How Wireless Technology Redefines Classroom Learning - Assignment Example

How wireless technology redefines room learning Introduction Technology is rapidly evolving and changing over the past few decades. The emergence of wireless technology in today’s modern times has dramatically changed millions of people’s lives including the means of communication, the access of information, and the fostering of student learning. Students of today’s generation greatly benefit from the advancement and widespread of these technological innovations. According to Cambourne (2010), “today’s school students are downloading homework on iTunes, listening to lessons via podcast, communicating with other students all over the world through social networking sites...” With the advancement of wireless technology, learning has never been this easy, fun, and convenient. Students are now being equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to compete with the digital age. This paper will tackle some of the latest and most beneficial wireless technologies including WiFi technology, Bluetooth technology, and Wimax technology (“Types of wireless technologies,” n.d.). The WiFi Technology The term WiFi comes from the word “Wireless Fidelity,” a trademark of the WiFi Alliance. WiFi is a network that uses a high frequency of radio waves to enable the transfer of data from one place to another; otherwise, it will not function properly. It enables devices such as computer, mobile phones, and MP3 players to gain access to the Internet provided it is within a specific range of a wireless network that has connection to the Internet. It can work in as far as several hundred feet between two places from where data is being transmitted. In today’s era of computer, the use of WiFi in schools and universities is widespread. According to the WiFi Alliance, “90% of college students say WiFi access is as essential as classroom and computers while 79% say that without WiFi access, college would be a lot harder (Bisson, n.d.). This has led many schools and universities to integrate wireless Internet connection instead of spending their budget on computer laboratories. What drives schools from incorporating WiFi into the classroom is the increasing concern for security, students demand for wireless Internet connection, the need to expand the phone systems of the school, and the growing number of WiFi-designed products. This latest innovation in technology allows students to learn in the most convenient way possible. It allows them to create projects using web-based tools and do research and tasks the easiest and fastest way thus making learning more fun. Not only students are benefiting from the WiFi technology. Teachers can create online lessons, track and monitor student’s performance, and allows them to choose a wide option of instructional strategies to use in teaching. Because of the significant impact of wireless technology such as WiFi, many schools now are incorporating this technology to better enhance student performance and boost their desire for learning. Yet, with the advantage this technology brings, parents are opposing to this trend of integrating WiFi into the classroom. Schools are hesitant to use WiFi because they are concern of the Internet access that their students get. Parents as well are complaining that their kids are suffering from headaches, dizziness, and memory loss because of the radiation brought about by WiFi. But according to experts and leading health organizations, no solid evidence has yet to prove that WiFi is really the cause of the problem and that it’s normal for people to question and become suspicious of this latest breakthrough in technology (Alter, 2010). The Bluetooth Technology Bluetooth was first used as a codename but the word really originates from the name of 10th century King of Denmark, King Harald Bluetooth. Bluetooth is now managed by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group. Bluetooth technology is another type of wireless technology that enables the transmission of data from one device to another over a short distance through the wavelength radio transmissions of a mobile phone. It is specifically designed to minimize power consumption with a short range power and low-cost transceiver present in each device. Bluetooth allows two devices to talk to each other even if they are not in the same room as long as they are at a specific distance range of 10-100 meters. In education, Bluetooth also plays a major role. It can be used to support the business of education in many ways. For example, in a lecture session, the teacher reminds the students that the summary of the lessons discussed are available on the network and also for their phones through the organization’s Bluetooth. Mobile phones that are Bluetooth-active are able to receive the files instantly and as students walk around the school building, they are able to receive the updates. It also enables sharing of files among students such as videos, documents, and pictures that are helpful to their studies. In 2009, a company called TextBlue developed a solution that can transmit useful information to a specific group of students thus making the communication significant to the one receiving the message. It can also automatically schedule time such as days, weeks, and months (Blackwood, n.d.). Bluetooth has also several negative features such as slow data rate transfer and security. While infrared in mobile phones can provide very fast data rates transfer, Bluetooth only offers 1 MBps compared to infrared’s 4 MBphs. It offers greater range