HR: 1340h
AN: ED53A-0333    [Abstracts]
TI: Using wireless (Pocket)PCs in Large Introductory Courses to Expand Discourse and Interactivity
AU: * van der Pluijm, B A
EM: vdpluijm@umich.edu
AF: Department of Geological Sciences, Program in the Environment, University of Michigan, 1100 N University, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 United States
AU: Knoop, P A
EM: knoop@umich.edu
AF: Department of Geological Sciences, School of Information, University of Michigan, 1100 N University, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 United States
AU: Samson, P J
EM: samson@umich.edu
AF: Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences, University of Michigan, 2455 Hayward St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109 United States
AU: Teasley, S D
EM: steasley@umich.edu
AF: School of Information, University of Michigan, 1075 Beal, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 United States
AB: Teaching methods in introductory, undergraduate courses traditionally rely on static textbooks and/or course packs, with presentation delivered as a monologue in front of a mostly passive, large audience. The concepts presented in class are often best illustrated using visualizations and/or demonstrations, but even the most stunning of images or spectacular exhibits, while motivating, offer students only passive participation in the learning process. Add to this the advent of course websites with lecture notes and PowerPoint presentations and the students are left with little incentive to attend, much less participate. Clearly this model does not provide much opportunity or motivation for today's students to learn and think more critically about the arguments being developed. What is needed is a coupling of the rich imagery of many fields with advances in technology and in learning, toward revitalizing pedagogical approaches in survey-level courses and student-instructor interaction. Our IT-enhanced classroom project couples the use of peer instruction techniques in large classes (as originally described by Mazur, 1997) with the use of interactive spatial concept challenges, utilizing wireless PocketPCs (handhelds) or student-owned wireless-enabled laptops. The technologies employed (web, PocketPC/laptop, WiFi) are off-the-shelf technologies and the Peer Instruction technique is increasingly documented in undergraduate science classes. However, the combination is not employed due to its initial cost, wrongly perceived level of effort to implement, availability of engaging activities and modest volume of data on student learning. We'll show our development, implementation and preliminary cognitive assessment efforts of this IT-enhanced classroom experience, involving interactive image quizzes and data manipulation in large introductory classes at the University of Michigan.
UR: http://geopocket.org/
DE: 0825 Teaching methods
DE: 0845 Instructional tools
SC: Education and Human Resources [ED]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005