Qualcomm Incorporated, through its Wireless Reach™ initiative, Nan Chiau Primary School and Microsoft have announced the launch of the WE Learn mobile education project, which uses 3G smartphones to create a 21st century classroom experience for Singaporean students.
With a grant from Qualcomm's Wireless Reach initiative, the WE Learn project is providing 3G-enabled Nokia Lumia 710 smartphones enabled by Qualcomm Snapdragon™ processors; mobile broadband connectivity via SingTel's 3G wireless network; a mobile learning platform (MyDesk) and educational applications developed by University of Michigan; and Microsoft's Windows Phone operating system, which all software for these smartphones is built upon, to 350 third-grade students and their teachers at Nan Chiau.
The National Institute of Education of Singapore is assisting teachers with the development of customized curriculum in English, Science and Chinese that leverages the benefits of mobile, Internet-connected, learning devices and provides students with new learning opportunities that are not possible with paper and pencil.
All smartphones are equipped with MyDesk, a mobile learning platform that enables each student to access his or her assignments, online podcasts and video clips, and concept mapping and drawing apps. Files created by the Nan Chiau students on their smartphones are backed-up and synchronized to a cloud-based Teaching Management System, providing each student an electronic portfolio that parents can review and teachers can access for grading and feedback purposes. Undergraduates at the University of Michigan are building the mobile learning platform (MyDesk), many of its applications, the Teaching Management System and an always-visible, digital Class Message Board.
