The mobile phone is rapidly bringing communication to the most remote areas of the world. NGOs, governments and companies alike are beginning to realize the potential of this ubiquitous tool to address social challenges. This four-week online professional development certificate course will explore successful applications that facilitate economic transactions, support public health campaigns and connect learners to educational content. It will also critically engage with issues of equity, privacy and access. Participants can expect a dynamic and practical learning environment with a number of real-world examples and case studies.
Course Topics:
- Banking the Unbanked: the Promise of Mobile Money Systems
- Mobile Diagnostics and other Tools for Public Health Delivery
- New Approaches to Monitoring, Evaluation and Data Management
- Many to Many Communication the Integration of Mobiles and Radio
- Mobile Learning: Best Practices for Education on the Move
Technologies and Case Studies:
- Mobile Money Transfer Platforms (MPESA)
- Mobile Survey and Data Collection Tools (FormHub, GeoPoll, EpiSurveyor)
- Mass Texting Software Interfaces (FrontlineSMS RapidSMS/Souktel)
- Mobile Diagnostics Platforms (Sana Mobile)
- Mobile Incentive Structures and Programs (TxtEagle)
- IVR Systems (FreedomFone)
Dates: The course will run for four weeks from June 18th through July 13th, 2012. Course content, exercises and material however will be accessible for up to 4 months after course ends.
Teaching Method/Class Format: The entire course is delivered online.The total time commitment is a minimum of 7-9 hours a week. The course is designed to be highly interactive and social, but we also work hard to ensure that the majority of content can experienced in a self-paced manner. We do feature real-time interactions each week such as live discussions, live expert interviews, and live simulations. In order to accommodate busy schedules of learners from around the world we’ve set up a learning environment where participants have plenty of options and can choose the ones they’d like to be involved with depending on their availability and interest. Participants can also access all course content up to three months after course completion so if you get pulled away at the last minute for part of the course you can still revisit the material afterwards.
Course Facilitator: TechChange staff, advisory board members and a number of guest experts will all be heavily involved in the design and facilitation of the course. The lead facilitator for the course will be Nick Martin. Nick is an educator, technologist, and social entrepreneur with significant international peacebuilding and development expertise. He is an adjunct faculty member at American University, George Mason University, George Washington University and the United Nations University for Peace (UPEACE), and has given a number of guest lectures and speeches on the role of technology in peacebuilding, development and humanitarian work. Contact Nick at nick [at] techchange.org.
Learning Outcomes:
- Participants will be able to critically analyze both the opportunities and the pitfalls that emerge when working with mobile technology to address social problems in public health, education, and fiance sectors
- Participants will be able connect relevant development, humanitarian and peacebuilding theories to the mobile technological strategies and tools discussed in the course
- Participants will be able to manage specific mobile platforms and utilize various mobile technological tools for responding to social problems
- Participants will be able to design dynamic and effective strategies for using mobile technology platforms and tools to respond to social challenges in fields of education, health and finance
- Participants will be able to work collaboratively with others using new tools by participating in dynamic group exercises and simulations
- Participants will develop confidence and critical self-awareness in working with mobile technology to address social problems
Cost:
- $495 if application and payment is submitted by June 5 ($595 if application and payment is submitted by June 18)