- Most Indian Educators Feel That Mobility is a Boon; Students Comprehend and Communicate Concepts Better With Mobile Devices in Hand and Institutions Deliver Better Instructions to Students Using Mobile
- Lack of Integration of Mobile and Technology Cited as the Biggest Barrier
Adobe unveiled the findings of its study, 'Transforming Education with Mobile and Digital Technology'. More than 1,000 educators representing 13 countries across Asia Pacific were surveyed for the research, with an aim to gauge the state of mobile technology adoption in the classroom and the importance of mobility and digital tools in education. India represented 22% of the study sample.
The study revealed that far from being reluctant to admit mobile devices to their classrooms, educators strongly believe that the proliferation of mobile devices is already having a positive impact, and influencing the way instruction is delivered to students. While traditionalists may claim that mobile devices in the classroom can be a distraction, 78% of educators from India felt that there was a positive overall net effect to having mobile devices strategically integrated into the teaching process, which is comparable to the APAC average of 77%.
The reason behind this support for mobility is simple - 83% of the Indian educators (same as APAC average) felt that the accessibility of digital tools and applications on mobile devices helps them better understand and improve concepts and information before including them in lesson plans for their students. However, Indian educators also felt that more needs to be done by their institutions to provide students with access to mobile devices.
The study also highlighted specific barriers to the propagation of mobile technology in educational institutions. Across Asia Pacific, budget allocation (39%) was identified as the top crucial area to overcome for faster adoption of mobile technology in academic institutions, followed by integration of mobility with existing infrastructure (27%). As for India, integration of mobility with existing infrastructure was identified as the top crucial area (31%) followed by policy issues (policy doesn't support - 27%).
Commenting on the study, Kulmeet Bawa, Director Enterprise - South Asia, Adobe, said, "The ability to visualize or integrate interactive learning experiences in the classroom via a mobile device can make a huge difference in learning outcomes, when engaging with today's millennial generation. As our study highlights, the challenge now is to provide support to enable greater mobile adoption. Educators and institutions need to work together to make this shift, ensuring that students are empowered not only to consume digital content but also to be the creators of that content."
www.adobe.com