Advantages of Using Handheld Computers Against ...

RESEARCH IN

brief

Tufan Adiguzel Texas A&M University

Advantages of Using Handheld Computers Against Other Methodologies for Data Collection

When compared to conventional desktop and laptop computers, handheld computers, also known as personal digital assistant (PDA), are generally perceived to offer greater portability at a more affordable cost (Bell, 2006). Handheld computers, which weigh, on average, less than half a pound, are smaller, lighter, and easier to maneuver in classrooms than larger and heavier laptops, and offer portability that a desktop will never provide (Fletcher, Erickson, Toomey, & Wagenaar, 2003; Trapl et al., 2005). From the classroom to the lunchroom or playground, teachers can input data immediately in the environment where the behaviors are being observed. While these advantages must be taken into consideration when analyzing the value of introducing handheld computers as data collection and observational devices for teachers in the classroom, other variables, including interoperability, accuracy, reliability, and latency must also be evaluated (Adiguzel, Vannest, & Parker, 2007). One of the most promising developments in the evolution of handheld computer technology is the increasing interoperability. Handheld computers can interact with several devices and make information accessible through a wireless connection to a server computer (Batten, Crowdhury, & Drew, 2003; Dixon, 2003; Ice, 2004). Thus, daily recordings of class performance can be entered and retained on the handheld computer and then downloaded onto a disc or transferred to a server at the end of the day. Wireless Generation Inc. has developed a software platform that allows handheld computer users to synchronize or sync data they collect in their handheld computers to Internet source. This interoperability software facilitates assessment and intervention practices for students (Wireless Generation Introduces, 2007). In certain settings and for particular applications, handheld computers have been shown to be more reliable and accurate than traditional pen and paper recording techniques (Gravelee, Zenk, Woods, Rowe, & Schulz, 2006; Ludwig & Goomas, 2007). This finding 225

is consistent across both youth and adult users (Paelermo, Valenzuela, & Stark, 2004). One reason why handheld computers have been considered to improve data entry accuracy is because time lapse between the user’s observation and data entry is minimal (Fletcher et al., 2003). Accordingly, as the “interval between data collection and [entry] validation increases, data collectors’ recall decreases” (p. 165). The inverse, then, is also true (Garvin, Otto, & McRae, 2000), and for school settings, this finding has important implications for the entry of observational types of data, such as data about children’s behavior or qualitative assessments of students’ performance. In addition, the variety of data that can be captured simultaneously is enhanced with a handheld computer, which may permit the user to switch among screens, each of which may represent a task pane with a different observational instrument, to collect multiple data streams with greater ease than a paper instrument (Sarkar, Dutta, Dhingra, Dhingra, Verma, Juyal et al., 2006). For instance, a teacher may want to record a child’s mood, focus, and task performance, but requires three different forms for doing so. The handheld computer allows the simultaneous-discrete collection of these three types of data with relative ease (Sarkar et al.). Immediate input, it is argued, improves reliability (Fletcher et al.). Computer and data reliability are also variables to consider when comparing handhelds with other options. Handheld computers are generally reliable, and they hold particular promise for improving reliability in rural areas (Power & Thomas, 2007). Because rural areas may not have the kinds of technological infrastructure that urban areas have, handheld computers, which operate on either disposable or lithium batteries, were preferred by teachers over laptops and desktops for data collection and storage (Power & Thomas). In an early study on the reliability of handheld data collection, Olswang, Svensson, Coggins, Beilinson, and Donaldson (2006) determined that data reliability can be improved by having multiple users entering data; Volume 108 (6)

