by The message is clear: students are ready to use mobile for internet services and among one of the earliest adopters of mobile technology.
In a recent survey we asked our audience if they would use mobile to revise for their medical student exams. The results show that 35% are ready and willing, and 33% are ready when the cost comes down.
Mobile usage has exploded, especially with the launch of the iPhone in the Uk last year. Research shows that email is used by 75.4% of British iPhone owners, and 35.4% of all smartphone owners (Source: ComScore http://www.comscore.com/press/release.asp?press=2759).
Across in the US, the picture is even rosier. The number of U.S. residents using mobile devices to access news and information more than doubled to 63.2 million in January over the previous year. (Source: Cnet news http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10197136-94.html).
This uptake in usage and change in behaviour naturally leads to students using their smartphone for other things, such as revising for their medical student exams.
Here at Medical Educator we are taking this trend seriously: the revision site can be accessed on iPhone and all multiple choice questions can be taken. Unfortunately flash video is not supported by the iPhone yet so video content will not play, but in future iPhone versions this is expected to improve.
The statistics show it all: mobile usage is here to stay.
The complete poll results:
Would you use mobile phone revision for your exams?
- Yes give me more! – 35%
- Yes, but its too expensive at present – 33%
- No, the technology is not up to scratch – 15%
- No, I prefer other methods – 17%