Handheld Computers in Higher Education

1
Handheld Computers in
Higher Education
Jeffrey Nichols Carnegie Mellon
University September 25, 2001
2
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.

3
Pebbles is

• P
• E
• B
• B
• L
• E
• S

DAs for ntry of oth ytes and ocations
from xternal ources.
4
Handhelds in Homes

• Interact with embedded computation
• Smart homes
• Not just speech and vision as interfaces
• Interact with appliances, lights, etc.
• Universal Personal Controller

5
Handhelds in an Office

• Augment desktop applications
• Use multiple devices at the same time

6
Handhelds in Meetings

• Attendees use handhelds to interact andannotate
  presentation
• Augment collaboration
• Take notes

7
Handhelds in Classrooms

• Data projectors for instructors slides
• Students could have computers for
• Notetaking linked to instructors slides
• In-class testing
• Running simulations

8
Overview

• Pebbles Project Software
• Use in Meetings
• Use in Classrooms
• Other Software
• Other Projects
• Commercial Software
• Demonstrations

9
Use in Meetings

• Enhance groups collaboration and control

10
Remote Commander

• Allow PDAs to control a PC
• Can be used with any application
• Uses the standard (single) cursor
• Dont have to jump up and grabmouse
• Perform all mouse andkeyboard functions
• Use PDA like touchpad
• Graffiti or our ownpop-up keyboard

11
Current Work Handhelds forPeople with Muscular
Disabilities

• Using handhelds as interface to PCs
• People with Muscular Dystrophyhave fine-motor
  control but losegross motor control
• Difficulties with mouse and keyboard,but stylus
  OK
• Handhelds as interface to other devices
• Control room lights, telephone, wheelchair, etc.
• Really include this?? FIXME

12
Remote Commander Adaptations

• Faster Acceleration
• Multiple Keyboards

13
New PocketPC version

• Get PCs screen onto PocketPC
• Full view, or one-to-one zooming
• Scroll with iPaqs buttons

14
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

15
MultiCursor

• For special applications that are aware of
  multiple inputs
• E.g. Shared Whiteboard
• Single Display Groupware
• Multiple people, one display

16
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

17
View on Handheld slide
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View on Handheld notes
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View on Handheld titles
20
View on Handheld time

• Multi-function timer
• View large
• And in corner

21
Control Demonstrations

• Control PC applications and external devices
• Easy demo and resume show

22
Commercialized

• SlideShow Commandercommercialized by
• Available at Office Depot,CompUSA, etc.

Synergy Solutions, Inc. http//www.synsolutions.co
m/
http//www.slideshowcommander.com/
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Overview

• Pebbles Project Software
• Use in Meetings
• Use in Classrooms
• Other Software
• Other Projects
• Commercial Software
• Demonstrations

24
Classroom Use

• Using handheld computers in classrooms
• Testing
• Improving large lectures
• Providing immediate feedback to instructor

25
Hardware

• HP donated 110 Jornada 680 and 100 720 computers
• Windows CE
• Lucent donated Wavelan wireless cards

26
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

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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

28
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

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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 InstructionA User's
  Manual, Prentice Hall.

30
Instructors View

• In class, instructor sees a chart of answers
• May be projected forentire class tosee
• Instructions
  displayed forstudents at
  top of screen

31
Alternative Presentations

• Show 2 questions

32
Alternative Presentations, cont.

• Click on pictures to select region

33
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
34
Overview

• Pebbles Project Software
• Use in Meetings
• Use in Classrooms
• Other Software
• Other Projects
• Commercial Software
• Demonstrations

35
Disclaimer

• Most educational work on Palm handhelds is not
  for teachers of higher-education
• Typically for elementary schools
• Typically for students

36
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

37

• Very similar to our work
• Concept Tests within Chemistry classrooms
• More experimentation with types of questions
• Sliders
• Maps
• http//aa.uncwil.edu/numina 

38

• 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/

39
Hi-CE Palm Project

• Computers are great learning tools for elementary
  education, but handhelds are more affordable.
• Hi-CEs mission is to make Palms more accessible
  for teachers and students.
• Concept mapping
• Virus transfer simulator
• http//www.handheld.hice-dev.org/

40
Overview

• Pebbles Project Software
• Use in Meetings
• Use in Classrooms
• Other Software
• Other Projects
• Commercial Software
• Demonstrations

41
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

42
Where to find it?

• Several web sites exist for distributing Palm
  software
• www.palmgear.com
• www.handango.com
• Typical retail stores
• CompUSA
• BestBuy

43
www.palmgear.com

• One of the best sites for Palm software
• Organized categorically
• Educational-gtCollege
• Educational-gtGeneral

44
www.handango.com

• Not just for Palm software

45
Overview

• Pebbles Project Software
• Use in Meetings
• Use in Classrooms
• Other Software
• Other Projects
• Commercial Software
• Demonstrations

46
Demonstrations

• Slideshow Commander
• Remote Commander
• Scribble
• Others

47
The End

• For more information see
• http//www.cs.cmu.edu/pebbles/
• http//www.cs.cmu.edu/jeffreyn/
• Or e-mail me at
• jeffreyn_at_cs.cmu.edu