As a faculty member who was at an institution that did something quite similar with Palm based mobile computing (7 years ago). I believe there is great potential in handheld devices, however it requires a lot of forethought on the part of the faculty. No matter how good the technology is, it is only a tool and like all tools it has a place where it works and a place where it doesn't. It also must be implemented because you believe the technology has the potential to meet certain objectives not simply because it is new technology. Set your objectives first and then find technology that serves those objectives (not the other way around).
If you wish to read what I did feel free to look at the following link http://campustechnology.com/articles/39271/ (please note my hesitance to post a link to one's own publication because it feels so self serving ). The biggest success was with PDA based review/practice quizzes. The article does not give specifics because I collected the data as a course assessment without IRB approval and thus was reluctant to publish the actually results. In short, the group that used handheld practice quizzes scored 10 points higher on exams than the group that did not. As a control there were no quizzes available for the first exam and the actual difference between the two groups on that exam was less than less than 2 points. I'll admit there could have been a motivation factor and self-selection (those who wished to improve used the tool), but I've never seen such improvement with paper or on-line quizzing. I have tried replicate review quizzes on the iPod with limited success (software is available and I succeeded in making the application but couldn't get it to load on my iPod - 30 GB Video iPod). By the way, our university abandoned the practice in less that 4 years, as it was expensive, did NOT increase enrollment and there were limited demonstrated benefits (I will freely admit that we could have done a better job and have said so in a different publication - we also chose a technology that was quickly bypassed by smart phones and now the iTouch). Doug Doug Peterson, PhD Director of University Honors Associate Professor of Psychology The University of South Dakota 414 E. Clark Vermillion SD 57069 e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] phone (Honors): (605) 677-5223 phone (Psychology): (605) 677-5295 -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2008 10:01 AM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Subject: Re: [tips] Congratulations! Your Teaching Job Just Got Easier! I have the isty bitsy tiny ipod and love it. I listen to novels on tape when I go walking. I like it better than music! But I have the isty bitsy teeny tiny one because I had to pay for it myself ;) Annette Annette Kujawski Taylor, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology University of San Diego 5998 Alcala Park San Diego, CA 92110 619-260-4006 [EMAIL PROTECTED] ---- Original message ---- >Date: Thu, 21 Aug 2008 06:38:06 -0400 >From: "Mike Palij" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: [tips] Congratulations! Your Teaching Job Just Got Easier! >To: "Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS)" <[email protected]> >Cc: "Mike Palij" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >Just kidding. Some colleges/universities are giving out >iPods and iPhones to incoming studnets, though no >mention of any program for faculty. See >http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/21/technology/21iphone.html? _r=1&th=&oref=slogin&emc=th&pagewanted=all >or >http://tinyurl.com/5b93k6 > >How many faculty have iPods and/or iPhones or >smart phones? > >-Mike Palij >New York University >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > >--- >To make changes to your subscription contact: > >Bill Southerly ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
