Wireless technology in the educational system - Article Example

Application of Wireless Technology in the Educational System Introduction The articles commonly focus on the presence of a "technology-integrated classroom" made possible by the invention of wireless technology devices such as cell phones, personal digital assistants (PDA), wirelessly networked handheld computers, wireless laptop technology, wireless sensor network and others. Main Body Cell phones are used in distance education in rural Bangladesh through the short message service (Yusuf Mahbubul Islam, 2008).

According to Mahbubul and Doyle, the most important effect of wireless technology in education is interactivity, "widely defined as action on the part of the receiver that causes a change in the messages returned by the sender" (Yusuf Mahbubul Islam, 2008). This is akin to the view that mobile devices serves as a "platform for collaborative modeling" (N. Pinkwart, 2003). This collaborative and interactive environment is also made possible by a device called the wireless sensor network technology which forms a sensor node that enables people to "communicate with each other to collect and move data toward a central entity for further processing" (Jeffrey J.

Evans, 2008). An example of how this technology works is the Audience Response System which "includes one hand-held remote per student, a receiver (infrared or radio frequency, depending on the system), a computer for recording student responses, and a means for projecting information lo the class" (Barnes, 2008) Wireless technology also benefits the teachers either through ad-hoc collaborative networks (C. Cortez, 2005) or as a technology to augment "Problem-Based Learning in Special Education" (J. M. Blackboum).

Works Cited Barnes, L. J. (2008). Lecture-Free High School Biology Using an AUDIENCE RESPONSE SYSTEM. The American Biology Teacher , 70, 531-536. C. Cortez, M. N. (2005, March 14). Teachers' support with ad-hoc collaborative networks. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning , 171-180. J. M. Blackboum, J. F. The Use of Wireless Technology to Augment Problem-Based Learning in Special Education Preservice Teacher Training. Joumal of Instructional Psychology , 35, 169-176. Jeffrey J. Evans, J. F. (2008). Wireless Sensor Network Design for Flexible Environmental Monitoring.

Journal of Engineering Technology , 46-52. N. Pinkwart, H. H. (2003, April 1). Educational scenarios for cooperative use of Personal Digital Assistants. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning , 383-391. Yusuf Mahbubul Islam, K. O. (2008). Distance Education via SMS Technology in Rural Bangladesh. American Behavioral Scientist , 52, 87-96.