Emerging Technologies in Education - PDA

PDA stands for Personal Digital Assistant.
A PDA is generally viewed as a handheld device that provides, as a bare minimum, electronic versions of the functions one would expect of a paper-based personal organiser e.g. diary, calendar, address book, to-do lists, note and memo pads, and clock (Anderson, 2004). It's basically a compact computer that you can hold in your hand. The PDA's consists of two main Operating Systems: the Palm and Pocket PC.


All PDA's include the following features: datebook/organizer that enables you to input meetings and appointments and a to-do-list; a memo pad for note taking and a calculator for mathematical problem solving; compose email and send on HotSync or wireless; an address book listing your contacts; and an onscreen keyboard that allows you to type with the touch screen and your stylus. Some PDA's, such as Palm/Pocket PC, allow you to hand write instead of type and most have a Back light for using in the dark or dim lighting.


Advantages for usage in the classroom:

• Students have access to information at the moment that the information is needed.


• Essential resources can be easily stored.


• Eliminates the need to carry several thick books.


• Student's create, name and organize folders.


• Store relevant research articles.


• Students in the classroom can work collaboratively on a project.


• Graphics and photographs can be retrieved instantly for use as a reference tool in any environment.

In my class, I would incorporate games into the classroom where the class is divided into teams and they have to search for answers to specific questions. The team who has the most points associated with the correct answer can inform the other team how to access the information on the PDA.


Disadvantages/limitations:

• You may need to have one standard device to avoid alot of work for the moderator to download software for all of the devices to be able to work on the same platform.


• Costly


• Need administrative and institutional support.


• Need a mandate to integrate PDA's throughout the curriculum and a financial commitment.

References:

Anderson, P., Blackwood, A. (2004). Mobile and PDA technologies and their future use in education. Retrieved on Oct 4, 2008 from http://www.jisc.ac.uk/uploaded_documents/ACF11B0.pdf


Cornelius, F., Gordon, M.G., Heinrich, K.T., Oermann, M. H.(2005). Annual review of nursing education: Introducing and using handheld technology in nursing education. Retrieved online Oct 5, 2008 from http://books.google.ca/books?id=QXrtdCI_3WEC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_summary_r&cad=0#PPA179,M1


Fotosearch (2008). Stockphoto: A woman doing something with PDA in the grass. Retrieved on Oct 6, 2008 from http://www.fotosearch.com/TGR354/tnd014ta0034/


Why you need a PDA. (2008). Retrieved on Oct 4, 2008 from http://palmtops.about.com/cs/pdafacts/a/Why_You_need.htm

Emerging Technologies in Education -Wiki

Wiki is a collaborative website where users can edit and help to build a safe and secure page based on a common interest.

PBwiki is an easy to use wiki where; files (documents, videos etc.) can be easily shared amongst users; others can be added quickly to a project; notifications can be emailed to everyone to keep them up to date; the moderator can set access controls for pages and folders and monitor who made changes and reverse changes if needed. With PBwiki users can tag a conversation so that they can track answers to a posed question and search for a topic or issue that may have been discussed across pages just by the search of a word. Also, wiki automatically backs up your information.

Advantages for usage in the classroom:

• Keeps student engaged outside the classroom.


• Students are accountable for the changes they make.


• Calenders, newsletters, and assignmnts can be used to keep class up to date.


• Student's work can be linked to classmates work and as a group can collaborate on a project.


• Students can interact with other students internationally.


• Educators can post curriculum and receive feedback instantly regarding revisions.

I would incorporate wiki into the classroom by giving an introduction and demonstration to wiki at the beginning of a course and post due dates, course curriculum, RSS feeds (news & updates relating to the course), and place the class in groups surrounding certain topics.

Disadvantages:

• Security/Safety issues.


• Needs to be managed.


• Moderator has alot of labour.


• Combating ("Copy & paste").


• Keep wiki simple for editors.


• Simple wiki's do not track changes.


• Trust users to provide reliable content.


• Strong participation is expected.

If our education system can incorporate wiki into the classroom, where a thread of a discussion can be tagged and a topic being discussed can be found with the search of one word, then it will make it easier for the student and the instructor to follow the topic of interest.

References:

PBwiki. (2008). Simple, Secure, Collaborative: Create your own wiki in 60s. Retrieved on October 3, 2008 from http://pbwiki.com/

De Nys, J. (2008). Using wikis and blogs in education. Retrieved on Oct 4, 2008 from http://www.scribd.com/doc/2451263/Using-wikis-and-blogs-in-education

Emerging Technologies in Education - Hyper Interactive Teaching Technology

Would you like to engage your students more in in-class activities and discussions? Would you like to be able to get results from a survey quickly and be able to present them to the class instantly for discussion?


Then you would be interested in using Hyper Interactive Teaching Technology (H-ITT). This technology allows you to interact with students by allowing the students to respond to questions by using a wireless remote from where they are located. Each wireless remote includes their own identification number so the feedback is anonymous. A flashing light on the wireless remote indicates to the student if their response was received. When all answers are completed for a survey or test, the grading is performed automatically.

Materials Required for a hyper interactive environment:

• Transmitters
• Receivers
• Computer Software
  

Advantages for usage in the classroom:

• Increased interaction between instructor and student.
• All student's participate and are motivated to give the correct answer.
• Anonymous surveys allow the instructor to get feedback from even the shy students.
• The feedback is instant to allow corrections to the lecture for the instructor and self assessment for the student.
• Easy to use.
• Instructor can move freely around the classroom.
• Covers a high range of students across campus.
• The instructor can ask the questions, write the questions on the board or have them listed in a software program.

In my classroom I would use H-ITT for quizzes and surveys for statistical analysis and when I want quick results from the class of their level of understanding in the course at various dates during the term. This will allow me from feedback, to adjust or edit my lecturing. I would also allow students to use them on projects when surveying the class.

Disadvantages:

• Battery operated.
• May get broken easily.
• Need alot to accommodate big classrooms such as auditoriums 300+.
• Costly.
• Limited in being controlled by Instructor. One way transfer of information.

Possible use of Hyper-Interactive Teaching Technology in the future:

• Interaction between separate classrooms.
• Two way transfer of information (Questions and suggestions transmitted by students to the instructor via wireless transmitter). Transfer of information between students via wireless transmitter.

For more information regarding this product and similar products please contact the following companies:

H-ITT LLC

420 Shearer Blvd, Cocoa, FL 32922, USA

Ph: 321-576-0396

Fax: 321-576-0397

iRespond
Ph. Toll free: 888-325-6565
Ph. Local: 850.983.9750
Fax: 850-983-9752
8100 Armstrong Road Milton, FL 32583

References:

H-ITT Classroom Response System. (2001-2007). Transmitters, receivers and computer software for an inter-active classroom. Retrieved September 29, 2008, from http://www.h-itt.com/

Ultralite. (n.d). Find the iRespond product that is right for you. Retrieved September 29, 2008, from http://www.irespond.com/p/

Smartroom. (2004). Smartroom Learning Solutions: Higher education. Retrieved September 29, 2008 from the http://www.smartroom.com/