Just about every American kid we see these days has a mobile phone in his or her pocket. Nothing could be simpler technically than seeing to it that each of those phones has interesting reading practice, the simple rules of grammar and basic math tutorials available for the youngster to use whenever the mood might strike — bored on the bus or in the car backseat, extra time in class at school or whenever.
Mobile learning would be trying something new. This very serious prediction from ETS researchers tells us why new really do have to try something new:
There is little chance that economic opportunities will improve among key segments of our population if we follow our current path. To date, educational reform has not been sufficient to solve the problem. National test results show no evidence of improvement over the last 20 years. Scores are flat and achievement gaps persist. Hope for a better life — with decent jobs and livable wages — will vanish unless we act now.
We must raise our learning levels, increase our reading and math skills and narrow the existing achievement gaps, or these forces will turn the American Dream into an American Tragedy — putting our nation at risk.
