The Impact of Using ICT/Wireless Technology in Education

For this entry, it would be a discussion on the impact of using ICT/ wireless technology in education. The task for this posting requires and relies a lot on the effort of searching for information through online database. The challenge for this task lies behind the patience in utilizing online databases which often takes some time before getting the right hit on what you’re searching for. Besides that, the skills of selecting suitable resources out of the unlimited references also has its difficulty and the most fundamental step is to internalize all the information found, then summarize it coherently to answer the topic itself. Therefore, for this posting, it is the result of this process that you will be reading.

As I go through the use of ICT for research such as the online databases, online journals, online encyclopedia and so on, I realized that the topic is broadly studied and discussed. Much research has been done on analyzing the impact of using wireless technology in education as you will see in this posting.

Mobile Wireless Technology Use and Implementation

People commonly use technology in their daily lives. Within our increasingly complex society, individuals, organizations and other entities continue to look for new technologies that support their goals. Since the 1990s, there has been movement toward mobile wireless technology in education. Like the wired technology that came before, mobile wireless technology was initially used in business sectors, to improve efficiency and effectiveness in production. However, learners and educators are now using this emerging technology to increase efficiency and effectiveness in the classroom (Maginnis, White, & Mckenna, 2000)

Mobile wireless technology involves two areas—mobility and computing (Malladi & Agrawal, 2002). Mobility in this context is defined as continuous accessibility to users, and wireless means communication using radio waves, infrared waves and microwaves instead of cables or wires in order to transport a signal to connect communication devices (Dubendorf, 2003; Malladi & Agrawal, 2002).

As a result, mobile wireless technology is defined as technology that provides continuous accessibility to users anytime, anywhere without using wire or cable to connect to networks (like the internet), transmit data or communicate with others.

Computing devices have become ubiquitous on today’s college campuses. From notebook computers to Wireless phones and Handheld devices, the massive infusion of computing devices and rapidly improving Internet capabilities have altered the nature of higher education (Green,2007).




The impact of wireless technology in education

The use of information and communication technology (ICT) has improved learning, especially when coupled with more learner-centered instruction (Zhu & Kaplan, 2002), or convenience, where learning and exchange with the instructor can take place asynchronously at the learner’s own pace or on an as-needed basis (Palloff & Pratt, 2001). In addition, because wireless devices are highly individualized and collaborative communications tools they give faculty flexible tools for complementing the existing technologies and extending the learning beyond the classrooms and homes from remote places like airports or trains where students do not have access to computers and the Internet (Virvou & Alepis, 2005).



'Hot Spot' and locations that offers Wi-Fi services allow access to the Internet without cable connections.

Handheld Devices

There are many different types of mobile wireless devices being used in education. Examples of mobile wireless devices include: mobile wireless phones, PDA, handheld computers and wireless laptop computers. Handheld devices are growing in importance in education, largely because their affordability and accessibility create an opportunity for educators to transition from occasional, supplemental use of computers, to frequent and integral use of portable computational technology. Why and how might these new devices enhance school learning? First, networked handhelds enables ready-at-hand access to technology throughout the school day and throughout the learner’s personal life. Designers need to understand the capabilities of the new generation of handheld computers and wireless networks that are most relevant for learning. (© 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved)

PDA
Three major benefits derived from PDAs are mobility, information management capacity and beaming capability. PDAs have additional functions, such as serving as a textbook, an organizer, a notepad and a pencil (Yuen & Yuen, 2003). Because of PDAs’ information management capacity, students can track their learning progress by checking grades, preparing for classes, managing courses and making plans for self improvement in a student-centered learning environment.

Teachers also use PDAs to help with the every day management of their classes. They can increase efficiency and effectiveness with PDAs, by handling attendance, grading and lecture notes. Because all the procedures are electronic, and data is stored in digital form, teachers can reduce not only the amount of time required for the paperwork inherent to teaching and managing classes, but also the amount of time involved gathering and organizing assignments.

In teaching and learning environments PDAs are currently the hottest mobile wireless technology. (McGhee & Kozma, 2001; McKenzie, 2001; Syllabus, 2002). They can be used interactively with other devices and networks through wired and Bluetooth synchronization, the process in which two or more technologies interact with each other and come to move together.

Mobile

SMS and MMS are two services often used with mobile wireless phone. SMS and MMS can make communication easy involving text, image and sound between teachers and students, and students and students. For example, students who have missed class can send and receive class notes, schedules and test dates.

