Handheld Learning - learning with mobile and ubiquitous technologies

Getting rid of textbooks is a good idea for a variety of reasons. In addition to the ones already mentioned (cost, weight of backpacks, annotation), there is also the added advantage of being able to update information much quicker and cheaper. Right now, the average lifespan of a textbook (at least in the US) is about five years, but we all know how much faster information changes these days, especially given the explosion of information as a result of the Internet.
On the flipside, if this is the direction we are heading in (more of a when than an if), we need to make some substantial changes to the ways in which we teach children, i.e. there needs to be much more of an emphasis on information retrieval, management, and evaluation, which brings learning automatically to a higher level. In addition, this type of learning should also lead to more and more information and knowledge creation than basic retention of facts, another higher level thinking skill.
It's interesting to see where we are headed with regards to electronic info and increasingly higher levels of mobility. There are already voices out there stating that cell phones will replace desktops as the main providers of Internet content within the next five years, and when you think about it, this is really not that farfetched. Also, because of increased mobility and ubiquitous wireless access, media content as we know it now can and probably will stop to exist. There seems to be more of a trend towards peer-to-peer networks of information, rather than top-down kinds of models as we see now with a few large media conglomerates in control of the content. Think of the possiblilities (both good and bad!) when a change like that takes place on a large scale. I'd say, social studies teachers beware, your job will become even more important than it is now!!

Mark

Hi all,
Please note, the deadline for papers for this issue has been extended, but we would like a title and author information fairly soon:

March 31: Title and author information
May 31: manuscript due.

See the previous post for all the details, and as always, please contact me with questions.
Mark

This is great to see. I'm working with a scholar from Benin on the integration of handheld devices and science probes in secondary science education, and the obstacles that educators face in this part of the world are tremendous, and include a non-existent technology infrastructure, or access to electricity for that matter; a lack of places to acquire technology; and a shortage of professional development. Please keep posting these stories. Mobile devices are (in my view) one of the few techologies currently available that could potentially help to level the playing field.

Mark

Scott,
A cursory search turned up quite a bit, don't know about the quality though. The SIG will have a business meeting on Tuesday June 28 (4:45-6:15) followed by the SIG reception. I hope to see many of you there. I'll post more info as it becomes available. I'm not sure what type of an impact our SIG will have on future conferences with regards to handheld sessions, although I know we will actively lobby for more. Maybe we can get some kind of special strand.

Mark

Hi all,
We are looking for original work for our online journal, the Journal of the Research Center for Educational Technology (www.rcetj.org). Guidelines are below. Please note the initial deadline of April 29, I know that's soon, and that because of the electronic format of the journal, multimedia elements can be embedded in the work. If you have any questions, please contact me privately by email.

Mark

CALL FOR PAPERS

SPECIAL ISSUE OF THE

The Journal of the Research Center for Educational Technology

UBIQUITOUS COMPUTING IN K-12 EDUCATION

The use of technology in teaching and learning is undergoing a substantial transformation as the tools are getting smaller and more powerful. Consequently, this technology is becoming increasingly ubiquitous in presence and use, with wireless laptops and handheld computers being the prime examples. Ubiquitous computers are highly mobile, provide more opportunities for both collaboration and individualization, and have the potential to provide wireless access to a variety of information sources virtually anytime, anywhere. Moreover, it seems clear that ubiquitous technologies will become an increasingly important part of K-12 education in that they might enable the transition from occasional, supplemental use of computing technologies to more frequent and integrated uses. Thus, it very well may be that ubiquitous technologies will support a true computer revolution in education that has dramatically changed virtually every other information intensive field. The use of ubiquitous technologies for learning is a relatively new field, and the unique nature of the tool itself has opened up new possibilities for research in educational technology. It is important that we begin to explore those possibilities now in anticipation of burgeoning use of ubiquitous computing in classrooms everywhere. This special issue of The Journal of the Research Center for Educational Technology will explore some of that potential.
   We are soliciting manuscripts that include quantitative and/or qualitative research in the area of the use of ubiquitous computing in teaching and learning, with a specific focus on handhelds and/or laptops. These manuscripts may address, but are not limited to, issues such as 1) ubiquitous technology and knowledge representation; 2) pedagogical issues related to specific grade levels, content/subject areas; 3) technical issues related to the characteristics of ubiquitous technology as a learning tool and implications for implementation on both large and small scales; 4) wireless assessment tools and the assessment of ubiquitous computing projects; 5) the use of ubiquitous computing tools with special-needs students; 6) gender-related issues; 7) ubiquitous computing and digital equity; 8 ) collaboration in ubiquitous computing environments; 9) ubiquitous computing in special education environments and/or with students with special needs; 10) literature reviews of the emerging field; 11) future research agenda for the field.

