Wireless Computing: New Opportunities and Challenges in Education (Published in the TechEdge 2002-03) by Wesley A. Fryer www.wesfryer.com   The pace of technological change never ceases to amaze. What only a few years ago would have been considered “Star Trek” technology is becoming normal, as the price of technology hardware continues to fall according to Gordon Moore’s predictions. What used to take hours to download over a dial-up modem connection can now transfer in a matter of seconds through an invisible, wireless network connection from a server computer thousands of miles away. Although the young “Network Generation” who have grown up with VCRs, microwave ovens, and computers may not blink an eye at these developments, those from older generations who remember typewriters, 33 LP records, and Commodore 64 computers saving files to cassette tapes can be awestruck by such rapid and dramatic developments. While the course of the future is difficult to chart, it does seem apparent that wireless technologies will become more prevalent within homes, businesses, and classrooms. This article examines the reasons educators should be informed about wireless technologies and reviews different wireless standards prevalent today and likely to expand in the future. Lastly, some implications of wireless computing are considered. Like many other technologies, wireless solutions offer challenges as well as opportunities, and informed leadership can make the difference between purchasing flashy hardware with little instructional impact, or charting a course of effective wireless integration in the curriculum with far reaching benefits for educational stakeholders. A linked copy of this article is available on www.wtvi.com/teks . Wireless Connectivity: Why Should Teachers Care? Writing in the May 2002 issue of ISTE’s magazine “Learning and Leading with Technology,” authors Glen and Gina Bull, Joe Garofalo, and Judi Harris predict an upcoming era of ubiquitous wireless computing in classrooms across America.1 Like the graphing calculators in the hands of high school students today, costing less than $100 each, the article forecasts wireless devices of similar price in the hands of students everywhere, able to wirelessly connect to the internet, retrieve and send email, instant message, etc. This prediction is not far fetched: already wireless devices abound on school campuses, sometimes with the blessing of school administrators and sometimes without. Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) are regarded by many as essential tools for staying organized and on schedule. Whether a Palm Pilot, Handspring Visor, HP Jornada or other brand, these devices allow users to keep electronic calendars, up to date contact lists, current “to do” lists, memos, and more. Although not widely used in classrooms across America today, the potential for handheld wireless devices to impact classroom instruction is significant. Consider the example provided by Tony Vincent’s 5th Grade Classroom in Omaha, Nebraska (www.mpsomaha.org/willow/p5/links/handhelds.html). Students use PDAs and attachable keyboards to wirelessly obtain assignments from their teacher, access information for research projects on the internet, and engage in an interactive writing process from note taking through final draft. Examples like this are certainly the anomaly rather than the norm today, but as wireless technologies become more widespread this will change. Authors Bull, Bull, Garofalo, and Harris predict that like the fax machine, which eventually became a ubiquitous technology when enough people purchased one, wireless handheld computers will reach a similar “tipping point.” Educators should be attuned to the developments and opportunities presented by wireless technologies to recognize their available classroom benefits, but also to prepare for the debates over their use which are sure to ensue. The level of “true” technology integration in classrooms across America is generally poor. Surveys of teachers in over 4000 schools across the U.S. by Elliot Solloway, co-director of the Center for Highly Interactive Computing in Education at the University of Michigan, indicate that 45 percent of teachers say their students use computers less than 15 minutes per week.2 In addition to pedagogy which (especially in secondary settings) continues to be dominated by teacher-directed, lecture based instruction, one of the biggest reasons for this dearth of effective technology use is ACCESS. There are not enough computers to go around. Wireless, handheld computing devices can certainly address these issues of access. New technologies in the hands of students are frequently controversial. Hand-held calculators were disparaged by many in the 1970s, as were computers in the 1980s (seen often as an excuse to play games and cheat on tests or research papers.) These criticisms had some valid elements: not all uses of portable technologies are appropriate. Yet to deny students all access to such technologies is a futile attempt to turn back the clock. We must prepare students for their future, not our past, and their future will increasingly be wireless. Competing Wireless Standards Wireless technologies are continuing to experience rapid change and growth, but fast growth usually relies on broad acceptance of standards. Several different standards exist today, and a cursory knowledge of these alternatives can prepare educators to better participate in discussions involving wireless technology. Wireless technology standards vary mainly according to the transfer speeds they allow (how fast data can