| To observe the effects of prolonged periods of texting on adult literacy levels, this study distributed basic mobile phones to rural adult learners on a continuum of literacy skills from non-literate to literate at an advanced level. The details of the research design were only finalized once the study had begun, and a baseline of habits of mobile phone users in the target area was established. This informed the particulars of an intervention where participants were trained on the use of mobile phones and received text messages sent by the researcher for nine months. The contents of the text messages were news clips curated by the researcher on a variety of topics, including sports, politics and science. The participants were prompted with questions and requests for comments on the news clips.;Seven of the total nine participants completed the study---a relatively high percentage given the high attrition rates of traditional adult literacy initiatives (Askov, 2000)---indicating that ownership of the mobile phones upon conclusion of the study may have acted as an incentive (motivation) for completion for the participants. In post-test literacy scores, the participants with the fewest years of education---three in total---outperformed other participants in overall gains in the reading and writing sections of the literacy tests. Six of the seven participants revealed changes in their engagement with literacy events and practices, and several participants recalled engaging in collaborative learning with peers to review texted news clips. Others reported re-engaging with traditional literacy media, including newspapers and children's textbooks to supplement their texting abilities. One participant, essentially non-literate at the beginning of the intervention, had gained rudimentary reading skills by the end. |
