in the education scenario and not considered as an instrument of relevance.

#2. The usefulness of the mobile phone as a communicator turned it from a disrupter to an innovative disrupter and very useful for transmitting information desired.

#3. Planning and working on schedule in educational organizations was mainly through mobile phones especially during the COVID-19 period.

#4. Classes and examinations were held on time due to the presence of mobile phones and students did not lose any time during the year.

#5. The employment scenario was smooth through the mobile phone where interviews took place and through which people did their work.

#6. The role of the professor changed to a mentor and the student as a mentee and closer ties were adapted between them.

Final words:

Never underestimate the technological changes in the world. The mobile phone that was initially a disrupter and considered a disaster by the educational sector turned out to be the best innovative disrupter. Those who did not have a mobile phone were lost and alone in the world.

To a great extent, the complete educational scenario changed during COVID-19 in the lockdown period when no one could communicate or work without a mobile phone. It became a basic necessity for the educational scenario to survive for the whole year and begin a new era in the process of teaching and learning.

A relationship of mentor and mentee became stronger between the professor and the student in the new era of education