Exploring the use of mobile phone text messaging to supplement discussion forums in a global distance learning program

The need for building the skills of the global public health workforce is well documented. Distance learning has emerged as an inexpensive and accessible option to train large numbers of geographically dispersed people. Effective distance programs blend on-line instruction with facilitated discussion emphasizing application. But for the many public health workers who work in locations without everyday internet access, sustaining on-line discussions is challenging. This presentation describes an experiment using mobile phone text messages to supplement on-line discussion in a global non-degree distance education program offered by UNC, Chapel Hill. The intent of this program is to enhance management skills of NGO and government staff and is being piloted in eight countries, including Cambodia, the site for our experiment. All participants in our experiment had mobile phones, but did not have consistent internet access. We used text messages to contact participants when they were off-line. Text messages were used to send reminders, to clarify content and to ask short questions to move the discussion forward. Participants responded to discussion questions through texts, which were sent to a group micro-blogging site and forwarded to the discussion forum. Overall, the approach facilitated participation but changed the nature of the discussion. This presentation summarizes our results, particularly focusing on participants' evaluations of their learning experience, comparison of participation statistics and output quality with non-supplemented discussion, operational issues, and costs. Implications for using text messaging as an integral part of distance education programs in the future are also discussed.