Research in Brief

however, this may not be feasible in the classroom setting, particularly in schools where resources are limited. The final issue that must be considered is latency, which refers to the downtime a computer requires for transferring or synching data (Agarwal, Starobinski, & Trachtenberg, 2002). Often, because the storage capacity of a handheld computer is small compared to the amount of storage capacity on a desktop computer data are transferred from the handheld computer to centralized computer or external hard drive through a wireless connection. The transfer process, however, is often slow and may be inefficient, which may detract from the efficiency gains made in other areas. At the same time, though, it must be noted that data transfer tends to be quicker than pen and paper data transfers (Walker, Sigouin, Sek, Almonte, Carruthers, & Chan et al., 2004). In a study about the speed and efficacy of data transfer in a nursing setting, Walker et al. noted that data sent from hand-held computers used by nurses sent to a central computer were often received on the same day they were entered; in the educational setting, one can feasibly predict that student attendance, for instance, entered into a teacher’s handheld computer, could be transferred to the main office with relative speed when compared to traditional paper and pencil instruments. Walker et al. also pointed out that verifying the correctness of data entered electronically is easier than that written by hand; one reason is because the data evaluator does not need to decipher hand-writing. As Berthelsen and Stilley (2000) found, “Computerized data capture is more legible, complete, and efficient than… paper [data capture]” (p. 59). Overall, by improving the disadvantages of paperbased methodologies, and making the advantages of desktop and laptop computers more accessible to fieldbased researchers, handheld computers offer great solutions for observations and assessments conducted in research and classroom settings. These computers provide researchers and educators with the ability to record anywhere within short-time periods or access data where operations are taking place. Finally, handheld computers are especially invaluable for teachers who need to walk around, monitor, and record what they see and provide a better picture of student behavior.

School Science and Mathematics

References Adiguzel, T., Vannest, K. J., & Parker, R. (2007, April). The development and validation of a portable datacollection system for the pocket pc computers. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Chicago, IL. Agarwal, S., Starobinski, D., & Trachtenberg, A. (2002). On the scalability of data synchronization protocols for PDAs and mobile devices. Network, 16(4), 22-28. Batten, L., Chowdhury, M., & Drew, J. (2003). The major drawbacks to the use of wireless communication products in education. Proceedings of the 1st Australian Information Security Management Conference. We-B Centre Edith Cowan University, Australia. Bell, A. (2006). Handheld computers are more than personal assistants. Library Media Connection, 25(1), 56-59. Berthelsen, C. L., & Stilley, K. R. (2000). Automated personal health inventory for dentistry: A pilot study. Journal of the American Dentistry Association, 131, 59-66. Dixon, M. R. (2003). Creating a portable data-collection system with Microsoft embedded visual tools for the Pocket PC. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 36, 271-284. Fletcher, L. A., Erickson, D. J., Toomey, T. L., & Wagenaar, A. C. (2003). Handheld computers: A feasible alternative to paper forms for field data collection. Evaluation Review, 27, 165-178. Garvin, R., Otto, F., & McRae, D. (2000). Using handheld computers to document family practice resident procedure experience. Medical Informatics, 32(2), 115-118. Gravelee, C. C., Zenk, S. N., Woods, S., Rowe, Z., & Schulz, A. J. (2006). Handheld computers for direct observation of the social and physical environment. Field Methods, 18, 382-397. Ice, G. H. (2004). Technological advances in observational data collection: The advantages and limitations of computer-assisted data collection. Field Methods, 16, 352–375. Ludwig, T. D., & Goomas, D. T. (2007). Performance, accuracy, data delivery, and feedback methods in order selection: A comparison of voice, handheld, and paper technologies. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 27(1), 69-107. Olswang, L. B., Svensson, L., Coggins, T. E., Beilinson, J. S., & Donaldson, A. L. (2006). Reliability is226

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sues and solutions for coding social communication performance in classroom settings. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 49, 10581071. Power, T., & Thomas, R. (2007). The classroom in your pocket? Curriculum Journal, 18, 373-388. Sarkar, A., Dutta, A., Dhingra, U., Dhingra, P., Verma, P., Juyal, R., Black, R. E., Menon, V. P., Kumar, J., & Sazawal, S. (2006). Development and use of behavior and social interaction software installed on Palm handheld for observation of a child’s social interactions with the environment. Behavior Research Methods, 38, 407-415. Trapl, E. S., Borawski, E. A., Stork, P. P., Lovegreen, L. D., Colabianchi, N., Cole, M. L., & Charvat, J. M. (2005). Use of audio-enhanced personal digital assistants for school-based data collection. Journal of Adolescent Health, 37, 296–305. Walker, I., Sigouin, C., Sek, J., Almonte, T., Carruthers, J., Chan, A., Pai, M., & Heddle, N. (2004). Comparing hand-held computers and paper diaries for hemophilia home therapy: A randomized trial. Haemophilia, 10, 698-704. Wireless Generation introduces response-tointervention product. Electronic Education Report, 14(11), 7-8.

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