Research has been done to prove how these handheld deviced aid in learning

“For example, students at the Ballard High School in Seattle, Washington use handheld devices for organizing personal information, such as assignment calendars, contacts and to-do lists (Brown, 2001). Students at Carl Sandburg High School, Orland Park, Illinois, and Amos AlonzoStagg High School, Palos Hills, Illinois use a Palm handheld computer for virtually all courses (Dean, 2000). Some additional schools have conducted mobile wireless technology projects. For example, Johnston County Schools Project in North Carolina and Beaufort County Schools in the South Carolina Project (SEIRTEC, 2002) undertook pilot projects involving the use of handhelds to assist students in studying, as well as to assist teachers in managing data from assessments.”

Conclusion

Overall, the benefits of PDAs and mobile wireless phones are derived from two main characteristics of mobile wireless technology—mobility and reachability. Three elements of mobility—convenience, expediency and immediacy – are valuable for teaching and learning and bring actual benefits in the learning environment (Kynfislahti, 2003), such as:

1. The convenience element enables students and teachers to use their waiting-time or dead time on the bus or train to conduct educational activities.

2. The expediency element enables students and teachers to share information and have access to data anytime and anywhere.

3. The immediacy element enables students and teachers to store immediate observations and ideas outside of the classroom.

Without mobility, no benefit mentioned above would be possible. As more educational institutions adopt mobile wireless technology as a teaching and learning tool, more benefits will be identified in the near future. People in the 21^st Century need to reflect on whether this emerging technology optimizes students’ learning and prepares students for the technological demands of today’s workplace and daily life.

References:

Mobile Wireless Technology Use and Implementation: Opening a Dialogue on the New Technologies in Education

By Sang Hyun Kim, Kerry Holmes and Clif Mims

<http://www.springerlink.com/content/12w634u7463vg160/fulltext.pdf>

Mobile learning: A framework and evaluation

<http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6VCJ-4HVDN3C-2&_user=150792&_coverDate=11%2F30%2F2007&_alid=710120995&_rdoc=1&_fmt=full&_orig=search&_cdi=5956&_docanchor=&view=c&_ct=9&_acct=C000012458&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=150792&md5=392a1601e670339070f92b9a509233f1>

The Future of Anytime, Anywhere Education by Joni Lindquist

<http://proquest.umi.com.ezplib.ukm.my/pqdweb?index=4&did=744773871&SrchMode=1&sid=2&Fmt=6&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1206129813&clientId=39290>

Applying wireless sensor networks to context-awareness in ubiquitous learning

<http://www.scopus.com.ezplib.ukm.my/scopus/record/display.url?view=basic&eid=2-s2.0-38049011354&origin=resultslist&sort=plf-f&src=s&st1=wireless+technology+in+education&nlo=&nlr=&nls=&sid=aczytklSHvErB1Q8kn0KMv8%3a30&sot=b&sdt=b&sl=47&s=TITLE-ABS-KEY%28wireless+technology+in+education%29&relpos=20>

Designing Networked Handheld Devices to Enhance School Learning

<http://www.scopus.com.ezplib.ukm.my/scopus/record/display.url?view=basic&eid=2-s2.0-34248678159&origin=resultslist&sort=plf-f&src=s&st1=wireless+technology+in+education&nlo=&nlr=&nls=&sid=aczytklSHvErB1Q8kn0KMv8%3a30&sot=b&sdt=b&sl=47&s=TITLE-ABS-KEY%28wireless+technology+in+education%29&relpos=36>

Computer Assisted Writing

Warschauer and Healey (1998), state that “the rise of computer-mediated communication and the Internet have reshaped the uses of computers for language learning at the end of the 20^th century”.

It is indeed true, throughout the study and research I’ve done for this second posting assignment, I’ve realized that technology is even more advanced than I knew and most importantly, how useful and constructive it is to language learning. For this posting, it would be its benefits on writing that we focus on.

There are many web based online learning activities that assist in writing. Some of which we use in our everyday activity yet we were just not aware of how it has contributed to the development of our writing skills. Examples of these web based online learning systems are electronic mails, chat rooms, e-forum, e-journal and other avenues that allows non-verbal communication and interaction. Probably one may not see how these activities has anything to do with improving writing skills but in fact it does, whether directly or indirectly. Take the most common writing software for example, the word processor, it is an excellent tool that aids writing process but to be able to make full use out of it during the actual writing process, it requires a good writing skill. A poor typing skill will defeat the purpose of the software itself that is suppose to save time and make it more convenient for a person. And ever asked your self where we might have attained this typing skill? I am sure the answer for majority students would be through chatting because it is a synchronous interaction; therefore, we have gradually picked up the required speed of typing in order to communicate effectively through chat rooms. Later, we will look into more details on how these activities assist writing skills by discussing the available software that offers these activities.

