I get excited when I read the news that Cyber University in Japan which is the first and only university to offer all classes only on the Internet is now offering classes on mobile phones. Wow, my first impression is that Japan really embraces mobility!
It is true that mobile phones are said to be one of the most powerful portable gadgets that we have right now because this palm size phone can do most things but of course, I will not deny the fact that taking classes using the laptop or desktop computer is more convenient. In fact, the classes that Cyber University offer is just partial and limited compared to their full-blown online classes.
However, knowing that students can now possibly stream their lectures through mobile phone is very convenient. Now it is possible for them to quickly glance on their lectures while they are waiting or riding or eating in a restaurant or waiting in a park without opening their laptops. There are currently 100 courses that are accessible through the mobile phone in Japan which includes online journalism, English literature and Chinese culture. These are offered by Cyber University as free but of course viewing or streaming these lessons may incur the usual fee that we have when we download something from our phone.
The mobile classes is recently introduced in Japan and I am sure that one of these days, we will hear similar offering from various online universities in the United States and Europe. So stay tune.