Released on = November 21, 2006, 1:42 am

Press Release Author = M:Science

Industry = Education

Press Release Summary = An article into how SMS is being increasingly used as a
communication tool in higher education.

Press Release Body = It’s every student’s pet hate, getting out of bed and going
into college when their class has been moved or cancelled. It’s the bane of every
teacher’s life, chasing up students who have disappeared off the face of the earth,
taking with them their coursework (which was due in last week). Surely, in the
digital age we live in there lies a solution?

Step forward text messaging or SMS (short messaging service) for short. Yes, a far
cry from the days when teachers confiscated mobile phones, there is now an ever
growing trend to harness the potential of SMS as a new tool for student-teacher
communication.

And it makes sense. A report by Business Insights has stated that the mobile
telecom service market is worth over £40 billion (€60 billion), and in September
2006 alone, over 3.6 billion text messages were sent, beating the previous record
set in August (New Media Age). SMS usage is most popular amongst the youth market
segment, which is not surprising as 94% of 18-24 year olds send personal texts (MDA
professional text messaging report, 2006).

With its familiarity and practicalities, text messaging is now a major player in the
further and higher education arena. Some common uses of SMS in education include:

• Appointment reminders
• Room changes
• Course cancellations
• Deadline reminders
• Confidential counselling
• Exam results
• Voting for Student Union activities
• Marketing by the Student Union e.g. promotions at the SU bar
• Students informing teachers of their absence

SMS solution providers, such as M:Science, now have many educational establishments
amongst their clients. Managing Director of M:Science, Dan Hobson explains “SMS is
an ideal way for students and teachers to interact. It’s a highly practical method
of communication for academic establishments, which often have tight administrative
budgets. Members of pre-defined groups, such as classes, can be sent the same
message with just one click, making the distribution of important information to the
relevant individuals rapid and cost effective. Also, the nature of higher education
establishments means that students are often off site, making it difficult to
communicate ‘last minute information’ to them. With SMS, students can be reached in
any location almost instantaneously, which has proven to reduce absences and
increase student retention.”

Other advantages that have been noticed by faculty members come from less tangible
benefits. Some institutions have used SMS to improve student-teacher relationships
in what is often an impersonal environment, by texting students congratulatory or
commiserative messages, regarding work. Also, as it is a relatively new mode of
contact, using SMS adds variety and interest to learning, meaning that students are
more likely to respond to and retain information.

For more information on how it works, and case studies about the use of SMS in
education, please visit

http://www.m-science.com/customer/index.php


Web Site = http://www.m-science.com

Contact Details = Roberta Main-Millar
Suite 3 Bourne Gate
25 bourne Valley Road
Poole
Dorset
UK

Tel: +44 (0)1202 241141
Email: rmm@m-science.com