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Mobiles for literacy in developing countries: An effectiveness framework

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Abstract

In recent years, the advent of low-cost digital and mobile devices has led to a strong expansion of social interventions, including those that try to improve student learning and literacy outcomes. Many of these are focused on improving reading in low-income countries, and particularly among the most disadvantaged. Some of these early efforts have been called successful, but little credible evidence exists for those claims. Drawing on a robust sample of projects in the domain of mobiles for literacy, this article introduces a design solution framework that combines intervention purposes with devices, end users, and local contexts. In combination with a suggested set of purpose-driven methods for monitoring and evaluation, this new framework provides useful parameters for measuring effectiveness in the domain of mobiles for literacy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. International Literacy Institute, Graduate School of Education, University of Pennsylvania, 3700 Walnut St., Philadelphia, PA, 19104-6216, USA

    Daniel A. Wagner, Nathan M. Castillo, Katie M. Murphy, Molly Crofton & Fatima Tuz Zahra

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  1. Daniel A. Wagner
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  2. Nathan M. Castillo
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  3. Katie M. Murphy
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  4. Molly Crofton
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  5. Fatima Tuz Zahra
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Correspondence to Daniel A. Wagner.

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Wagner, D.A., Castillo, N.M., Murphy, K.M. et al. Mobiles for literacy in developing countries: An effectiveness framework. Prospects 44, 119–132 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11125-014-9298-x

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