EDUCAUSE | Contributed by Organizations or Campuses; Articles, Papers, and Reports; and Handheld and Mobile Computing

iPhone Turned into Pocket-Sized Hacking Platform

ckeller — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 16:14:18 -0500

"Be warned: One researcher says the iPhone could become the "perfect spying device," thanks to multiple security flaws."

Phone tracker to keep pupils safe

ckeller — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 11:19:43 -0500

A system that tracks students through their mobile phones is among the new technologies being developed to help improve security at America's universities - something increasingly of concern since the tragic events at Virginia Tech in April 2007.

Student-Initiated Safety Checks

ckeller — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 11:26:52 -0500

When cellphones become safety monitoring devices, students, parents, and administrators can worry less.

Mobile Learning

ckeller — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 16:44:43 -0500

This entire issue of The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, Vol 8, No 2 (2007), is focused on mobile learning. This special issue addresses some of the issues and challenges of mobile learning, and provides suggestions and recommendations for mobile learning and for research on mobile learning.

Colleges seek better emergency-notification systems

ckeller — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 16:30:33 -0500

"The two hours it took for Virginia Tech officials to eMail students a warning about a gunman on campus last month have raised the question of how schools can get critical news out faster in a crisis--and how technology can help."

Lessons From Virginia Tech: A Disaster Alert System That Works

ckeller — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 16:23:44 -0500

"Since 9/11, some security experts have pushed the idea that peer-to-peer alert systems that rely on openness and the crowd can save lives, particularly when centralized communications and decision-making break down. That argument is back in force following Monday's mass slayings of 32 people at Virginia Tech."

The Road to 24/7: Cell Phones at Baruch College

drupal — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 11:25:20 -0600

"Instead of fighting student cell phone use, some schools are embracing it. At Baruch College in New York City (one of 10 senior colleges of The City University of New York), CIO Arthur Downing is working with Rave Wireless to supply students with cell-phone-accessible applications for academic-oriented uses."

CCSN Students to Use iPods to Tune in to Class

drupal — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 12:37:36 -0600

The Community College of Southern Nevada (CCSN) is launching an iPod program to try to find out if the devices can assist in student learning. Students in the five or six classes in the pilot program will be loaned iPods by the institution. Faculty in those courses will augment the syllabus with podcasts of lectures and other lessons, as well as additional resources, such as music or other recorded material that helps explain a concept. After the semester is over, faculty involved in the program will be surveyed on whether the devices improved student outcomes; if so, the program is likely to be expanded in later terms. Lester Tanaka, an instructor at CCSN, said that students today are immersed in technology and expect college content to take advantage of it. Faculty can continue to lecture, he said, which will simply put students to sleep, or they can "step up to the plate and deliver the material in a way that is more palatable." Richard Carpenter, president of CCSN, noted that "the students who have appropriate self-discipline will love it. Those who don't have that may not do as well."

Penn State Live Offers Mobile News Service

drupal — Mon, 21 Aug 2006 11:51:04 -0500

Pennsylvania State university will launch a text-messaging wireless service called PSUTXT today as an expansion of Penn State Live, a news service with 360,000 subscribers. The university plans to use the service to send text messages of news alerts to mobile devices.Registered users can sign up for short message service (SMS) text messages on campus emergencies, sports, and concert information. Topics will expand as users indicate an interest in other types of information. PSUTXT targets Penn State students, faculty, and staff, although anyone may subscribe.

Dell to recall 4 million batteries

drupal — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 16:28:58 -0500

"Dell and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission plan to recall 4.1 million notebook batteries."