Using PDAs in Economics Education

8/7/2019 Using PDAs in Economics Education

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Using PDAs in Economics

Andy Ramsden - [email protected]

Bhagesh Sachania ±Economics [email protected]



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that¶s us, what about you?

1. Who are you ± first names ;-)

2. A quick straw poll:

who owns a PDA? who has used one? if you own one, what do you most frequently use it

for? For you, what is the wow factor? those who don¶t own one, what do you think PDA is?



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what are the aims of this workshop?

The aim of the workshop is, using the context of Teaching andLearning Economics, to «

1. Raise your awareness of handheld technology

2. Create the opportunity for some hands-on experience3. Raise questions for you to reflect and re-visit in the future

with respect to the application of handheld technologyand teaching and learning

The plan is to address the following three areas «

1. What is a PDA and how are they being currently used ineducation?

2. How might PDAs be used in teaching Economics?3. How might PDAs be used in learning Economics?



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how are we going to achieve these aims?

Experiential Learning - A method of teaching which uses activeparticipation and the applied use of new skills through roleplaying and on-the-job experience, in addition to lecturing.erc.msh.org/fpmh_english/gloss/gloss_e.html

Collaborative learning - When learners work in groups on thesame task simultaneously, thinking together over demandsand tackling complexities. Collaboration is here seen as theact of shared creation and/or discovery.www.unesco.org/education/educprog/lwf/doc/portfolio/definitions.ht

m

Facilitators - A person who helps students learn by discoveringthings for themselves.www.trainandemploy.qld.gov.au/tools/glossary/glossary_f.htm



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activity 1: getting to grips with a PDA

The aim of this task is for you to gain hands-on experienceof using an internet connected PDA and to start to thinkabout the strengths and weaknesses of the technology.



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activity 1: getting to grips with a PDA

In small groups, using an internet connected PDAanswer the following questions

1. What is a PDA?2. Find examples of the use of PDAs in education,

especially within Economics?

Instructions

Write your answers using Pocket Word Beam your Word document to another group

http://www.google.co.uk/pda



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feedback on activity 1

Describe what you think are the strengths andweaknesses of a PDA?



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activity 2: using PDAs in teaching Economics

The aim of this activity is to make us think as educatorswhat tasks we regularly undertake and if we could usea PDA to improve the process.



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activity 2: using PDAs in teaching Economics

In small groups, using flip chart paper, breakdown thedifferent tasks associated with teaching. Try tomake this as granular as possible, i.e.,

Creating a lecture presentation

Planning Researching the topic

Sourcing the material Creating the powerpointAuthoring 2nd and 3rd

versionsPresenting and uploadingto the course VLE



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Write down 1 task and reflect on how you mightuse a PDA to improve the efficiency of the task.

Try to view the PDA as an extension of thecomputer.



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some common tasks on a PDA



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presenting from your PDA

Margi Presenter-to-go

www.margi.com



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class register ± a simple example

Handbase

http://www.ddhsoftware.com/



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activity 3: how are you using eLearning?

The aim of this activity is make you reflect on how you arecurrently using elearning and how a PDA might addvalue for the student.



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activity 3: how are you using eLearning?

As a group brainstorm how you are currentlysupporting / facilitating learning through the use of a VLE (or other electronic means).

What type of material are you distributing? What type of tasks are you requiring students to

complete?



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activity 4: what is the student experience?

The aim of this activity is to let you explore the type of content that can be delivered to a PDA and the usabilityof the content.



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activity 4: what is the student experience?

In small groups, using the help sheet, explore some of the common eLearning tasks when delivered to aPDA.

When reviewing them, reflect they are on the followingquestions;

Where is there an advantage of using a PDA over acomputer?

After experiencing these, what things do you needto account for when creating electronic resources?



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A quick straw poll

1. How many people are aware of the proportion of

their students who have access to a PDA?

2. On the assumption that there is a highproportion, what issues would influence thelikelihood of you creating your eLearningmaterial in a format that is suitable for a PDA?



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how about communication? A demo of skype

³Skype is a little program for makingfree calls over the internet to anyoneelse who also has Skype. It¶s free and

easy to download and use, and workswith most computers´ and on thePocket PC platform ± so saysskype.com

When listening to this exchange, we¶d like you to reflect on

the following question;

How might you adopt this technology to support learningwith your students?



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where next?

The material for this workshop, including; thepresentation, all the written up flip charts, somerecommended links and details on how to contact us are

available from the following blog -http://www.mobile-learning.blog-city.com

In the search box type in debe. A number of contributionswill appear, to access them you¶ll need a password: debe

Please feel free to add comments.



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where next?

Instructions:

Search: debe

Password: debe



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any question?

Thanks ;-)

Documents

Using PDAs in Economics Education