Implementing PDAs in a college course: One professor’s perspective- Unit 3

This article discusses the implementation of PDAs (personal digital assistants) into college courses as a tool for teaching and learning. The article stresses the importance of use-centered design when implementing any form of technology or other tool into the classroom: the concentration must be on the goals and tasks assigned to the student. In other words, the task assigned to the student must be considered, and then the technology that is helpful in completing or performing this task be implemented. PDAs have become increasingly popular among college students and professors, so the idea of implementing them as a tool on campus is a promising idea. Some common tasks of college students and professors involve course scheduling (syllabi and calendars), document formatting (assignments, lab reports, notes, or other documents), applications (calculators, periodic tables, or other applications specific to content area), tracking of assignments (grades, due dates), test preparation and quizzes, and classroom and campus information (building locations, maps, hours of operation). The use of PDAs as a tool on college campuses can be very valuable for all of these tasks, giving students access to these areas at any time, in any location, without the burden of carrying all of the material. Student and teacher evaluations for similar programs already being implemented on campuses have revealed that the use of PDAs has been helpful, provided the implementation was for a useful purpose and not just the sake of using technology. It is an excellent way to incorporate the technology of student’s lives to their education.

Peterson, D. (2002).Implementing PDAs in a college course: One professor’s perspective. Syllabus, November.

This article was a great example of how Digital Immigrants (college faculty members of the baby boom generation) have attempted to adapt instructional strategies to the learning and lifestyles of Generation NeXt students. Although somewhat technologically outdated (the mention of the possibility of wiFi becoming available has been met!), it proposes a wonderful way of allowing students to connect to their universities in a convenient, quick, and resourceful way. This article provides me with an example and motivation to incorporate common technology (iPods, cell phones, etc) into my lessons as a way to show students how they can combine learning with the tools they use on a regular basis outside of the classroom. The only downside to a lot of what was presented in this article is the assumption that all university students have access to PDAs, something that may stereotypically hold but in reality is far from true. PDAs are expensive and may seem impractical to the typical student on a budget, so traditional methods and modes of communication may be necessary in college classrooms despite advancements in technology.