jeffrey nichols september 25, 2001 handheld computers in higher education jeffrey nichols carnegie...

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

Handheld Computers

in Higher Education

Jeffrey NicholsCarnegie Mellon University

September 25, 2001

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

Background

I work on the Pebbles Project at Carnegie Mellon University.

Key Question “How can handheld and desktop

computers work together to help users?”

This research has led us in a number of directions.

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

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Pebbles is:

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

Handhelds in Homes

Interact with embedded computation “Smart homes” Not just speech and vision as interfaces

Interact with appliances, lights, etc. “Universal Personal Controller”

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

Augment desktop applications Use multiple devices at the same time

Handhelds in an Office

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

Handhelds in Meetings

Attendees use handhelds to interact andannotate presentation

Augment collaboration Take notes

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

Handhelds in Classrooms

Data projectors for instructor’s slides Students could have computers for:

Notetaking linked to instructor’s slides In-class testing Running simulations

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

Overview

Pebbles Project Software Use in Meetings Use in Classrooms

Other Software Other Projects Commercial Software

Demonstrations

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

Use in Meetings

Enhance group’s collaboration and control

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

Remote Commander

Allow PDAs to control a PC Can be used with any application Uses the standard (single) cursor Don’t have to jump up and grab

mouse Perform all mouse and

keyboard functions Use PDA like touchpad Graffiti or our own

pop-up keyboard

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

New PocketPC version

Get PC’s screen onto PocketPC

Full view, or one-to-one zooming Scroll with iPaq’s buttons

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

Scribble

Multiple people draw on top of whatever on PC screen, not just PowerPoint

Each user has own cursorand color

Save by PrintScreen Erase by refresh

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

MultiCursor

For special applications that are aware of multiple inputs

E.g.: Shared Whiteboard

Single Display Groupware Multiple people, one display

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

SlideShow Commander

For PowerPoint PC Only: Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000, ME, XP

Use PC to give the presentation Full features of PowerPoint

Use hand-held as “remote control” for PC Can wander away from the keyboard Two-way communication

View, Navigate, Highlight, Time

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

View on Handheld: slide

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

View on Handheld: notes

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

View on Handheld: titles

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

View on Handheld: time

Multi-function timer View large And in corner

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

Control Demonstrations

Control PC applications and external devices

Easy demo and resume show

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

Commercialized

SlideShow Commandercommercialized by:

Available at Office Depot,CompUSA, etc.

Synergy Solutions, Inc.Synergy Solutions, Inc.http://www.synsolutions.com/Synergy Solutions, Inc.Synergy Solutions, Inc.http://www.synsolutions.com/

http://www.slideshowcommander.com/http://www.slideshowcommander.com/

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

Overview

Pebbles Project Software Use in Meetings Use in Classrooms

Other Software Other Projects Commercial Software

Demonstrations

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

Classroom Use

Using handheld computers in classrooms Testing

Improving large lectures

Providing immediate feedback to instructor

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

Hardware

HP donated 110 Jornada 680 and 100 720 computers Windows CE

Lucent donated Wavelan wireless cards

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

Context

Collaborator: Prof. David Yaron of Chemistry Chemistry 09-106: Modern Chemistry II

Spring 2000 and Spring 2001 About 90 students Mostly freshmen

Loaned one Jornada and one Wavelan card to each student for the whole semester So would get used to using it Offset technical difficulties with benefits to student

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

Wireless Andrew

CMU has nearly complete coverage of 802.11b (Wavelan) Donations from Lucent

Funding from state of Pennsylvania

Can use computers wirelessly in all classrooms and offices Most lawns, dorm rooms, etc.

Windows, Mac, Linux, Windows CE, Palm support

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

Concept Tests

Create with html Arbitrary html tags

allowed in questions and answers Pictures, formatting, links

Use FrontPage, etc. to author

Use extra tags to indicate questions and answers

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

Concept Test

Students allowed to answer multiple times Server stores all answers

Prof. Yaron displayedquestions and answers onthe board

Evidence that significantlycontributes to learning Mazur, E. (1997).

Peer Instruction:A User's Manual, Prentice Hall.

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

Instructor’s View

In class, instructor sees a chart of answers

May be projected forentire class tosee

Instructions displayed forstudents at top of screen

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

Alternative Presentations

Show 2 questions

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

Alternative Presentations, cont.

Click on pictures to select region

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

Results

Unfortunately, no data (yet) about effects on learning

Students thought concept tests were a valuable part of the class

Students significantly preferred using handhelds for concept tests.

Raise Hands Hold up cards Handhelds

25% 4% 63%

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

Overview

Pebbles Project Software Use in Meetings Use in Classrooms

Other Software Other Projects Commercial Software

Demonstrations

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

Disclaimer

Most educational work on Palm handhelds is not for teachers of higher-education

Typically for elementary schools

Typically for students

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

Other Projects

Project Numina Very similar to our work

eClass (Classroom 2000) Networked computers in the college

classroom

Hi-CE Palm Project Palms in elementary education

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

Very similar to our work Concept Tests within Chemistry

classrooms

More experimentation with types of questions Sliders Maps

http://aa.uncwil.edu/numina 

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

Building the classroom of the future Capturing lectures Allowing students to share notes

Handhelds are a part of this vision Notetaking devices

http://www.cc.gatech.edu/fce/eclass/

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

Hi-CE Palm Project

Computers are great learning tools for elementary education, but handhelds are more affordable.

Hi-CE’s mission is to make Palms more accessible for teachers and students. Concept mapping Virus transfer simulator

http://www.handheld.hice-dev.org/

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

Overview

Pebbles Project Software Use in Meetings Use in Classrooms

Other Software Other Projects Commercial Software

Demonstrations

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

What is available?

Most software targeted for students and for lower levels of education. Typically elementary and middle

school students

Some software for teachers does exist…

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

Where to find it?

Several web sites exist for distributing Palm software www.palmgear.com

www.handango.com

Typical retail stores CompUSA BestBuy

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

www.palmgear.com

One of the best sites for Palm software

Organized categorically Educational->College Educational->General

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

www.handango.com

Not just for Palm software

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

Overview

Pebbles Project Software Use in Meetings Use in Classrooms

Other Software Other Projects Commercial Software

Demonstrations

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

Demonstrations

Slideshow Commander Remote Commander Scribble Others…

Jeffrey Nichols • September 25, 2001

The End…

For more information see… http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~pebbles/

http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~jeffreyn/

Or e-mail me at… jeffreyn@cs.cmu.edu