Japan Offers First College Course via Mobile Phone

It's one thing to take classes online, but how effective will courses offered through mobile phones be? Japan is about to find out and perhaps pave the way for this type of learning. Cyber University owned by Softbank Corp., one of Japan's major mobile carrier, is upping up the ante by offering the first class via mobile phone.

Cyber University opened up in April and is currently the only university to offer online courses in Japan. Its first cell phone lecture is called "Mysteries of the Pyramids," which is a streaming PowerPoint presentation created for people who want to learn but can't physically attend classes due to disabilities or work.

The class is free, but viewers must pay any extra mobile fees. I seriously doubt the university will issue any credit for this free class, and students who want to further discuss the class will have to take their questions to forums and social networks online. It remains to be seen just how successful cell phone lectures will be, but in a society that already uses the Nintendo DS Lite in schools, I say the chances of this program taking off are pretty good.

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