E-Forum

E-forum is now widely used as part of a teaching medium for conducting courses. It is an avenue for communication among peers and course instructors. It permits exchange of ideas which will widen students’ thinking skills and creativity. Besides that, feedbacks and comments that they receive through the forum are also vital as a remedy to their weaknesses in writing.

OTL in ELT, Theme one, ‘Online and Offline Writing Course’ has shown research done that compares students learning in an online environment and off environment. ‘A number of researchers found that students’ participation increased greatly in the electronic mode.’ Part of the reason is that it requires student to be initiative and take the necessary steps to learn in order to not fall behind the class progress. What is benefiting for them is that they are able to learn with their own pace. When it is compulsory to participate in e-forum, it indirectly encourages learning.

E-Journals/ Weblogs

(OTL in ELT, ‘Blogging and Trainee Teachers’ Professional Development’, Malachi Edwin Vethamani)

‘Blogging has brought interest in learners to write. Ward (2004: 8) states that “students are excited about writing again because the whole world is watching their words, and not just their writing teacher”.’

“Writing blogs is a good way for me to express my thought and feelings. I am not braive enough to give my point of view in the class because my English is not good enough. I worried that course-mates may laugh at me. I afraid that lecturer may critic badly on my language in front of my course-mates. I feel save in expressing my feeling by posting blogs.” ~Tan Gaik Khin (www.gktan.blogspot.com)

There is no better way to prove how blogging activity actually helps learners in their writing than to hear it first hand from their own experience and how they feel towards it.

Software

Let’s begin with the most basic software that comes with every computer, ‘Microsoft Word’. I have realized that there are still quite a number of people that uses this software only to type and print but not utilizing other functions that it has. Here’s a summary of what most computer writing program has to offer taken from The Access Center-Computer-Assisted Instruction&Writing, <http://www.k8accesscenter.org/training_resources/computeraided_writing.asp>

Word prediction

• Student-specific programs that identify words that student uses repeatedly; when the student types the first few letters, the program lists frequently used words that start with those letters
• speeds up the typing process

Speech-to-text

• student speaks into a microphone and the program types the words
• program must be “trained” to the student’s word pronunciation and speech style
• student must be taught how to use the program
• increased speed from thought to text

Text-to-speech

• student can hear what she has typed to check if it says what she wants it to say
• good for editing

Spell-checker

• helps student identify misspelled words

• automatically corrects words if the teacher set the program that way

Thesaurus

• offers student other words that mean the same as the word he or she is using
• adds variety to student’s writing and increases student vocabulary

Thesaurus is one of my personal favorite utility. As a literature student, there are so many writings to do and the availability of thesaurus just makes up for my lacking of vocabulary inventory. In academic writing, there is a lot of paraphrasing that has to be done to avoid plagiarism and thesaurus has made the job so much easier and convenient.

One problem that often occurs in the writing process is how we’re always distracted by spelling and grammar checking that we tend to lose focus on what’s more important; that is the organization and content. With the functions of the writing software, we can feel safe to pay less attention to the mechanics and concentrate more on conveying our message effectively.

If you actually try to explore the software that assist writing, you’ll find out how impossible it is to list them all out and explain their advantages. Take programs like ‘Inspiration’ for example, writing becomes fun because we can use pictures, change the shape or colors of the circles, change the chart and so on to make our outline a interesting one. Talking from experience, you’ll be in dilemma to decide which software to obtain with all the choices lay out in front of you. J

Here are a few recommended; useful and more advanced software I’ve found:

Concordance®. <http://law.lexisnexis.com/concordance>

Editor Software <http://www.editorsoftware.com>

Inspiration Software Inc. <http://www.inspiration.com/home.cfm>

Examples of URL that host computerized writing activities

Ø Essay Edge.com <http://www.erraticimpact.com/cyberedit/default.htm>

Ø CILL-Centre for Independent Language Learning <http://elc.polyu.edu.hk/cill/default4.htm>

Ø ESL Flow.com <http://www.eslflow.com/AcademicWritng.html>

Ø EFL Laboratory, Writing, <http://amarris.homestead.com/writing.html>

When I was informed that we have to find websites that host computerized writing activities for this posting, I was a little worried at first to be honest because I’m not familiar with such websites and have little impression that I’ve ever come across websites as such. The whole idea was a blur one which left me to wonder what activities they can possibly provide to help train writing skills. What is astonishing is that it is not through the research for this assignment that I have found these helpful websites but it is through a personal experience of finding guides through the net to help improve my academic writing. It is for another course subject, ‘Written Communication’ that has endless essays to be completed. As I searched for guidelines to write the essay, I realized how closely related these subjects are and how useful it is the knowledge we obtain through each of the subject that equip us for another subject. Thus, this assignment has allowed me to gain a valuable insight and a greater depth of the purpose of this course.

