Additional Reading Resources

For students who wish to further understand the issue at hand, below is a list of resources which will aid you in your quest for knowledge, and your pursuit for the betterment of your well-being. However, should you find that too time consuming, you may also read the "about" section under each title which we can also serve as a little synopsis or summary.

Handheld Gaming Consoles

Children's Learning in a Digital World(Book): Chapters 2, 3 and 4
Written by: James Paul Gee, Edward L.Swing and Craig A. Anderson, and Mark Griffiths
About: Gee makes a case that good video games are beneficial to the human mind and learning, that the reason games can be so influential is because they are constructed compel humans into learning new concepts and skills, especially in more intellect demanding games. His advice is applicable not only to youths, but also for game designers, educators and psychologists. Swing and Anderson present give a follow-up which analyses what do video games advocate and assert 'unequivocal evidence'[76] that violent video games lead to aggressive acts, and lament the poor research methodology which arrived to that conclusion. Finally, Griffiths puts into perspective why kids and youths may engage in video games to excess and the risks they face(addiction) in the process, thereby concluding them as being 'potentially addictive'. He also gives practical and convenient advice to help youths cope with addiction.

Implications of Hand Held Electronic Games and Microcomputers for Informal Learning
Written By: Kee, Daniel W.
Source: Education Resources Information Center [free]
About: In his paper, Daniel discusses the uses of handheld devices and microcomputers in both public places and homes. He starts off by describing the various features supported by these devices then goes on to elaborate on why the need for further research on their motivational and influential aspects which could strongly increase the user's ability to learn by using explicit examples of both observational and experimental methods.

Effects of handheld games on students learning mathematics
Written by: Namsoo Shin, Cathleen Norries, Elliot Soloway
Source: ACM Portal
About: This is a paper on the study of the effects of handheld gaming on students learning Math, carried within four months on 50 2nd grade students in three different classes which were each assigned either a Skills Arena software or paper-based flash cards randomly. The study concluded that the group of students engaged in handheld gaming outshined those who did not on the same test.

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Laptops

Why you should always back up
Various Accounts By: Alice Clarke, Adam Turner, Charles Wright, Garry Barker, Mandy Salomon
Source: The Age - Technology on 5th March 2009
About: Five correspondents give an account of their experience with security and system malfunctions, as well as, how they became conscious of the importance of backing up and the methods taken to implement it.

Impact of individual laptop use on middle school mathematics teaching and learning: implementation of problem based learning scenarios
Written By: Victor Freiman, Nicole Lirette-Pitre, Dominic Manuel, Sylvie Blain, Marcia Cormier, Carole Essiembre, Jacinthe Beauchamp
Source: G.R.I.M [free]
About: The paper is a study of the impact on mathematics teaching and learning by portraying partial results of a two year study of laptop use by 7-8 grade francophone schoolchildren of Canada. The researcher uses a problem based learning model to better understand the rationale behind such improvements while taking an in-depth understanding at the various abilities which include problem solving, communication and mathematical reasoning. The paper goes on to discuss different analysis and perspectives before arriving to the conclusion that: "the full realisation of the potentials of such experiences will still rely on students' access to conversation partners who carry on discussions in which these models and concepts are validated. Technology should not be seen as replacing such communication but rather as providing a resource for supporting it."

The Laptop and the Lecture: The Effects of Multitasking in Learning Environments
Written By: Helene Hembrooke and Geri Gay
Source: Cornell University [free]
About: The effects of multitasking in learning environments were investigated in students in an upper level Communications course. Two groups of students were placed in the exact same lecture and tested straight after. One group was allowed to use their laptops to engage in any form of activity during the lecture while the other not allowed to turn on theirs. Students of the former scenario suffered decrements on traditional measures of memory for lecture content. Results are analysed using Lang's Limited Process Capacity model. The paper finally arrives at the conclusion that while high-tech capabilities can help assist studying, it can also impede our progress should we not set boundaries for ourselves.

In-class laptop use and its effects on student learning
Written By: Carrie B. Fried
Source: Science Direct
Abstract: Recently, a debate has begun over whether in-class laptops aid or hinder learning. While some research demonstrates that laptops can be an important learning tool, anecdotal evidence suggests more and more faculty are banning laptops from their classrooms because of perceptions that they distract students and detract from learning. The current research examines the nature of in-class laptop use in a large lecture course and how that use is related to student learning. Results showed that students who used laptops in class spent considerable time multitasking and that the laptop use posed a significant distraction. The practical implications of these findings are discussed.

