This poster addresses a significant learning barrier experienced at many CS departments, specially at predominantly minority institutions, which is the problem of students? inability to keep engaged and interested in classroom. In this research, we investigate the applicability of using mobile devices in the classroom and incorporation of interactive problem solving using those devices to increase class engagement and active learning for students. By allowing the students to solve problems in their preferred devices, the research expects to create a friendly learning environment where the students want to retain, be active and skillful. The poster will present the design aspects of Mobile Response System (MRS) software that will be utilized to communicate, collaborate and evaluate interactive problems using mobile devices. The poster will also showcase several interactive problem-solving activities utilizing mobile devices and MRS software, which have been developed and are being adopted in CS and IT courses at Winston-Salem State University (WSSU). It is expected that this research will invigorate interest in Computer Science among minority and underrepresented students through exposure to the technology-rich learning environment. By enhancing student learning and problem solving abilities, it is also expected that this research work will improve the quality and quantity of underrepresented minority students in STEM workforce or graduate study. The successful execution of this project will advance research and the knowledge of mobile device usage in CS classrooms and more importantly the way it impact teaching strategy and student learning at WSSU and other institutions.
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Developing interactive classroom exercises for use with mobile devices to enhance class engagement and problem-solving skills
A recent Pew research center study of mobile device usage revealed that, African American and Latinos are the most active users of the Internet from mobile devices. The study also revealed that minority cell phone owners take advantage of a much greater range of their phone's features compared with people of other ethnicities. At Winston Salem State University (WSSU), it is common for students to multitask and use their mobile devices while in class for studying, or performing other activities. This paper reports our ongoing experiences running a National Science Foundation (NSF)-sponsored targeted Infusion Project (TIP) in Computer Science Department that aims to leverage this situation by developing a mobile classroom response system (MRS) to allow students solve interactive problems in their mobile devices in order to improve their class engagement and problem solving skills. By allowing them to solve problems in their preferred devices, the project expects to create a friendly learning environment where the students want to retain, be active and skillful.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1332531
- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10017489
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- 2014 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE)
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 1 to 4
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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It is common for students to multi-task and use their mobile devices while in class for studying or other activities. This research aims to leverage this situation by developing a mobile classroom learning software to help students solve interactive problems in their mobile devices in order to improve their class engagement and problem solving skills. This paper presents the design and development of the mobile classroom response software to communicate, collaborate and evaluate inclass interactive problem solving activities using mobile devices. The software facilitates various pedagogical approaches that reported to enhance student learning. The software is designed to be easy-to-use and maintainable. MRS is extensible and can render interactive problems developed by third party developer. Software quality matrices for the developed code and the user interface are presented to justify above stated objectives.more » « less
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Conference Paper:
- https://doi.org/10.1109/FIE.2014.7044043
