EXTENSION IN 160 Using text,

and more, for

CHARACTERS, MORE OR outreach and
education.

LESS.
 WHY TALK ABOUT TEXTING?

 Cell phones are becoming ubiquitous

 Relative cost effectiveness (vs computer)
 Ease of use
 STATISTICS (ALWAYS HELP).

 Some 72% of adult cell phone users send and receive text
messages now.
 Pew Internet and American Life Project, Cell phones and American adults,
September 2010
 According to a recent J.O.E. article, the top four uses of
technology by learners were Email, Text Messaging, Digital
Photos, and YouTube.
 Journal of Extension, Extension Learners’ Use of Electronic Technology.
February 2011
 SMART PHONES, DUMB PHONES?

 Economics – smart phones = $$$

 Low cost cell phones can send and receive text
 (Relatively) inexpensive to send txt messages
 Ease of use – everyone (well, a lot of people) know how to use
a phone keypad
 SHORT MESSAGE SERVICE (SMS)

 SMS is a message protocol for phone (and other)

communication systems.
 160 character message limit
 One to one, one to many
 TWITTER – SMS BACKBONE, PLUS

 Twitter expands the sms universe.

 Big network and multiplatform applications
 140 character limit on messages
 20 characters reserved for username
 Connectivity with other web based resources
 SMS FOR LEARNING?

 Examples of learning with txt:

 TEXTING FOR HEALTH

 Access to health info via cell phones is an active, and well

studied field of work.
 A Google scholar search for: “health information text
message” returns over 100 pages of results.
 Teens are actively using text messaging
 Start where people are?
 AGRICULTURE AND SMS

 Development of ag applications and use of text is very active

in the global south.
 Pervasiveness of cell phones vs access to computer and broadband
 Lower learning curve to use effectively
 Expanding beyond just text to include audio, images and video
 VOICE (IT’S A PHONE, AFTER ALL).

 Awaaz De
 Voice based q and a
 Radio platform
 Announcments
 ANIMATION AND MORE

 University of Illinois producing and deploying educational

videos for cell phones
 http://
news.illinois.edu/news/11/0228phone_ed_Bello-Bravo_Pittendrigh.h
tml
 MANY EXAMPLES

 Some cell companies are very active in developing or

supporting educational use of the technology.
 Nokia – Life Tools
 Vodaphone Foundation
 MobileActive.org
 Global network highlighting mobile use
 And much more…
 Citizen polling and engagement
 Literacy education
 etc
 CONTACT

 Paul Treadwell
 pt36@cornell.edu
 Twitter: ptreadwell
 Posterous: http://pt36.posterous.com/