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