Themes

Ubiquitous Computing

The Case for Handheld Computers

There is great concern that the increased use of computers in education will only drive another wedge between rich and poor, exacerbating the "digital divide." While schools struggle with this issue, the ongoing revolution in information technologies continues: computers will soon be very inexpensive and ubiquitous. Most people will own several, including toys, TVs, phones, pagers, handhelds, as well as general-purpose computers, and many will communicate through a ubiquitous network.

This means that the desktop computer and its close cousin, the full-featured portable, will represent just one end of a spectrum of intelligent personal assistants. Full-featured computers already have far more power than most educational applications need. Eventually, simpler computers with fewer options and compact operating systems costing a fraction of desktop computers will be marketed to meet the needs of learners.

When the Center for Innovative Learning Technologies (CILT) was being formed in the fall of 1997, it determined that handheld computers represented an area in which a breakthrough in education could be expected in a few years through research and development. As a consequence, CILT created a Ubiquitous Computing "theme team" to focus on stimulating research, applications, and educational implementations of inexpensive, portable computers. CILT viewed this as an important equity issue because these computers have the potential to provide much of the educational benefit of more expensive computers in an inexpensive, portable format. However, handheld computers should be seen as not only an inexpensive way to increase equitable access to the educational benefits of desktop computers. By taking advantage of handhelds' portability and convenience, we have developed ways to use them to support new kinds of applications that are impossible with their larger cousins. This technology will soon give students full-time access to computation and wireless connectivity, while expanding educational computing to take place at home and in the field.

CILT Contributions

CILT has had an active role in bringing handheld computers to the forefront of educational technologies. Prior to beginning its work, there was a deadlock. There was little research to show the value of handhelds, and there were few educational applications. As a result, educators quite rationally ignored them, and vendors, lacking an installed base, saw no reason to develop educational software. Through modest investments, CILT has been a significant force in breaking this deadlock.

Starting in 1997, CILT Ubiquitous Computing activities have included:

A design session with IDEO that resulted in a description of an ideal educational handheld. This paper has influenced the thinking of many people in the field. It can be found at DataGotchi.pdf
The development of "SmartProbes" by designers at the Concord Consortium. SmartProbes are data collection and analysis tools consisting of low-power sensors with microprocessors and computer software for handhelds that provide the user with easy, real-time data acquisition and display. More information on SmartProbes can be found at: http://www.concord.org/library/1998spring/smarterprobes.html
The organization of an educational software competition for handheld computers running the Palm operating system. See http://www.ciltkn.org/palm99/ and reviews of Palm educational software. See: http://pie.concord.org/
Advocacy on the use of handhelds in education, including a Web site, articles, and collaboration with industry. See: http://www.concord.org/themes/handhelds.html
Research on the use of handheld computers and probes in science classes in close collaboration with the CILT Synergy theme team. See: http://www.concord.org/newsletter/1999fall/toc.html
Workshops designed to foster collaboration between researchers. The latest was underwritten by Intel and held at their facility in Oregon.
Seed grants to nine different research teams to explore new opportunities and new technologies. See Seed Grants.

This combination of technology development, software development, and pilot research was undertaken while educational interest in handhelds soared, starting from almost zero. CILT's efforts appear to have played an important role in this transformation.

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation