A wireless handheld system for interactive multimedia-enhanced instruction

This paper introduces a new wireless handheld computer System (hardware and software) for interactive multimedia-enhanced instruction. This versatile system provides all the multimedia and communication functionality of a traditional desktop computer in a portable device. The system allows the instructor to manage a lecture presentation, access web pages, and control the classroom environment. To encourage classroom interaction, the system includes a web-server where students can anonymously pose questions and voice opinions via their computer In our experience, over 90% of students respond to instructor questions in this fashion, which is considerably higher than in a traditional classroom setting. Furthermore, this system has a relatively small cost in comparison to conventional multimedia based systems.