More on Mobility in the Classroom: Experiences and Common Problems

Individualized Education Project:

Working with Mobility in the Classroom

Previously, I developed a method that allowed me to use two computers, one tablet PC, and one anything, that would allow me to write on the board from anywhere in the classroom. There were many places that things could go wrong, for to quote Scotty from Star Trek “The more complex the plumbing, the easier it is to stop it up.”

After developing the method I decided to use it in the classroom and looked at the results. For the most part, things run smoothly, even though my wife’s computer is getting up there in age (it is over 6 years old and ageing), it is still strong enough to handle the LogMeIn and relay the images from my tablet PC. However, it still has some hiccups.

If I start the LogMeIn process prior to swapping the computer screen around on the Tablet to turn it into a writing surface, the LogMeIn will automatically disconnect when the screen on my Tablet blanks out as it rearranges itself. This also occurs when plugging into a projector, or doing anything other than just write on the Tablet. Sometimes the disconnect occurs when I plug the Tablet PC in to recharge it when the batteries run low. This means that both computers are forced into a system where neither one can multitask. While this normally wouldn’t be a problem in my day to day teaching, it becomes difficult if I want to run any graphing programs, swap between the 2-Computer method to the camera for examples with Graphing Calculators, swapping to a video, or anything other than the old fashioned “write on the board” style of teaching.

But even with this drawback, I believe that the 2-Computer method is a strong teaching tool as I can break the plane between the front of the classroom, interact with students, and allow students to actually show me what they’re talking about when they’re having a problem with one of the questions.

To prevent the problem of the disconnect I’ve found that having the Tablet PC up and ready to go before I even open LogMeIn prevents most of the disconnect mishaps. Also, having the Tablet PC fully charged before starting the day is of paramount importance as the batteries won’t last forever, and the older the computer gets the faster the batteries will deplete. The batter life can be extended by getting 2 removable batteries and a charger for the classroom. That way you can have one battery charging while the other is in use.

Another major problem that arises is a new addition to the LogMeIn program. The program automatically disconnects if the remote controlling computer does not receive a manual input of some kind every 15 min or so. This can be disabled by going through the settings of the program, but can be quite frustrating the first time it happens.

The only problem that I have with the 2-Computer method has been lag. Sometimes the WiFi in the school is down, or slow, and that means what I write on my Tablet PC is not given as a real time display by the remote-controlling computer. This can lead to completely disabling the system altogether as WiFi internet is 100% necessary for the system to work in its current form. I believe that if we could develop a Bluetooth technology adapter whose sole purpose is to receive Bluetooth information from a tablet and send that information through to a projector the 2-Computer method would be reduced to the Mobility-Method with only one Tablet PC, the adaptor, and the computer. Until then, we’re forced to work through the internet.

A piece of the lag problem can also be attributed to my wife’s aging laptop. I believe if we upgraded to a better PC that the problem of communication between systems could be resolved and that lag would be reduced (though nothing would completely eliminate lag, but it’d be so short no human could perceive it).

What Have I learned?

Using this system in the classroom has shown me many things, including how much people text in the class. Being able to stand over a student who isn’t paying attention, who feels left out, or who is texting MOM “n clss txt l8tr” lets me know for certain who is and isn’t paying attention. Its benefits have been tremendous in the classroom, and I believe any teacher could benefit from the use of this method no matter what they’re teaching.

I’ve also worked out a lot of the bugs of this system of teaching, as detailed above. Having seen the bugs I can quickly eliminate them, or prevent them from occurring, by making minor changes to my routine. I can do most of my troubleshooting without help, but sometimes I will have to call on others for assistance. In this case, GOOGLE is your best friend. There have been dozens of problems I’ve solved with a quick search in GOOGLE which has saved me hours of work. And if GOOGLE fails there’s always the “Ask a friend” and “Try it yourself” techniques that I believe everyone who works in a technology based environment should become acquainted with.

All in all the experience of using the 2-Computer method has been the most positive aspect of my MAT classes, especially the Tech-based one as I’d of never tried to create this method if it hadn’t been for an assignment. Mobility, being close to my students, seeing over their shoulders when they think I’m somewhere else has all lead to a more productive and more fun classroom environment, one that does wonders.