1. The Mixed Blessing of
Wireless in the Classroom
Hoke Wilcox, ETTC Columbus State University
wilcox_hoke@colstate.edu

2. Top 10 Wireless Cities in the US
6. Atlanta, Ga.
1. Seattle, Wash.
7. Denver, Colo.
2. San Francisco, Calif.
8. Raleigh-Durham-
3. Austin-San Marcos,
Chapel Hill, N.C.
Tex.
9. Minneapolis-St.
4. Portland, Oregon
Paul, Minn.
5. Toledo, Ohio
10. Orange County,
Calif.
Intel's 3rd Annual quot;Most Unwired Citiesquot; survey ranks the
top 100 U.S. cities and regions for the greatest wireless
Internet accessibility.

3. Wireless Technology
Provides access to your school’s network and
the Internet without Ethernet cables
Wireless signal sent from a wireless access point
(some are portable, some stationary)
Laptops in the mobile lab have a wireless card
built in to receive the signal (your school’s
desktop computers do not)

4. Top 5 Misconceptions about
Wireless
5. It’s totally wireless
4. We will never need wired connections again
3. It’s too slow to be effective in the classroom
2. It’s will connect my computer for miles
1. I can get the full 11 Mbps or 54 Mbps of
connection

5. The Alphabet Soup of Wireless !
Standard Speed Compatibili Range
ty
802.11a 54 Mbps No **
802.11b 11 Mbps With g **
802.11g 54 Mbps With a **
802.11n* 100 -200+ Yes… **
Mbps
*Standard not ratified, expected sometime late in 2006 or early 2007
** Depends on structure and other environmental conditions

6. Wireless Networks

7. Wireless Networks

8. Advantages
New Technology
Classroom management issues
Mobility
Convenience
File sharing
Access to Internet resources
Solving real problems with real purpose “just-in-
time”

9. Advantages
Supports interactive student activities
Addresses multiple learning styles
Allows students to stay in their “natural
learning environment” while using
computer resources
Time saver with limited labs
Input Devices

10. Advantages
Class could be divided between many locations
Classroom not limited to the four walls of the
school
You don’t have to share and the conditions of
the computers are known
More opportunity for interaction
Teachers would be able to focus on the
standards and meet the individual needs of the
students

11. Advantages
provide network access in large open areas such
as libraries, halls or theatres
support sports training or athletics competitions
provide network access in heritage buildings
allow rapid deployment of extra networking for
special events (e.g. open days, parent evenings,
drama performances)

12. What Does the Research Say?
Impacts of the One-to-One Computing
Initiative on Students, Teachers, and
Families from Interviews.
Greater access to resources and information for
more students and families.
Increased student motivation, engagement,
interest, and self-directed learning.

13. Impacts of the One-to-One…
More flexibility for teachers during instruction.
Increased professional productivity and greater
collaboration among teachers.
Improved home-school communication.
An increased need for planning time to make
good use of the laptops.
Added challenges for teachers to manage
classrooms and discipline.

14. Impacts of the One-to-One…
Easier access by teachers and students to up-to-
date instructional content.
More student interaction with teachers.
Better-organized students.
A Study of One-to-One Computer Use in Mathematics and Science Instruction
at the Secondary Level in Henrico County Public Schools
http://www.ubiqcomputing.org/FinalReport.pdf

15. Disadvantages
Throughput Issues
New Technology
Cold Spots vs. Hot Spots
Tech Support Issues (loading and
unloading carts, relatively fragile)
Input Devices (wires)

16. Disadvantages
Classroom management issues
Need Ethernet drop and electrical outlet
unless AP’s are mounted
Battery life
High set up/clean up time

17. Barriers from Henrico County Public Schools
Teachers, students, and administrators also
identified several barriers or problems that
complicated the implementation of 1 to 1
Laptop durability
Laptop battery life
Students’ forgetting laptops
Management and discipline issues
Time

18. Battery Usage in Laptops
HP Pavillion ze2001
iBook
12quot; PowerBook G4
Dell Inspiron 6000
15iquot; PowerBook G4
HP Pavillion Dv4000
Dell Latitude X1
Gateway m520x
0 1 2 3 4 5 6

19. Equipment and Hardware
Steel cart
Shelving
Locks
Power Strip

20. Equipment and Hardware
Wireless Access Point
Ethernet
cord
Electrical
cord

21. Equipment and Hardware

22. Know your laptop!
Power Button

23. Peripherals
BE AWARE THAT SOME LAPTOPS DO
NOT COME WITH:
•FLOPPY DRIVES
•INTERNAL CD DRIVES

24. Input Devices
A normal laptop keyboard will be
smaller than the standard ones
you use on a desktop. Some
might not have the F keys and
some might require combination
key strokes to perform some
tasks.
You can attach a regular
keyboard and mouse to most
computers. The only question is
what type of connections does
your laptop have.

25. TEN YEARS AFTER THE BIRTH OF THE
INTERNET,
HOW DO AMERICANS USE THE
INTERENT IN THEIR DAILY
LIVES?
http://www.stanford.edu/group/siqss/
SIQSS_Time_Study_04.pdf

26. TEN YEARS AFTER THE BIRTH OF THE
INTERNET…
“The Internet is, perhaps more than anything
else, a means of communication – about
57% of the time on Internet is spent on email,
instant messaging, or at chat rooms. Of
this 57%, work-related communications
constitute about a third, communication with
friends constitutes almost a third, and
communication with family constitutes about a
sixth.”

27. TEN YEARS AFTER THE BIRTH OF THE
INTERNET…
“Younger people, between 18 and 29 years of age,
seem to favor interactive forms of
online communication: They use email less than
older people, but they use instant
messaging and chat rooms more. Social
networking is used most by the youngest and the
oldest (age ranges 18-29 and over 60).”

28. Ideas for Implementation
Build up to 1 to 1
Two Power supplies and or batteries per machine
Plan B (extra laptop or computer just in case)
Utilization of School Network Applications
Word Processing, database, spreadsheet, multimedia, and
thinking software used for project based learning
Development of electronic portfolios
Teacher-created activities that supplement text books and
curriculum

29. Ideas for Implementation
Access to the Internet for:
Research
Interactive Skill Practice
Simulations
Virtual Trips
Scavenger Hunts
Communication with students around the world
Web Cams/Streaming Video
Tutorials

30. Ideas for Implementation
Ability to move to authentic learning
environments
Collaboration with peers inside and outside the
classroom
Using Blogs as “digital paper”
http://frogtech.blogspot.com/
Using Podcasts
??