ABC, 123: The Impact of a Mobile Phone Literacy Program on Educational Outcomes

38 Pages Posted: 19 Oct 2010

See all articles by Jenny C. Aker

Jenny C. Aker

Tufts University - The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy; Center for Global Development

Christopher Ksoll

University of Oxford

Travis J. Lybbert

University of California, Davis

Date Written: September 13, 2010

Abstract

CGD non-resident fellow Jenny Aker and co-authors report on the results from a randomized evaluation of a mobile phone education program (Project ABC) in Niger, in which adult students learned how to use mobile phones as part of a literacy and numeracy class. Overall, students demonstrated substantial improvements in literacy and numeracy test scores.

There is also evidence of persistent impacts: six months after the end of the first year of classes, students in the program retained what they had learned better than others. The effects do not appear to be driven by differences in teacher quality or in teacher and student attendance. The results suggest that simple and relatively cheap information and communication technology can serve as an effective and sustainable learning tool for rural populations.

Keywords: education

Suggested Citation

Aker, Jenny C. and Ksoll, Christopher and Lybbert, Travis J., ABC, 123: The Impact of a Mobile Phone Literacy Program on Educational Outcomes (September 13, 2010). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1694142 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1694142

Jenny C. Aker (Contact Author)

Tufts University - The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy ( email )

Medford, MA 02155
United States

Center for Global Development ( email )

2055 L St. NW
5th floor
Washington, DC 20036
United States

Christopher Ksoll

University of Oxford ( email )

Mansfield Road
Oxford, Oxfordshire OX1 4AU
United Kingdom

Travis J. Lybbert

University of California, Davis ( email )

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