Manuscripts are to be submitted in APA style.  Please include a one or two-sentence summary of the article that will be used as a link. Abstracts of 100-150 words are required to introduce each article. For more information about the journal and manuscript submissions click here.

Reviewers are chosen for their knowledge and scholarship in the field of educational technology. Manuscripts will be peer reviewed based on the following criteria:

1.   Relevance of the research question(s) to ubiquitous computing.
2.   Grounding of the study in relevant theory and research.
3.   Appropriateness of the methodology.
4.   Validity of the conclusions.
5.   Quality of the writing.
6.   Appropriateness of the media submitted.

Manuscripts for the special issue are due April 29, 2005.  Ongoing submissions focused on research in the area of educational technology will be accepted for future publications. Manuscripts are to be submitted in duplicate via CD-ROM (2 CD’s) to:

Karen Swan, Ed.D.         
Journal Editor               
Research Center for Educational Technology                                     
201 Moulton Hall                  
Kent State University                              
Kent, OH 44242                  
USA                                                                                                         
kswan@kent.edu                  
330-672-3317                  

Hi all,
I was just notified that ISTE has agreed to let us form a special interest group for handheld computing. Since ISTE is an international organization, I hope many of you who are not in the US will get involved. i'll provide updates on this forum, but for now we are planning on being very visible at NECC in June.

Mark

Hi Scott,
You know I'll be there!! I am taking part in two panels on handheld computers (see below). Also, for those of you who may not know, Elliot Soloway, Cathie Norris and I are trying to start a handheld computing SIG for ISTE. The proposal will be voted on this month so keep your fingers crossed. I will let everybody know what the outcome of the vote is when I hear about it. If you are going to be at NECC, I hope to see you there.

Mark

NECC panels:

Title: Trends in Mobile Technology for K-16 Higher Education/Teacher Preparation (panel)
Presenters:  Karen Swan (moderator), Kent State University, Research Center for Educational Technology; Michael Berson, University of South Florida; Don Descy, Minnesota State University, Mankato; Penelope Swenson, California State University, Bakersfield; Darlene Unger, Kent State University
Date & Time: June 28, 2005, 8:30-9:30 am

Title: Trends in Mobile Technology for K-16 Teaching and Learning (panel)
Presenters: Mark van 't Hooft (moderator), Kent State University, Research Center for Educational Technology; Valerie Crawford, SRI International; Mike Curtis, GoKnow Inc.; Jan Kelly, Mogadore Local Schools; Manish Kothari, AlphaSmart; Carolyn Staudt, Concord Consortium; Mark Yehle, SuccessLink
Date & Time: June 30, 2005, 12:00-1:00 pm

I think this really depends on how you view learning and who is considered the teacher. When it comes to formal learning (i.e. in a formal classroom setting), the teacher is never superfluous, no matter what the technology is. As much as I am a proponent of technology integration in the classroom, it will NEVER replace good teachers and good teaching. As said, it will change the role of the teacher. Research in this area has popularized the phrase "from sage on the stage to facilitator on the side", but I think we need to look beyond that. Based on my research and observations, the role of the teacher becomes more one of co-investigator, and the teacher becomes more of a teacher/learner.

