Adapting a novel public display system for an educational context

Abstract

Universities in developing nations are viewed as gateways to global knowledge and as the source of human capital for their countries' economies (Juma, 2008). However, these universities face challenges in accessing educational information over the Internet due to high bandwidth costs, low literacy rates and the difficulty of setting up expensive computer labs. For example, at the University of Cape Town, labs are often overcrowded and fewer learners gaining access to information. One innovative solution to this problem has been realized through the adoption of mobile phones as PC terminal replacements in developing countries. There has been a steady increase in the adoption of mobile phones due to their ease of use and affordability (Juma, 2008). By harnessing this technology's potential, we believe a sustainable and cost-effective solution to support student needs can be developed for universities in developing countries.