Education4

=**Mobile Phones and PDA**=

Pilot projects have been run in the UK where a class of students were given a PDA and could use it in class whenever they wished for whatever purpose. PDA’s are seen as another tool (like a pen/pencil/calculator) which is a must for any learning environment.

Some companies are embracing text messaging as a way of reaching out to students. See the article BBC News Literary classics become txt messages. Also text messaging is being used in schools to notify parents if students are not in school or if there is an emergency message e.g. school closure. With this push and pull technology. Schools can pay to have messages pushed to parents and parents can pull student information e.g. test results or the most recent report grades.

Additionally mobile phones with more and more convergence of technologies e.g. cameras and PDA’s, offer possibilities for mobile learning on field trips. On site, students can take photos, notes and videos which can be tagged with geographic coordinates and uploaded to sites such as Google Earth. Also the use of 2D barcodes and mobile phone cameras have benefits on school trips. Mobile phone cameras can scan barcodes which are interpreted with software and release information such as notes and photos. Bar codes can be tagged onto posters, locations and objects e.g. on BBC Coast Project (100s of tags on objects over guided coastal walks).

While other schools are banning the use of mobile phones for various reason. One is because of the distraction they are in class and the problems of theft. Secondly they are a tool being used to bully other children. Thirdly there are criticisms that student’s standards in literacy are declining as they are bringing their text speak into the classroom and exams. a) Research about the use of Mobile phones / PDAs in education by visiting this site [] b)  Describe the benefits that have been found from using them? c) Outline the reasons that there is not wide spread use of PDAs and mobile phones in education. d)  Describe how text messaging has impacted on the use of student’s English literacy [] e) Discuss how mobile phones are being used to improve the communication between parent and school

= = = $100 laptop / Ultramobile PC (UMPC)/Ultra Low Cost PC (OLCPC) / Netbooks = It all started with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Labs, who had the idea of developing an ultra low cost laptop, costing a US$100 The aim was to reduce the digital divide by creating a laptop which would be more accessible and sold only to Govt’s in developing countries.
 * To Hand in: Should a school embrace or ban mobile phones in school….discuss. **

Visit the official OLPC Site at [] and read about the vision, the hardware, software and see which countries have bought them (there is a Google Map)

[] and []

a) Describe the vision of the One Laptop scheme? b)  Find out about the hardware & software – What are the key features that make it different to regular laptops? c) Discuss the social and ethical issues of giving these to students in developing countries. d)  Do you think this scheme will work? Describe the developments over the last year, which is the most recent country to join the scheme and what are the predictions for the next year.

= But why stop at developing countries. = = Many other companies are following suite..not necessarily to compete with the $100 laptop but why shouldn’t cheap small laptops be available to everyone. Hence born the ‘Netbook’. The Brunei market is being flooded with ‘Netbooks’ from 7 – 10” screens, low in weight yet yielding enough power to meet the needs of regular users (word - processing and surfing the net). With prices ranging from $550 - $1000 and all companies coming with their own models e.g. Asus Eee Pc, Dell Mini. = =  =
 * Debate: Will netbooks be the new laptop for students? Will it replace the PDA? **

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