Procrastadabbler

There is a fascinating article in today’s NYTimes about the ways cell/mobile phone technology is being used by impoverished people in third world countries. The reporter explores how having a cell phone number is often the only fixed public identity marker some people may have, that having a cell phone allows people greater access to jobs, that microloans have been used for women to buy cell phones and essentially become the village operator, how funds are being creatively transferred using cell phone technology, and it goes on. One figure that I found eye popping is the claim that 80% of the world’s population live within cell phone coverage. Now granted there are still many many places where cell phone coverage is poor (like the inside of my house) and the cost is still high, but the data reported indicates that adopting cell phone technology is raising the gnp of countries and overall improving the material well being of a significant number of people who live on the economic edge.

What this article has me thinking about is the connection between literacy, technology, and equity. Cell phone technology because of its portability, the convergence opportunities, and adaptability has the potential to address inequities in ways computer technology does not. One of the things I’ve seen in my research is that not everyone has computers or easy access to computers, but pretty much every one has a cell phone. So I’m beginning to wonder, is that where I need to start directing my research? I’ve not been happy where my research has been going and I’ve been struggling with the equity/social justice and technology issue. Maybe…