invisibly beam to and from wireless devices) and the allowable range of the wireless signal. To create a wireless computing network, 2 things are usually required: a wireless access point (plugged into the network with a patch cable like a “normal” networked desktop computer) and a wireless card permitting the computer or handheld device to connect to the access point. Access points are available today for around $150, and wireless cards for approximately $100, depending on the wireless standard and type of card used. Wireless cards are available for laptops, desktop computers, and handheld devices, running a variety of operating systems including various derivatives of Windows, Macintosh, and Palm OSes. 802.11b – Also known as “Wi-Fi,” this standard is the most widely used local area network wireless standard in mid-2002. Wi-Fi is a radio-based protocol using the same 2.4 GHz band of the radio spectrum as microwave ovens (hence microwaves and wireless phones can sometimes interfere with these networks.) Many larger airports offer fee-based wireless internet access for travelers on an hourly or daily basis, using 802.11b. Public libraries, universities, and some educational service centers/units offer free wireless (Wi-Fi) internet access, although access restrictions can vary. Optimally in an area with wireless access, a computer user can scan for wireless access points and (with a TCP/IP setting of “DHCP” – which means the internet address is obtained dynamically) get on the internet right way. If access restrictions are in place, the computer may need to be assigned a “hard IP address” or have its wireless card network address entered into the local wireless database to permit access. 802.11b is the standard used by Apple computer for its “Airport” cards and Airport base stations, but it is not a proprietary / Macintosh-only standard. The range for Wi-Fi connections is 150 to 300 feet, and it is generally a stable, wireless networking alternative to fixed Ethernet (cabled) connections. Transmission speeds up to 11 megabits per second (Mbps) are possible (most Ethernet connections are just 10 Mbps,) although competing traffic and walls can make the connection less than optimal.3 802.11a – The signals for this protocol operate in a higher 5 GHz radio band, allowing for transmission speeds of up to 54 Mbps. Because of its higher frequency there are fewer potential sources of interference for 802.11a networks, but fewer products are available for the standard currently. 802.11a products are NOT compatible with 802.11b networks, although some companies have discussed products which would support both standards (dual mode.)4 802.11g – This protocol operates in the same frequency band (2.4 GHz) as 802.11b but allows transmission speeds over twice as fast as those possible with 802.11b networks. Some sources indicate transmission speeds equivalent to 802.11a (54 Mbps) are possible on these networks under optimal conditions. 802.11g connections have a range of hundreds of feet, also similar to 802.11b, but are not expected to be formally approved by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) until mid-2003. For this reason, 802.11g products are not yet available on the market. Because this faster standard is backward compatible with older, existing 802.11b networks, some analysts predict it could become the next broadly accepted wireless standard.5 802.11g promises to not only be faster than 802.11b networks, it should also be more secure. With Cisco promising the release of its first 802.11g products in mid-2003, broader adoption of the standard is reasonable to expect.6 Bluetooth – Bluetooth is a wireless personal area networking technology (WPAN) that has gained broad industry support, and allows for direct communication between portable digital devices and computers (without an access point.) Bluetooth has a much shorter range and slower transfer speed (1 MBps), which limits its potential uses compared to 802.11 protocols.7 Still, it has great utility for portable electronic devices that need to communicate / transfer data to other portable devices and/or a desktop computer. First generation Bluetooth products can transfer data at 720 kilobits/second (0.72 Mbps), but next generation versions may reach 2 and 10 Mbps.8 Range is usually just 30 feet, but with a boost can be extended to 300 feet. 9 IRDA – The most frequently used protocol by Palm OS handhelds is an infrared technology different than the radio spectrum standards previously discussed. IRDA, short for “Infrared Data Association” who developed the protocol, supports 4 Mbps transfer rates but must be line of sight (signals cannot travel through walls like other standards discussed here).10 For this reason, Palm devices using infrared can “talk” well with each other (beam to another Palm,) but do not play well with others (communicate with non-Palm devices). Newer Palm devices support wireless-web services like those offered by cellular companies, but these do not yet use the same 802.11 protocols previously discussed.11 For additional technical information about competing wireless standards, refer to the IEEE’s website at http://standards.ieee.org/wireless/. More information about Bluetooth is available on www.bluetooth.com. CNET (www.cnet.com) posts current news about both wireless technologies and handheld/PDA issues. Implications for Education We are living in an increasingly wireless present and hurtling ever-faster toward a wireless future. The “tipping point” of ubiquitous, wireless, handheld computing is not far away. The implications of students having widespread