Networked Handhelds for Collaborative Sense-Making in Undergraduate Physics

Abstract

Classroom networks of handheld devices have the potential to support a new genre of collaborative learning activities, enabling complex small group tasks that encourage and support the simultaneous engagement of all students. At the same time, one-to-one personal computing with intuitive touchscreen interfaces offers engaging simulations and visualization aids to individual learners. However, it is not well understood how to design effective simulations to be used by and to engage groups of students in a collaborative setting. My dissertation work is an exploration of the collaborative physics activity design space opened up by networked handheld devices. Specifically, I study the design of networked simulations with the aim of engaging students in high-level discourse about physics concepts.