Ubiquitous Computing

What is it you ask? Ubiquitous computing is technology that is everywhere, used all the time, and is so common that the 'newness' of it has worn off. Envision a classroom that is filled with wall-to-wall technology (that all works!) that is used throughout the day, every day. Students use technology so much that they are comfortable with it and it fits seamlessly with instruction, adding to the students' learning.The information for this discussion was mostly from an article written about the AT&T classroom here at Kent State University. It can be found at the following web address: http://www.rcetj.org/?type=art&id=5666. This article showcased different students and teachers that were given access to the technology filled AT&T classroom for several weeks. The related discussion covered implications for instruction, student motivation, and classroom dynamics. The most relevant ideas I can take away from this discussion are as follows:

• Technology does increase student motivation and interest.
• Technology helps make learning more student-centered. It also allows students to learn on their own terms, as opposed to learning just what the teacher tells them.
• Increased student motivation and interest may wear off if the same technology is used repeatedly or the use of technology is simply 'commonplace.'
• Use technology wisely. It always takes some time for both the teacher and student to become comfortable using new technology, but if it will really enhance a topic and you can use it again for different material, it is worth taking the time to learn it.

I thought this discussion was valuable as it got me thinking about many different ways I could incorporate technology in my own classroom. I would LOVE to have access to a learning environment such as the AT&T classroom here at Kent, however most schools do not have this luxury. I think the discussion would have been more beneficial (at least for me) if a more realistic classroom setting was shown. Throughout the subtopics, many people described what technology they use in their classroom and how they use it. I found this really helpful, as well as how we realistically discussed the implications ubiquitous computing has on the classroom dynamics.