Barry Burd
João Paulo Barros
ABSTRACT
Computers that once filled rooms now fit in our pockets, and unlike their predecessors, mobile computers abound. The mobile industry is surging, with more smartphones being sold to consumers than PCs [17]. But does the rise of mobility impact computer science education? We claim that computer science educators must seriously consider mobility as they examine their curriculum. In this working group report, we offer a brief defense of why mobile computing belongs in our courses, summarize our survey of several hundred courses which already incorporate it, and discuss how educators might adopt it in their own courses. We hope that this work will help computer science educators make informed decisions about incorporating mobile computing into their courses and provide examples of such integration on different levels, ranging from individual projects or lecture topics to mobile computing as a learning context for an entire course.
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Index Terms
- Educating for mobile computing: addressing the new challenges
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Reviews
Stewart Mark Godwin
Computers are used across all subject areas in education. However, in recent times, there has been a trend toward using mobile technologies as a replacement for traditional computer laboratories. The adoption of mobile technologies by the general community is transforming the way individuals and businesses communicate, which in turn influences the education sector. This paper surveyed 200 courses that used some aspect of mobile computing. These courses used various methods to engage students in the content and assessment tasks. The authors identify difficulties faced by educators and course developers and suggest solutions in a comprehensive discussion on platform-dependent issues. This is followed by a selection of exemplary assignment ideas that highlight the flexibility and versatility of the mobile platform. The challenges addressed by the subjects in this paper indicate that educators are delivering courses in new ways that break from traditional methods. In conclusion, the authors highlight the need to develop and revise curricula for mobile technologies, but they also caution that innovation in mobile technologies has not peaked, which will ensure future challenges. Educators interested in integrating mobile technologies into their courses would benefit from reading this paper. Online Computing Reviews Service
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