Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Pocket PCs and Wireless Networks in Science and Mathematics Education Charles R. Ward, Chemistry Ronald J. Vetter, Computer Science University of North Carolina at Wilmington

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Outline of Presentation History of Numina II Project History of Numina II Project Wireless Networks Wireless Networks Capabilities of the Pocket PC Capabilities of the Pocket PC Pocket PC Software for Science and Mathematics Pocket PC Software for Science and Mathematics Student Assessment with the Pocket PC Student Assessment with the Pocket PC The Numina II Student Response System The Numina II Student Response System

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW History of Numina II Project Multi-disciplinary team has been working together on technology projects since Multi-disciplinary team has been working together on technology projects since Funding obtained from Pearson Education and UNCW in 1999 to explore the use of handheld computer technology for teaching science and mathematics. Funding obtained from Pearson Education and UNCW in 1999 to explore the use of handheld computer technology for teaching science and mathematics.

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Initial work done with Hewlett- Packard Jornada 690 and 720 handheld computers Initial work done with Hewlett- Packard Jornada 690 and 720 handheld computers History of Numina II Project Wireless networks installed in the chemistry, math, and computer science buildings Wireless networks installed in the chemistry, math, and computer science buildings

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Numina II Project Internal seed grant obtained to study the use of the Pocket PC vs. the handheld PC in higher education. Internal seed grant obtained to study the use of the Pocket PC vs. the handheld PC in higher education. Is it possible to do serious college-level work on a Pocket PC? Is it possible to do serious college-level work on a Pocket PC? What additional hardware and software are needed to make the PPC a viable option for students and faculty? What additional hardware and software are needed to make the PPC a viable option for students and faculty?

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Wireless Networks b Standards-based network b Standards-based network 150’ range around access point (indoors) 150’ range around access point (indoors) 11 Mbps throughput 11 Mbps throughput Network access from anywhere in the building Network access from anywhere in the building

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Intel StrongArm CPU (206 MHz) Intel StrongArm CPU (206 MHz) 64 MB RAM 64 MB RAM 240 x 360 reflective TFT color display 240 x 360 reflective TFT color display Compact Flash expansion slot Compact Flash expansion slot 14-hour Li-ion battery 14-hour Li-ion battery Pocket PC 2002 OS Pocket PC 2002 OS MS Pocket Office suite MS Pocket Office suite Internet Explorer Internet Explorer Pocket PC Hardware

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Pocket PCs are distributed to students in class Pocket PCs are distributed to students in class PPCs are stored on “charging” carts PPCs are stored on “charging” carts Pocket PC Hardware

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW eBook Chemistry Textbook Chemistry: The Central Science 8 th Ed. Chemistry: The Central Science 8 th Ed. Prentice-Hall Publishers Prentice-Hall Publishers HTML format – entirely editable HTML format – entirely editable Textbook accessed via the Web Textbook accessed via the Web

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Pen-based interface Pen-based interface MM+ and Semi-Empirical MM+ and Semi-Empirical Build molecules Build molecules Optimize geometries Optimize geometries Explore properties of molecules Explore properties of molecules Pocket Hyperchem from Hypercube – View and rotate molecules – Measure bond angles and bond lengths – View molecules in different renderings

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Reads and writes standard MS Word (.doc) documents Reads and writes standard MS Word (.doc) documents Will read and display sub/super- scripts but will not create them Will read and display sub/super- scripts but will not create them No support for tables No support for tables MS Pocket Word

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Reads and writes standard MS Excel (.xls) documents Reads and writes standard MS Excel (.xls) documents Does not support graphing Does not support graphing Will not allow non-contiguous column selection Will not allow non-contiguous column selection No statistical routines No statistical routines MS Pocket Excel

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Supports standard HTML Supports standard HTML Supports JPEG and GIF Supports JPEG and GIF Supports embedded Media Player Supports embedded Media Player Supports Flash 5 Supports Flash 5 No animated GIF support No animated GIF support Limited JavaScript support Limited JavaScript support Very limited Java support Very limited Java support MS Pocket Internet Explorer

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Supports WMF audio and video Supports WMF audio and video Supports MP3 Supports MP3 Supports streaming video Supports streaming video Will embed in Pocket IE Will embed in Pocket IE MS Pocket Media Player

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Colorful periodic table display Colorful periodic table display Displays 14 properties of each element Displays 14 properties of each element Will create plots of the periodic trends of elements Will create plots of the periodic trends of elements ChemRef Advanced

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Most of the graphing functions of a TI graphing calculator Most of the graphing functions of a TI graphing calculator Easier to use than a calculator due to the pen-based interface Easier to use than a calculator due to the pen-based interface Will export data to Excel Will export data to Excel MRI Graphing Calculator

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Developed at UNCW by Dr. Russ Herman Developed at UNCW by Dr. Russ Herman Adds graphing capability to Pocket Excel Adds graphing capability to Pocket Excel Graphs can be pasted into Pocket Word Graphs can be pasted into Pocket Word GraphData

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Graphical FTP client program Graphical FTP client program Very easy to use Very easy to use Students use FTP to transfer files to their instructor Students use FTP to transfer files to their instructor Scotty FTP

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW 12-bit DATAQ system with numerous probes 12-bit DATAQ system with numerous probes Available as serial interface or as CF+ unit Available as serial interface or as CF+ unit Software runs on HPC, PPC, and desktop computers Software runs on HPC, PPC, and desktop computers Data Harvest DATAQ System

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Numina II Student Response System Interactive classroom questioning Interactive classroom questioning Completely Web-based system Completely Web-based system Student feedback is anonymous Student feedback is anonymous Data are available for later analysis Data are available for later analysis

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Numina II Student Response System

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Numina II Student Response System

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Numina II Student Response System

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Numina II Student Response System

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Numina II Student Response System

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Numina II Student Response System

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Numina II Student Response System

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Numina II Student Response System

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Numina II Student Response System

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Software Development for Numina II Molecular Animator (states of matter, vapor pressure, phase diagrams, etc.) Molecular Animator (states of matter, vapor pressure, phase diagrams, etc.) Kinetics Simulator Kinetics Simulator Equilibrium Simulator Equilibrium Simulator Data Analysis Module Data Analysis Module Data Acquisition Software & Hardware Data Acquisition Software & Hardware

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Acknowledgements National Science FoundationNational Science Foundation Pearson EducationPearson Education UNCWUNCW College of Arts and SciencesCollege of Arts and Sciences Division of Academic AffairsDivision of Academic Affairs Information Technology Systems DivisionInformation Technology Systems Division Project Funding

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Acknowledgements Department of ChemistryDepartment of Chemistry Dr. Jimmy ReevesDr. Jimmy Reeves Dr. Barbara HeathDr. Barbara Heath Mr. Ben Coats, Graduate StudentMr. Ben Coats, Graduate Student Ms. Jenny Wright, UndergraduateMs. Jenny Wright, Undergraduate Ms. Katy Magolan, UndergraduateMs. Katy Magolan, Undergraduate Collaborators

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW Acknowledgements Mathematics and StatisticsMathematics and Statistics Dr. Gabriel LugoDr. Gabriel Lugo Dr. Russ HermanDr. Russ Herman Computer ScienceComputer Science Dr. Ron VetterDr. Ron Vetter Mr. Adam Forsythe, UndergraduateMr. Adam Forsythe, Undergraduate Mr. Shaun Border, UndergraduateMr. Shaun Border, Undergraduate Collaborators

Project Numina II UNCW UNCW