Cell Phones and Literacy (Essay Sample)

Cell Phones and Literacy
Name
Institution
Cell Phones and Literacy
Introduction
The recent development in technology has improved the standards of life in almost all aspects. Currently, it is easy to perform a chain of operations using a cell phone. Some of the technological devices that have emerged over the recent centuries include smartphones, computers and tablets. Features such as internet browsers, websites, social media such as twitter and facebook, word processors and online apps are some that have made life more comfortable. Many sectors have incorporated the use of cell phones in their activities. On can pay water and electricity bills via a cell phone, bank, withdraw money and send it to other people. For many decades, poor access to literacy materials such as textbooks or encyclopedias was the main contributor to illiteracy especially in developing countries where such services and products are not readily available. However, with the rise in cell phone technology, the levels of literacy have improved significantly even in marginalized areas.
Role of Cell Phones in Literacy
Cell phones help boost the levels of literacy among people of almost all ages and levels of education. Learning to use a cell phone’s applications promotes learning among new users. Hence, they enhance one's literacy levels in many fields. For instance, Apple's products have an iOS 8 beta feature that updates one on their health concerns. Moreover, it contains an app that can monitor one’s breathing patterns. Others such as i0S beta 5 can monitor lung functions because it contains apps that keep a track of how one inhales in and out. Cell phones help medics extend medical intervention to patients through encouraging them to become more knowledgeable of their health conditions (Bollard, 2007). Additionally, parents can surf through the internet and learn more parenting skills and how to perform first aid in an unfortunate occurrence of an accident. Similarly, cell phones can provide valuable information regarding the legality of the health care clinics that they attend. Some of the applications are more convenient than books. Additionally, they are cheap because one needs to purchase some data bundles to access the information that they need as opposed to books where one has to navigate through many pages and cannot frame questions they wish to answer. Hence, bodies such as the United Nations Education Science and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) believe that cell phones are good tools to enhance literacy.
The World Reader app allows a cell phone owner access lots of data on various fields. The app has gained popularity in less developed countries in the third world countries where the levels of illiteracy are high and books are not readily available. Therefore, it helps replace sources of data such as kindle and e-Books which are not sufficient because they are expensive and many users in third world cannot use library catalogs. Statistics reveals that the number of internet enabled mobile users in the world is on the rise. Therefore, the role of cell phones has gone beyond communication with many of them turning into educational assets especially for students. Inexpensive cell phones with a range of applications provide an easy education platform even for low-income earners.
Correspondence and digital learning have become more popular following the rise of internet enabled smart phones that function as a personal computer. Instructors and students can engage in educative forums through social media. Similarly, they can share educational materials remotely at a low cost. The internet has enabled sharing of educational material easier through the use of cell phones. A smart phone enables one read their mail, send and receive emails. Moreover, they can surf through the internet for information at the comfort of their homes. The technology has outdated physical information sharing platforms such as papers with bytes and electronic cables being the most popular.
Currently, it is easy to access a textbook via an internet enabled cell phone. Smart phones alongside cheap phones enable one access online textbooks at cheap prices as compared to the price of the same book in a book shop. Studies reveal that cell phone technology reduces illiteracy in both informal and formal settings. The rise of cell phone book clubs is the recent progress in technology that helps individuals use technology to increase their knowledge and skills both at home and the workplace. There are libraries that lend kindles and other academic electronic materials to cell phones users. They may install easy to use technophobe software on their phones to help them access the material. The entry of phablets in the cell phone market increases the acceptance of cell phone literacy. Although phablets cannot allow one to access books with detailed diagrams, they are useful in reading for entertainment purposes. Similarly, they are useful in social sciences where diagrams and detailed illustrations are rare. Cell phones help readers acquire information easily owing to their flexibility. A cell phone is a small gadget which one carries every there. Therefore, one can read as they travel and while resting in bed. Chiong and Shuler (2010) add "cell phones encourage anywhere, anytime learning (p. 8).
Currently, smart phones are the best gadgets that support learning. It is smart owing to its range of applications that make it perform almost all the functions of a personal computer. They have powerful applications such as special softwares that allow one to open and read electronic books. Cell phones allow users view important updates on social media. ...