SKBP1023 Language & Information Technology: 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.