Examples of Notebook use in the e-Classroom

Although the use of notebook computers in the classroom is a relatively new phenomena, the e-classroom builds on the application of e-learning strategies and basic pedagogical methods that have been the focus of intensive research. From this research, it is evident that technology-based methods are most effective when they employ active learning strategies.

An important consideration for a teacher thinking about how to integrate notebooks into an e-classroom, is to ask "how is information technology used in my discipline?" The presence of notebook computers in the classroom can offer opportunities for students to pursue activities that mimic tasks performed by professionals within the discipline. In essence, the e-classroom can more accurately reflect the environment that most of our students will experience in their work place of the future. Pedagogical approaches that exercise student abilities and build their confidence in this environment helps build career preparation skills.

Here are some examples of activities that can be used in the e-classroom:

1. Students can investigate real-world phenomena that otherwise would not be possible from within the classroom. Software that models complex or large-scale phenomena can be used directly from the notebook computers. Although some software applications are discipline specific, it is possible to find Web sites that contain interactive multimedia exercises that model complex processes. In many cases students are able to get most from such exercises when they are allowed to try a number of permutations and to see the relationship between different parameters. Since multiple programs can be run on the notebooks at the same time, students can create a MS Word document that captures their observations or thoughts - that can be used by the teacher to grade their progress.

2. Students can conduct investigative research - by searching Internet-based databases. If the student notebooks are able to connect to the Internet from within the classroom, then they can use Web browser-based interfaces to databases, such as those available from OhioLink. A "research log/journal" can be used by the student to document the sources they find via the database. Submission of the research log can count towards credit within the course, ensuring that students become fully active in the process.

3. Because the UD Notebooks have standard Microsoft software packages, students are able to create from within the classroom:

• Written assignments using MS Word.
• Presentations using MS PowerPoint.
• Spreadsheets using MS Excel.
• Databases using MS Access.
• C++ or Visual Basic programs using MS Visual Studio (Visual Studio needs to be installed separately).
• Web sites using MS FrontPage.

If you are worried that students would take too much time to create something from scratch, then you may want to create templates with some text forming a framework, from which the students can use to accelerate the process of creating their own files.

Material created throughout a course can be archived into the students Portfolio. This allows the student to keep a track record of their progress in class - and potentially share this material with future employers.

4. Students can process real-world "raw" data using the tools and methods examined within the course. Instead of simply hearing about how a technique is used to process data, the students are now able to do this themselves within an e-classroom.

5. Students can access course materials asynchronously from a Web site or QuickPlace created by the teacher. By working asynchronously, students have the option of opening files that match their area of personal interest with the overall goals of the entire course. In other words, faculty can share a variety of sources to cater to the diverse interests of the class. Given the possibility that Internet connections experience technical problems, or that the files to be downloaded may be very large, students may need to be given the opportunity to download the files they need prior to the start of class.

6. Students can share their electronically created documents for peer review by other members of the class. A Web site created with Lotus QuickPlace can be used to quickly upload and download documents - with appropriate supervision from the teacher.

7. Students can showcase their findings with the entire class. This is done by several methods:

• Creating an email and posting it to the teachers email account. The teacher can then open the mail from the front of the room and use a video projector to allow the entire class to see the individual students responses.
• Specialized software applications, such as NetOp, allows a teacher to share whatever information is on any students notebook screen with the entire class or with the projector connected to the teachers computer.
• Instant messaging is a great alternative if there is no video projector in the classroom. The UD Notebooks come equipped with Lotus SameTime - an Instant Messaging program.

8. Field experiments conducted by scientists and engineers can be performed using notebook computers outside of the classroom, and then can be returned for analysis and presentation from within the e-classroom.

Notes

In each of the above examples, students can work alone, or in teams. If students are meant to work collectively to view a single notebook per group, then team sizes need to be kept low, since it is difficult to read the screen from a distance.

The entire class can work synchronously or asynchronously. Given that students carry the same notebook computers out of the classroom, it is possible for faculty to create exercises and get things started from within the e-classroom, and then leave the students to continue asynchronously from anywhere on campus at any time. Threaded discussions can capture an ongoing conversation - but the teacher must monitor and add value to these online discussions if students are to recognize the benefit of continued online discussions.