A pilot study in a secondary school, students learn with a laptop with internet connection GPRS 3G, sponsored by IBM and VODAFONE.

1. LEARNING ANYWHERE, ANYTIME THROUGH A LAPTOP: A PILOT STUDY IN A SECONDARY SCHOOL Adelina Moura Ana Amélia Carvalho University of Minho – Braga, Portugal Lisbon, 5 , 7th July 2007 adelina8@gmail.com [email_address]

2. STUDY DESCRIPTION third t erm of 2005/2006 19 students of a secondary school laptop computers 1:1 ThinkPad IBM Vodafone GPRS 3G Português On-line project KEYWORDS laptop learning anywhere anytime mobility flexibility

3. Português On-line Project

4. Contents table

5. Objectives The main objective was to find out how teaching and learning change when students are provided with their own laptop computer with internet connection and how the students’ behavior was affected.

6. Data collection Questionnaire The attitudes of the pupils to the use of the laptop for accessing information Their opinions regarding the differences between individual and collaborative learning

7. Categories Mobility Motivation Self-learning Communication Interaction engagement in the individual and collaborative learning

8. Categories in information research in the learning of the curriculum contents on spare time usage on individual and collaborative work Impact on laptop use

9. Categories Frequency of use one laptop accessing Portuguese curriculum activities participation in the forum working in different subjects listening to Portuguese literature podcasts publishing work in Wiki pages using Messenger playing using email downloading data

10. Results 100% They communicate more online than before and improved the performance of timid students Communication Interaction 63% Felt more autonomous in learning and carried out activities for other subjects Self-learning 89% Take the iniciative to search information Motivation 90% Liked the ability to access infomation from anywhere Mobility

11. Results 58 % 74 % 58 % 58 % Access activities Participation in forum Publish work in wiki pages School work Frequency of use one laptop (2/5 times week) 84% 89% 84% 95% In finding information In curriculum contents In collaborative work In individual work Impact on laptop Use (good)

12. Conclusions The laptop program has improved student motivation to work in groups or individually ; It has increased interest in curriculum activities and in the school generally ; Students worked well, to organize their activities and to use laptops in an effective way ; Working with laptops allow students to have more leisure time ;

13. Conclusions Flexibility and mobility were the most appreciated elements of this pilot study; It enabled a much wider range of student interaction with course materials, with teachers and with each other ; The potential benefits of using laptops in school are improvements in student motivation, engagement, organization, homework completion and collaborative learning .

14. Future Work We intend to study the impact of mobile technologies (mobile phones, and Tablet PCs) in the teaching and learning process Two research questions - Which will be the implications of mobile technologies in individual and collaborative learning? - The mobile technologies will be able to contribute to change student’s attitude to the curriculum matters and school?

15. Thank you for your attention! adelina8@gmail.com [email_address]