and radio frequency thus making it more vulnerable to interception and attack (“Advantages and Disadvantages,” n.d.). The Wimax Technology The Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access also known as the Wimax technology is another type of wireless networking technology responsible for the transmission of information in a form of microwaves by using different methods of wireless networking (“Types of Wireless Technologies,” n.d.). Wimax is intended for wireless “metropolitan area networks” and is designed to provide a fast Internet connection to a variety of devices such as laptops, cellular phones, and other gaming gadgets. Wimax can provide broadband wireless access (BWA) for up to 50 kilometers for fixed stations and 5-15 kilometers for mobile stations (“What is Wimax,” n.d.). This technology benefits consumers in many ways such as providing access to portable mobile broadband connectivity and wireless alternative to DSL, cable, as well as cellular phone technologies. Aside from that, it is also use to interconnect with WiFi hotspots into a Metropolitan Area Network. Wimax can provide shared data rates for up to 70 Mbit/s or up to 70 Mbps at a 30 miles location. Many students prefer using Wimax via mobile web coverage instead of using WiFi as the latter can get overloaded with users using the same network. Students using Wimax find it easier to be online, simply because they are not sharing a network with the entire campus. Wimax also is a national network so students need not worry of signals; it has a longer range than WiFi, enabling laptops and other portable devices with more freedom to get a fast Internet connection anywhere. As far as threats are concerned, Wimax technology faces complaints such as authentication, encryption, and availability problems. Thus, the Wimax technology is now equipped with an access control to ensure that only registered users can gain access to the network. Authentication requires subscribers to have an x.509 certificate that recognizes them, and at the same time protects their confidentiality as a subscriber; encryption is a method use to provide strong confidentiality of data traffic between the transmitter and the subscriber; while availability deals with the use of Radio Frequency (RF) spectrum providing subscribers protection from attackers who use readily available tools from the network (“Wimax Technology,” n.d.). Conclusion The advancement of technology seems endless and the number of people utilizing these telecommunications has grown to over millions of subscribers. Technology has drastically changed education in the last few years. These technologies have benefited students in a number of ways. It has a positive effect on their overall achievement in different subject areas. Students who depend on the use of technology for their studies and research outperformed those students who do not. With technology, they learned how to be more organized, enhance their ability to recognize and process information, and become more motivated towards learning. Students who have an extensive access to technology take more pride and delight on their work and accomplishments, building greater confidence towards themselves, and develop higher level of self-confidence. With the emergence of these technological innovations, the role of the teacher has been shoved to the sideline, as they are now more of a facilitator than a lecturer. The use of technology fosters greater collaboration between student in the classroom and it helps teachers improve their approach to learning by expanding their knowledge on the different methods of teaching. The information being access from the Internet provides students and teachers with the most up-to-date of information. Through technology, teachers can now individualize lessons into their curriculum according to the needs of the students helping them achieve their highest potential (“Benefits of Technology Facts,” 2006). Indeed, technology has redefined classroom learning. Students have learned to use these technologies in order to survive competition and adopt into this fast-changing technology-driven world. References Advantages and disadvantages of Bluetooth. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.blue-tooth-wireless.com/Advantages_And_Disadvantages_Of_Bluetooth.html Alter, L. (2010, August 08). Parents and teachers demanding that schools dump WiFi. Retrieved fromhttp://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/08/ parents-teachers-demanding-that-schools-dump-wifi.php Benefits of technology facts (2006). [PDF document]. Retrieved from http://www.youblisher.com/files/publications/6/34148/pdf.pdf Bisson, C. (2009, April 16). WiFi is critical to academia, the WiFi Alliance says. Retrieved from http://maisonbisson.com/blog/post/13733/wifi-is-critical-to-academia-the-wifi-alliance-says/ Blackwood, A. (n.d.). Bluetooth for education. Retrieved from Lecture Notes Online Web site: http://www.rsc-southeast.ac.uk/in-the-classroom/bluetooth.html Cambourne, K. (2010, January 19). Technology in the classroom. Retrieved from http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/back-to-school/ technology-in-the-classroom-20100119-mhn3.html Types of wireless technologies. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.wifinotes.com/types-of-wireless-technology.html Wimax technology: What is Wilmax technology, how it works. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.freewimaxinfo.com/wimax-technology.html What is Wimax? (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.wimax.com/general/what-is-wimax Read More