CLT: สวัสดี ค่ะ, Can You Hear Me Now?: An Exploration of Mobile Phone Usage in Rural Thailand

• In Event: Roundtables Thur1
  In Roundtable Session: CLT - Roundtables Thur1

Short Description

With global usage of mobile phones on the rise, the technology is being harnessed in new and exciting ways to benefit diverse populations. One such application is for educational purposes; not only in modern classrooms, but also in the urban slums and rural communities of developing nations. This study examines mobile phone penetration and usage in a small community in Northern Thailand. Over a 4-week period, a multidisciplinary research team conducted interviews with 18 participants. The data collected through this exploratory study indicated that a majority of the respondents (88.9%) have access to mobile technology. Of those respondents, only 12.5% designated that they are using their mobile devices for educational purposes. However, the qualitative data suggests otherwise; an idea that the research team explores further in this research paper.

Author

• Carley Kramer, University of Tampa