Mobile Learning Help to Raise Self Esteem

Loaning equipment to young adults to use in their personal environments has resulted in other benefits not directly related to the learning experience.In particular, there have been reports that some of the learners were surprised and proud to be trusted with such expensive and sophisticated technology. For example, one project mentor noted: ‘He took really good care of it. He pointed out that because of his background no one else would have ever trusted him with a mobile. This has meant more to him than the actual device itself as he feels respected.’ It would seem that the mobile devices are prized highly by the young adults who have taken part.Allowing them personal responsibility for the care of the devices enables them to feel trusted and seems to help to build up their self-steem.Another boost to some learners’ self-esteem came when they realised that as experienced users of mobile phones they possessed useful skills which others perceived as important. Some of these learners became ad-hoc mentors to their peers and gained further self-esteem as a result.