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Title:
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CREATING LEARNING SPACES FOR MOBILE DEVICES IN THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CLASSROOM |
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Author(s):
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Mark Frydenberg |
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ISBN:
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972-8924-15-1 |
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Editors:
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Pedro Isaías, Piet Kommers and Inmaculada Arnedillo Sánchez |
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Year:
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2006 |
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Edition:
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Single |
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Keywords:
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Mobile learning, Pocket PCs, Introductory Technology Course, integrated learning, learning spaces. |
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Type:
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Full Paper |
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First Page:
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34 |
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Last Page:
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40 |
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Language:
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English |
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Cover:
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Full Contents:
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click to dowload 
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Paper Abstract:
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Recent years have seen a dramatic growth in the availability of mobile devices and applications. Lower prices and
increased capabilities have contributed to the popularity of these handheld computers among students and faculty,
especially on college campuses where wireless Internet access is prevalent. This study explores the use of Pocket PCs to
enhance teaching and learning of technology concepts in a first year Introduction to Technology course at a business
college. By creating learning spaces and activities for integrated, experiential mobile learning, students learned about
technology by using it rather than reading about it from textbooks. At the same time, their use of technology provided a
context for applying knowledge from other domains.
This paper describes the various learning spaces that integrate the use of mobile devices both inside and outside of the
classroom to introduce course topics. The course focused on teaching integrated tools, not discrete topics, to prepare
students to use mobile technology to figure out how to accomplish specific tasks.
In addition to an increased facility with technology, students became more organized outside of class, maintaining their
schedules and tasks, exchanging information between laptops and hand held devices and finding uses for wireless
Internet access. The Pocket PC became a useful tool not only to complete students coursework but also as part of their
daily routines.
To measure their learning and attitudes about technology, students in the Technology Intensive sections (using Pocket
PCs) and those in Standard sections were surveyed at the beginning and end of the semester and given a common final
exam. On average, the students using Pocket PCs scored at least as well if not better than those not using them. A survey
of students in the Technology Intensive sections one year after completing the course, found that 62% of the students still
used their Pocket PCs at least twice a month. |
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