ABSTRACT
Widespread acceptance and use of new communication technologies in the world at large does not necessarily point to effectiveness or value in the educational context. Effective transfer depends to a large degree on the nature of the particular technology, its strengths and limitations both as a technology and as a pedagogical tool, and the social and cultural conditions that surround its use. There is always a possibility that mobile phone users will see any educationally motivated use of this technology as an unwanted incursion into their own personal, social space and as a result, would strongly reject this kind of usage (see Dias 2002a:18). On the other hand, within certain parameters and for certain kinds of students such a use might be welcomed. Dias’ findings are encouraging. In his survey study, when students were asked would they study/practise English using their cell phones, if they knew a way to do it, 57.9 per cent of girls replied positively and 47.4 per cent of the boys replied favourably too (Dias 2002b: 4). Still, overall, careful evaluation needs to occur before new technologies that have been accepted in the wider world can be welcomed into formal, educational contexts.