As a conclusion, I would say that it is important for learners to manipulate the latest technology in order to improve on writing by using the computer.

Computerized Reading (Problem Solving-Reading for Information)

“The rapid and prolific introduction of electronic resources poses new challenges for academic reference desks. To help meet these challenges, new ways of looking at the reference process may help.”

(Quoted from Janet R. Cottrell and Michael B. Eisenberg; “Applying an Information Problem Solving Model to Academic Reference Work: Findings and Implications”)

<http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlpubs/crljournal/backissues2001b/july01/cottrell.pdf>

This online text explains computerized reading on problem solving through reading for information thoroughly. It is a relevant text because it focuses on searching for academic references which fits the purpose of this course; to teach how information technology aid in the learning process.

Problem solving (Reading for Information) is done almost on a daily basis for people of all ages. It is essential to students especially in full filling their task to complete their assignments. Knowing their way on how to read for information to solve a problem is highly useful.

The online text mentioned before shows a study of the six steps students perform research:

1. Initiation: Student receives assignment.
2. Selection: Student selects general topic area.
3. Exploration: Student explores material on general topic.
4. Formulation: Student focuses on more specific topic.
5. Collection: Student collects materials on focused topic.
6. Presentation: Student prepares and presents finished assignment.

(Notice that a big part of the process requires reading for information in order to find answers.)

We took a different approach for this 1^st blog posting assignment by conducting activities to read for information first before we refer to the online text we found for detailed explanations on reading for information. We came up with a few topics that we would love to gain more information about and carry out the activity in the usual ways we always do research through the net to find for answers. Only to find out how similar the steps we have taken are to the six steps mentioned in the article. We started off with the ‘pre-focus’ steps by browsing for the topic and to see the material that the net has to provide us. We then take the ‘semi-focus’ step and choose the most relevant one out of all the listed topics by referring to the background information provided for each topic. It is at the ‘post-focus’ stage where we finally gather specific information that answers to our question directly.

However, we were introduced to ‘Eisenberg-Berkowitz Model’ through the online text by Janet R. Cottrell and Michael B. Eisenberg; “Applying an Information Problem Solving Model to Academic Reference Work: Findings and Implications”.

Eisenberg-Berkowitz Model

Michael B. Eisenberg and Robert E. Berkowitz describe a six-stage model of Information Problem-Solving (IPS) in a more detailed level. The model includes six stages in the information problem-solving process:

1. Task Definition

1.1 Define the problem.

1.2 Identify the information requirements of the problem.

2. Information-seeking Strategies

2.1 Determine the range of possible sources (brainstorm).

2.2 Evaluate the different possible sources to determine priorities.

3. Location and Access

3.1 Locate sources (intellectually and physically).

3.2 Find information within sources.

4. Use of Information

4.1 Engage (read, see, hear) the information in a source.

4.2 Extract relevant information from a source.

5. Synthesis

5.1 Organize information from multiple sources.

5.2 Present information.

6. Evaluation

6.1 Judge the product (effectiveness).

6.2 Judge the information problem solving process (efficiency).

We conducted our activity once more on reading for information based on this model and realized that it is a much more systematic and efficient way of computerized reading for information. We were well guided throughout the process until we've reached the exact information we need that answer to our topic. Besides that, we manage to deal with problems that often occur in the process of finding information through the net such as; the high proportion of sources, mixture of many irrelevant and unreliable sources that impede the information-seeking process. Our experience with implementing this model simply asserts that a systematic, problem-solving process should be used with making any decision that is based on information. Before we applied this model in our activity, we find ourselves wasting much time browsing through the net and only to gain little useful information in the end. The whole point of reading for information will defeat its purpose if you fail to attain the information that you want or need in the first place, therefore, it is important to read for information systematically.

Eisenberg-Berkowitz Model ‘has been widely adopted in education circles’.

“As more and more colleges and universities develop information literacy competencies, academic librarians also are becoming familiar with its potential”

(Janet R. Cottrell and Michael B. Eisenberg; “Applying an Information Problem Solving Model to Academic Reference Work: Findings and Implications”)

Other available online text for reference:

Computer Skills for Information Problem-Solving: Learning and Teaching Technology in Context. ERIC Digest. <http://www.ericdigests.org/1996-4/skills.htm>

Me and my partner, Sim Ming Quan, for this posting.