The Hindu Business Line : Shall we SMS the professor in class?

Mobile phones crossed the 100-million-mark recently. With a population that is more than ten times that number, the market potential is still big, assure key players in industry. And their party is on, in celebration of reaching the significant milestone.

Evidence of the mobile's existence and use is visible everywhere. Except, perhaps, conservative educational institutions. Of relevance to them is a recent research paper by Stephen L. Cheung of the University of Sydney, titled Using mobile phone messaging as a response medium in classroom experiments.

There are other options, when conducting classroom experiments. One option, the traditional one, is the use of pencil and paper. "This is both time-consuming and inefficient, with aggregate results often compiled after class and reported at a later meeting," notes Cheung. Individual feedback can be cumbersome for groups exceeding 40 students, he adds.

Another option is the use of fully networked computer laboratories. Lab-dependent experiments demand `specialised software development,' points out the author. Also, in such exercises, "participation is limited by the size and availability of laboratories, and the experiments cannot be conducted in lecture theatres."

There are also `audience response systems,' which are `inexpensive hand-held transmitters to collect responses from large classes - most commonly for multiple-choice questions - and generate live displays of the results on screen.' That reminds one of the Big B's KBC game show. A common limitation is `the lack of any facility for return communication to individual students, making them unsuitable for most applications of classroom experiments.'

Yet another option that the paper discusses is PDA or personal digital assistant, used `in conjunction with wireless networking'. Compared to other hand-held devices, PDAs offer superior processor power and comparatively large screens, concedes Cheung. "However, their drawbacks are that few students own them, and they are relatively expensive. Thus unless their purchase is mandated, PDAs will have to be loaned by the instructor, who must bear the associated costs including risk of theft and loss of class time."

Mobile phones in class

So, enter mobile phones, `owned by the vast majority of students in developed countries'. Wonder what our ratios are, of mobile ownership demographically profiled. Since text messaging and SMS (short message service) are supported on most phones, the instructor can loan handsets to students undergoing the experiment. "This can be done at minimal cost using outdated or second-hand phones with small amounts of prepaid credit," suggests Cheung.

The paper describes experiments run during class time in `a mid-sized graduate managerial economics class'. Students' responses were read in as "a comma-delimited text file containing the originating mobile phone numbers and messages," and all analysis, manipulation and report of responses were performed using "a macro run within a Microsoft Excel workbook." An output file was created with return messages `for upload and broadcast to students' phones.' Message downloading and uploading were made possible by `a web-based interface provided by the service provider.'

In conclusion, the author observes that classroom experiments represent one of the most significant and promising developments in the pedagogy of economics. "However their adoption has been limited by essentially technical obstacles in assembling data and reporting feedback in larger classes without resorting to a full network of computers."

The alternative that the paper proposes, in the form of text messaging, "streamlines the process of electronic data assembly and analysis." Cheung is positive that the experiments he's outlined can be `readily integrated into larger lecture classes' because their design economises both class time and instructor's effort.

An idea worth trying out, to make mobiles an aid, rather than a cursed nuisance, in classes.

Seamless communication

Mobility, again, is the theme in a different paper, from Frost & Sullivan Research: Asia Pacific Market Insights: Mobility Solutions.

Businesses expand across geographies, and "a greater percentage of employees find themselves working away from their offices," notes the abstract of the paper. "The global mobile workforce stands currently at approximately 85 million, a figure that is expected to rise dramatically over the coming years." Knowledge-based jobs such as sales, customer service and human resources, are increasingly becoming office-independent and mobile. "Many global MNCs like IBM and HP have already converted a sizable portion of their employee bases into mobile workers."

Major advantage of mobile workforce is flexibility, but with it comes the cost. "For some organisations, telephony costs alone can account for 15 per cent of their total costs." That may be more than the cost saved `by reducing the number of cubicles'! The paper points out that the simple Monday morning staff meeting alone can result in considerable international calling charges. Citing end user studies, Frost notes that over 55 per cent of enterprises have invested in new technology such as IP telephony "not for improved efficiency or quality of service but to reduce the steep rise in telephony costs."

Cost is only one of the problems of mobile enterprise. `Juggling multiple devices' is another. With greater demand for real-time voice and data communications amongst employees or customers, it has become necessary to lug around a number of different devices, apart from the standard mobile phone: such as, laptops, PDAs and Blackberrys. "All in the name of complete and instant `contactibility'."

The third problem is of managing contactibility, even as there are multiple points of contacts. "From the mobile phone to the personal Internet messaging profile, it is estimated professionals have on average six different points of contact. This can lead to a lack of transparency as to an employee's whereabouts," explains Frost.

This is how: Since traditional communication channels lack `intelligence', calls may not be routed in the most efficacious manner. As a result, it is not uncommon for trivial calls to come in during important meetings while important calls get routed to an empty office!

Quite true, you'd agree. But what's the solution? Convergence, and a device that can handle all communication needs, says the paper. "With the drive from telephony vendors and enterprises alike, mobility will offer a popular and cost-effective solution to improve enterprise efficiency."

Frost foresees, therefore, a shift in `the landscape of telephony' towards `integrated customer experience' through `a fully converged communication network'.

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