Enhancing Campus Activity with Mobile Devices

A Creative Inquiry Project
Roy Pargas, School of Computing, pargas@clemson.edu
CPSC 481-005, Spring 2009, 1 credit hour
Meeting Time and Day: TBA, based on schedules of enrolled students

New and powerful mobile devices have recently emerged, for example the Apple iTouch/iPhone and the Google phone. These devices compete directly with other very popular devices such as the RIM BlackBerry and the Windows SmartPhone. This Creative Inquiry effort will study the two most recent entries, the Google phone and the Apple iTouch/iPhone, and will strive to develop applications on these devices that will enhance life and learning in an academic setting.

              
Examples of applications students develop might include designing and developing pedagogical software for specific courses or disciplines, applications that facilitate users traversing around campus, applications for locating an empty parking space, an application that facilitates studying while travelling, or applications guiding visitors to locations around campus.

Students:

  1. will learn how to develop small Google phone and Apple iTouch/iPhone software,

  2. will design a project (pedagogical or enhancing academic life) involving a Google and/or Apple mobile device, and with an advocate (such as an instructor teaching a course in which the software may apply and may be used) who is willing to participate and co-mentor the project, develop the software for the mobile device,

  3. with the co-mentor’s permission, will test the software on the co-mentor's students, collect feedback, improve software, continue testing, continue collecting feedback and improving software, and

  4. will document the entire effort through posters and papers. Selected students may also be encouraged to participate in the development of a proposal for external funding.

The focus will be on applications that benefit teaching and learning or enhance life on a university campus. In this way, participating students will see their applications applied immediately and hopefully be encouraged to continue to improve their software.

Presentations

In additional to class presentations, students will be strongly encouraged to submit to and participate in professional meetings, presenting the results of their efforts through student posters and/or papers. We are targeting one conference for student presentation: 2009 ACMSE, a regional conference that will be hosted at Clemson March 19-21, 2009.

Providing Students with Course Credit for Participation

Students participating in this effort will register for one hour of CPSC 481/681 (Special Topics). In the spring 2009 semester, the course is CPSC 481-005.