Using Wireless PocketPCs in Survey Courses to Expand Discourse

1. Web-Technologies Using Wireless PocketPCs in Survey Courses to Expand Discourse in Large Classes Perry Samson Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space ScienceUniversity of Michigan Ben van der Pluijm and Peter Knoop Department of Geological SciencesUniversity of Michigan Using Wireless Technologies to Expand Discourse in Large Classes

2. Question and Answer Q. Name for an industry that responds too slowly to the changing expectations of its client base? • Unprofitable • Federal Government • Higher Education Using Wireless Technologies to Expand Discourse in Large Classes

3. Learning Barge Reality Educational Technology Using Wireless Technologies to Expand Discourse in Large Classes

4. Organization • Underpinnings • History • Pedagogical Value • Technologies • Lessons Learned • Responder Surveys • Students • Instructors • PocketPC Surveys • Group Simulations Using Wireless Technologies to Expand Discourse in Large Classes

5. History • Global Change I • Taught for several years • ~100 students • Four faculty (Geology, Meteorology, Biology, Ecology) • http://www.globalchange.umich.edu/ • eXtreme Weather • Taught for several weeks • ~120 students • http://aoss.engin.umich.edu/class/aoss102/ Using Wireless Technologies to Expand Discourse in Large Classes

6. Pedagogical Motivation • Hypothesis #1: Response systems will expand discourse in large classes. • Science teaching traditionally relies on presentation delivered as a monologue (albeit impassioned) in front of a passive audience. • The advent of extensive lecture notes on the Internet have left students with little incentive to attend class, much less participate. • There is little opportunity for students to critically think through the arguments being developed. Using Wireless Technologies to Expand Discourse in Large Classes

7. Phase I: Responders Using Wireless Technologies to Expand Discourse in Large Classes

8. Use of Responders • We Assumed: The Question was Key Mazur (1997) suggests responder questions should satisfy a number of basic criteria: • Focus on a single concept. • Not be solvable by relying on equations. • Have adequate multiple-choice answers. • Be unambiguously worded. • Be neither too easy or too difficult. Mazur, E. (1997). Peer Instruction: A User’s Manual. Englewood Cliffs, NJ, Prentice Hall Using Wireless Technologies to Expand Discourse in Large Classes

9. Use of Responders Using Wireless Technologies to Expand Discourse in Large Classes

10. Use of Responders Using Wireless Technologies to Expand Discourse in Large Classes

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12. Using Wireless Technologies to Expand Discourse in Large Classes

13. Survey Results Using Wireless Technologies to Expand Discourse in Large Classes

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17. Lesson Learned • Despite overt initial cynicism and relatively minimal effort on the part of some* of the participating faculty the use of responders appears to be an unqualified success. • The choice of question, while important, is apparently less important than asking something. Using Wireless Technologies to Expand Discourse in Large Classes

18. Pedagogical Motivation • Hypothesis #2: Expanding response systems to include imagery and simulation will REALLY expand discourse in large classes. • In many fields, such as the geosciences, the concepts being developed are often well supported through use of imagery and/or animation. • Even the most stunning of images or movies, while motivating, offers the students only passive participation in their learning. Using Wireless Technologies to Expand Discourse in Large Classes

19. Phase II: Wireless Technologies Using Wireless Technologies to Expand Discourse in Large Classes

20. Goal #1: Create portable/constrained wireless in-class network. Constraint #1: Intraclass Wireless Using Wireless Technologies to Expand Discourse in Large Classes

21. Goal #2: Use peer mentoring to provide bulk of technical support. Constraint #2: Intraclass Support Using Wireless Technologies to Expand Discourse in Large Classes

22. Goal #2: Use peer mentoring to provide bulk of technical support. Intraclass Support Using Wireless Technologies to Expand Discourse in Large Classes

23. ImageQuiz 1. Pose question 2. Obtain individual response 3. Peer discussion 4. Second individual response Using Wireless Technologies to Expand Discourse in Large Classes

24. PHP/MySQL FlashSwift3D PHP/MySQLC++ Tools in Development • ImageQuiz • Presents image and question on students’ wireless technologies. • Resizes image automatically to screen size. • Collects responses and displays on instructor’s account. • Flash Tools • Drawing • Model Manipulation • Group Simulation Using Wireless Technologies to Expand Discourse in Large Classes

25. ImageQuiz Instructor creates question and selects image. Using Wireless Technologies to Expand Discourse in Large Classes

26. Instructor controls list and timing ImageQuiz Using Wireless Technologies to Expand Discourse in Large Classes

27. Instructor controls whether student access is closed or open ImageQuiz Using Wireless Technologies to Expand Discourse in Large Classes

28. ImageQuiz Client Web Server DB Com Layer MySQLDB Web Module PreProcessor Using Wireless Technologies to Expand Discourse in Large Classes

29. ImageQuiz Design of Spatial Response Activity 1. Pose a spatial question. Using Wireless Technologies to Expand Discourse in Large Classes

30. ImageQuiz Design of Spatial Response Activity 2. Students respond. Using Wireless Technologies to Expand Discourse in Large Classes

31. 3. Show responses and challenge peer reflection ImageQuiz Using Wireless Technologies to Expand Discourse in Large Classes

32. ImageQuiz Design of Spatial Response Activity 4. Students’ second response and discussion. Using Wireless Technologies to Expand Discourse in Large Classes

33. ImageQuiz Response can be result of interactive manipulation Using Wireless Technologies to Expand Discourse in Large Classes

34. Response can also be a drawing Using Wireless Technologies to Expand Discourse in Large Classes

35. Collaborative Simulation Learning Goal • Discover how “forcing functions” influence an outcome. Design • Discover relationships embedded in authentic models through group simulation. Using Wireless Technologies to Expand Discourse in Large Classes

36. Collaborative Simulation Concept • Each student controls conditions at a point. • Sub-groups work to reproduce non-linear results. • Sub-groups combine to create larger system. Using Wireless Technologies to Expand Discourse in Large Classes

37. Musings • Use of response systems requires a rethinking of lecture goals. • It is probably not possible to cover the conventional amount of material in lecture. • This is OK. It is possible for students to be able to achieve good grades without even the most basic understanding of the concepts involved. Using Wireless Technologies to Expand Discourse in Large Classes

38. E-References Courses Global Change I http://www.globalchange.umich.edu/ Extreme Weather http://aoss.engin.umich.edu/class/aoss102/ Technology ImageQuiz http://www.imagequiz.com/ Human Perry samson@umich.edu Using Wireless Technologies to Expand Discourse in Large Classes