access to these types of devices is profound. Will textbooks be replaced by downloadable PDF documents? How will teachers and administrators address issues of plagiarism? Banning wireless devices entirely will be one response, but likely an inadequate and misguided one. Instructional methods and philosophies can change to adapt to these new technologies in positive ways. Technology can become a positive agent of change within the curriculum, encouraging educators to take a less teacher-directed and more student-centered, constructivist approach to lessons. With widespread access at home to CD-ROM encyclopedias and the internet, it is already inappropriate for teachers to assign a traditional research project in which only a final draft is evaluated. A report about any factual topic, like “My Report on Saturn” or “The Life of Mark Twain” can be generated in a matter of minutes by a savvy computer user thanks to copy and paste skills and internet search engines. Teachers must rethink the questions they ask of students, and require more reflection, analysis, and comparisons in the answers they require. An excellent resource for teachers on this topic is Jamie McKenzie’s book “Beyond Technology: Questioning, Research and the Information Literate School” (http://fnopress.com/beyondtech.html.) Teachers must also evaluate the entire writing process from start to finish to address plagiarism, holding students accountable for each stage and thereby valuing the entire writing process as well as the final product. The implications of wireless technology in education are not all clouded by negative subjects like plagiarism, however. The prospects for students with special needs succeeding in a regular classroom, equipped with wearable computing devices, are brighter than ever. According to the company’s website, the Xybernaut® Mobile Assistant® is a lightweight, wearable computer that fits into a pocket but is as powerful as a desktop computer. It can function as a personal organizer, a touch-activated voice synthesizer, and content delivery tool. Specialized software can be loaded to meet a student’s individual needs.12 Whether a student is officially identified as having “special needs” or not, devices like this will increasingly show up in classrooms across America in the months and years to come. Teachers: ARE YOU READY? Whatever the grade level or instructional needs of our students, wireless technologies are virtually certain to be a part of their educational future. Our schools need more articulate and informed evangelists for the appropriate integration of technology solutions in the classroom, including wireless ones. Ultimately, it is not only available technology that needs to change so we can adequately prepare students for their futures: it is also our educational philosophies. As Dr Allen Glenn of the University of Washington has observed, “It’s philosophy, not technology, that is going to make a difference in your classroom.” Wireless technologies are here and more are on the way. Our students will be enthusiastic and ready to learn with these new tools: the question is, will we be? In preparing to answer “yes” to this question, we will be answering the “Grand Challenge” posed by Dr Glen Bull and his co-authors. It is a vital challenge with far reaching implications. Moore’s Law and school technology budgets will bring students the access to technology many only dream of today. The question of how those technologies can be most effectively utilized within education must be answered by teachers and administrators. For the sake of our students, we should not shy away from this opportunity: we should rise to meet the “grand challenge.” Works Cited “Grand Challenges: Preparing for the Technological Tipping Point.” By Glen Bull, Gina Bull, Joe Garofalo, and Judi Harris. http://www.iste.org/L&L/29/8/featured-article/bull/. “Technology in America.” By Jimmy Guterman. http://www.pcmag.com/print_article/0,3048,a=22600,00.asp. “Anatomy of IEEE 802.11b Wireless.” By Joel Conover. http://www.networkcomputing.com/1115/1115ws2.html. “Wireless Local Area Network: 802.11.” http://alpha.fdu.edu/~anandt/80211a.html. "IEEE Unable to Agree on 802.11g Standards." By Bob Liu. http://www.internetnews.com/bus-news/article.php/3_768501. “Microsoft plays a wireless combo.” By Ben Charny. http://news.com.com/2100-1033-934718.html. “What is a Wireless LAN?” http://www.wlana.com/learn/educate3.htm. “Bluetooth readies spec for 2, 10-Mbit/s data rates.” By Rick Merritt. http://www.eetimes.com/story/OEG20010301S0040. “Mobile Tip: What Is Bluetooth?” By Greg Melton. http://www.techtv.com/callforhelp/answerstips/story/0,24330,3318080,00.html. “Mobile Tip: What Is IrDA?” By Greg Melton. http://www.techtv.com/callforhelp/answerstips/story/0,24330,3318295,00.html. “Wi-Fi, cell networks begin to meld.” By Ben Charny. http://news.com.com/2100-1033-923716.html. “Xybernaut Mobile Assistant: From the Classroom to the Training Site.” http://www.xybernaut.com/newxybernaut/case_studies/Studies/details.asp?Title=Education/Training.   Wesley Fryer is the Director of Distance Learning and webmaster for the College of Education at Texas Tech University. He provides instructional technology training and support to K-16 educators as a consultant and through his free website, 'Tools for the TEKS.' Contact him at wesfryer@yahoo.com. Tools for the TEKS home | Article Archive | Technology Workshops Mailing List | Feedback | Tools and Techniques | Technology Idea Exchange Contact me using this webform. Links to my blogs are also available. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.