With regards to teaching beyond the walls of the classroom, its a different game altogether, as definitions of teaching, teacher, and learning (can) take on different meanings. For one, learners could be completely independent, the curriculum becomes more if not completely learner-driven, and teachers may include parents, peers, experts, etc....

Mark

My employer, the Research Center for Educational Technology at Kent State University (http://www.rcet.org), is involved in a variety of projects involving handheld devices. For a list of our research, see http://www.kent.edu/rcet/RCET-Handheld-Research.cfm. Our endeavors into mobile devices began in 2001 with the well-known Palm Education Pioneer (PEP) project in the US (http://palmgrants.sri.com), a project in which we participated as a regional research hub. Many of our current projects, as well as a CD-Rom we produced in 2003 (http://www.kent.edu/rcet/CD_Roms.cfm), and two handheld conferences have come out of this project. For example, we are currently studying the use of handhelds in elementary social studies education and reading, and the use of Danas by AlphaSmart in middle school science. In addition, one of our main foci of study is how handhelds are used in more ubiquitous computing environments (or "handheld-centric", a term used by Elliot Soloway and Cathie Norris). Ubiquitous computing was coined in 1991 by the Mark Weiser of XeroX Park as an environment in which technology is so prevalent it disappears into the physical and mental backgrounds in which we operate, i.e. anytime, anywhere, anyone computing. Handheld devices by themselves are an interesting phenomenon for education, but I think it is the overall technology environment we should be considering, at least at this point in time.

Mark

Interesting thoughts. I would disagree with anorman's 1st point that handhelds are seen as personal tools only. This is actually an advantage when it comes to learning, because handhelds provide students with a personal workspace (as well as a public one through things like beaming) that is theirs to configure and use. I.e. when it comes to desktops in schools, students often have to worry about sharing workspace with other students, being limited in how they can set it up for their own needs and running the risk of losing their work.

In addition to what's already been posted, let me throw another idea out, which is related to the financial issue. We've seen our share of relatively large-scale projects in the US, both with handhelds (Chicago, Il; Putnam, OK; Detroit, MI,  etc.) and laptops (e.g. Maine; Henrico County). While initial investments in these projects were substantial, it looks like sustainability of these projects is a real issue, especially when it comes to handhelds. From what I've seen from working with a group of teachers in a two-county area in Ohio is that handhelds have a life of about three years (and that's if you take good care of them), as far as how long they will last before they die, as well as the point at which they become obsolete. This may become less of an issue with future generations of handhelds, as they reach a plateau in hardware and OS development. However, this plateau seems to be in the distant future.

That said, I think that large-scale implementations of handheld devices (e.g. in an entire district), closely followed over a longer period of time, say at least three to five years, will give us information about ubiquitous technology in teaching and learning the likes of which we haven't seen in formal learning environments. Current generations of students need this type of anytime, anywhere technology for learning. They are already more connected outside of school than in school, and we need to figure out a way to transfer this connectedness to their formal schooling.

Mark

Hi all,
It's great to see another handheld forum! To introduce myself: I'm Mark van 't Hooft, originally hailing from the Netherlands. I currently live in Kent, Ohio, USA, and am a researcher and tech specialist for the Research Center for Educational Technology at Kent State University. My specialty is mobile computing in K-12 education, especially social studies. We do quite a bit of research and professional development in this area. I'm a licensed trainer for both palmOne and AlphaSmart. We've done two handheld conferences and published a CD-Rom two years ago, of which we distributed 5,000 copies worldwide. I'm also finishing up my dissertation and hope to be done in August of this year.
It's good to see many of my American compadres have already responded to this list. I hope though that this forum will be a truly global enterprise. I'll contribute what I can. Thanks, and nice to meet all of you.

Mark
http://www.rcet.org