Using Tablet PCs for
Collaborative
Problem Solving
13th Annual Technology and Learning
Conference
October 5, 2007
1:00 PM – Advanced Technology Center 216
Who Are We?
Montgomery County Community College
Blue Bell, PA
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Marie Hartlein
Associate Professor, Computer Science
mhartlein@mc3.edu
•
Linda Moulton
Professor, Math and Computer Science
lmoulton@mc3.edu
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Patricia Rahmlow
Assistant Professor, Computer Science
prahmlow@mc3.edu
http://faculty.mc3.edu/prahmlow/Presentations/index.html
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2006 Higher Education HP Technology for
Teaching Grant Initiative
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HP seeks to support development of mobile technology
environments.
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HP seeks to increase the pipeline of students graduating with
degrees in engineering, computer science and business
•
Since 2003, over 260 college and university recipients of HP
Technology for Teaching Grants
•
Approximately 40 grants awarded in 2006 on the collegiate level. We
were one of them!
http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/grants/us/programs/tech_teaching/higher_ed_main.html?jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN
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Problem Solving Using
Mobile Teams and Digital Ink
Project Overview
Our vision is a learning environment at MCCC
that will incorporate mobile tablet technology
into a dynamic computer science classroom
experience.
A variety of activities utilizing tablet technology in
a collaborative learning environment will be
used to encourage active learning.
Project innovations will empower students to
succeed in education and in the workplace of
the future.
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Problem Solving Using
Mobile Teams and Digital Ink
Key Ingredients
Mobile Teams -•
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Small group interaction
Seamless migration from group to group
Problem Solving -•
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Pseudocode & Flowcharting
Design Walkthroughs
Note Taking –
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Use of tablet pen and conversion from handwriting to
electronic form
Organization with note flags, searching, audio recording, web
citations
Collaboration through features such as note sharing
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Problem Solving Using
Mobile Teams and Digital Ink
Project Status
• Grant awarded 5/06
• Summer 2006
– IT department installs hardware
– Faculty team begins development of tablet
PC related course content and assessment
tools
• September 2006 – Present
– Faculty team pilots tablet PC related
course content in introductory computer
science course
– Weekly team meetings
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Problem Solving Using
Mobile Teams and Digital Ink
Tablet Activities
• Shared team sessions for project
collaboration
– Pseudocode
– Web research
– Problem solving
• Projection of Team Code
• Get acquainted activity
• Note taking
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2007 HP Technology Higher Education
Leadership Award
•
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Leadership awards are additional, higher value grants
awarded to HP Technology for Teaching grant recipients
whose projects demonstrate success in their first year of
implementation
Approximately 10 grants were awarded in 2007 on the
collegiate level. We were one of them!
Leadership Grants provide 40 tablets for students, two
teacher stations, a poster printer, and an additional camera
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLif-ktZAl8
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Collaborative Problem Solving Using
Mobile Teams, Visualization and Digital Ink
Project Overview
• Team expanded to include additional CIS and
Communication faculty
• Build on successful strategies implemented in CS1
from the 2006 HP grant
• Redesign second level CIS course (CS2) to
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–
–
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facilitate mobile teams
foster collaboration with other CIS courses
encourage note taking
use more visual tools such as Enterprise Architect UML, media
computation and Classroom Presenter
• Redesign entry-level Communication course sequence
to improve information and media literacy skills
• Evaluate additional CIS courses for redesign in future
semesters
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Joys
• Enthusiasm & Flexibility of
Students
• Exposure to Current Technology
• Student & Faculty Collaboration
• IT Support
• Advanced
Technology
Center
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Challenges
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Security (physical)
Wireless network access
Projection of teacher tablet
Deep Freeze
Logistics / class time
Web surfing
Access outside of class
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Hands-On Demonstration
• Team projection
• Shared session
• Get Acquainted Activity
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Steps to Join a Shared Session
• Open OneNote
Start > Programs > Microsoft Office >
Microsoft Office OneNote 2007
• Join Live Session
– Share > Live Sharing Session > Join
Existing Session
– Enter the Shared Session Address as
provided (no password).
• To leave the session at the end of the
demonstration, click Leave Live Sharing
Session button.
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Questions
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