M-Learning

In addition to the screenings, the communities selected for the M-Learning treatment received mobile learning devices and solar chargers. All families who were randomly selected for the M-Learning were trained during a two-hour session, including parents and children, to know how to use the mobile and its literacy apps. The session was designed to familiarize participants with basic smartphone use and with two learning apps (Feed the Monster and Global Digital Books). The first app aimed at improving letter sound recognition, alphabet knowledge and decoding, as well as automatic word recognition. It consists of feeding a cartoon monster who throws letters, words and sounds. The child needs to recognize the sound and drag with his/her finger the letter/word that corresponds to the sound toward the mouth of the monster. The monster gets happy when the letter/ word is correct, and makes funny disapproval sounds when fed with the incorrect letter/word. The second app aims at improving word and sentence reading, as well as reading comprehension. The app provides stories compounded by short sentences and for more advanced readers, a variety of long paragraphs and short stories.