Bad Effects on Having Laptop on Your Lap In-class laptop use and its effects on student learning
Source: Penis Health [free]
About: Specifically for the guys, this article gives an objective view on the negative effects laptops can have on men, especially in relation to their fertility and why. Backed up by scientific research, this is crucial for all boys, young and old, alike, since the effects will persist for the long run

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Portable Media Players

Personal Music Players & Hearing
Written By: Dr. Marisa Fernandez
Source: Europa > DG Health and Consumer Protection [free]
About: This article, clearly and precisely discusses the health concerns raised by media players relative to our hearing and explains how these sounds impair our hearing in the long term. Read on to discover how you can prevent, diagnose and treat hearing loss.

Growing number of students use MP3 players as a study tool
Written By: Madlen Read, AP Business Writer
Source: Napa Valley [free]
About: Article tells of using audio books to encourage youths to read and listen more enthusiastically. "Audible Inc., the biggest audio book seller, and Pearson Education, the biggest textbook publisher, teamed up last summer to launch VangoNotes, textbook chapter summaries and reviews in MP3 form. ...thousands of students have downloaded the more than 100 titles, which should grow to 200 titles by fall."

Electromagnetic interference with pacemakers caused by portable media players
Written By: Jay P. Thanker, Mehul B. Patel MD, Krit Jongnarangsin MD, Valdis V. Liepa PhD and Ranjan K. Thakur MD, FHRS
Source: Science Direct [free summary available]
About: The purpose of this study was to determine if iPods cause interference with pacemakers. Results from 11 single-chamber pacemakers and 89 dual-chamber pacemakers from 800tests showed that iPods placed within 2inches of implanted peacemakers could cause interference with peacemakers.

Portable Media Devices. Are they a risk?
Written By: Hercules99 (Information Security Specialist)
Source: IT Toolbox [free]
About: Media players can pose risks to a businesses as they are now also used as thumbdrives. However, with bigger space capacities than your regular thumbdrive (think 80GB iPod Classic), such implications could be severe. Note: Check out the comments column where users share how they protect their devices

Podcasting in Middle School: A Case Study and Implications for Teacher Education
Written By: Thanh Truc T. Nguyen and Marybeth P. Hamilton
Source: University of Hawaii at Manoa [free]
About: As the use of podcasts in education are becoming increasingly frequent, this paper aims to determine if such implementation is effective through a study of student-created podcasts in two classes. The first was seventh grade English and the second - eighth grade computer literacy. Considerations involved and different teaching approaches are explained and the paper concludes that while podcasts serve as important self-assessment tools for students in developing concepts, ideas and stories, it is not necessarily the optimal form of formalized assessment as grading will be highly subjective. The authors suggest that further research be conducted for the validity of the rubrics used in both courses. Note: Why is this relevant? This understanding is relevant in the sense that as media players become more common, so will podcasts, since they are complementary in that sense. Hence, it is definite we see more involvement of such technologies in schools.

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Cellphones

Mobile Communication and the New Intimacy
Written By: Professor Michael Hulme, Anna Truch
Source: Social Futures Observatory [free]
Abstract: Traditionally an individual's social identity has been interlinked with their location within physical space. The revolution in mobile communication has partially replaced the old location-based paradigm with the new social network-based paradigm. This paper explores the impact of this new paradigm and its introduction of a 'second space' in which individuals are placed while they are engaged with their mobile phones on the creation and presentation of social identity...

Rise in Cell phone-only homes could distort health tracking
Written By: Theresa Tamkins
Source: CNN Health on 13th March 2009 [free]
About: As many as a quarter of homes in certain areas, such as Oklahoma and Utah, have moved to going completely wireless such that their homes are landlines-free. This prevents the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention from contacting households and hence resulting in biased surveys. Cellphones are not the preferred medium in such cases as participants are usually easily irritable or may request for compensation. Personally, I feel such a scenario - of biasness- can also occur amongst other research fields strongly reliant on landlines in conducting surveys.

Ghana's growing mobile phone industry - any health implications?
Written By: Emmanuel K. Dogbevi
Source: Ghana Business News on 27th December 2008 [free]
About: This article touches on the side effects of cellphone radiation. For example,a research team led by Dr B. Hockings found that children living within four kilometres of TV transmission towers in Sydney showed higher rates of childhood leukemia, the disease most often implicated with exposure to EMR. Hence, he gives suggestions for the government to regulate the industry. In addition, to put in Ghana's context, (which can also apply to less developed countries in general, IMO), there is an obvious lack of adequate information which results in the salesmen and communications companies to be unaware of these health implications whereas developed countries(USA, Britain, New Zealand, etc.) have already began to take measures in preventing high levels of electromagnetic radiation.

Radio frequency exposure in mobile phone users: implications for exposure assessment in epidemiological studies
Written By: Joseph J. Morrissey
Source: Radiation Protection Dosimetry
Abstract: The majority of epidemiological studies investigating correlations between long-term low-level radiofrequency (RF) exposure from mobile phones and health endpoints have followed a case-control design, requiring reconstruction of individual RF exposure. To date, these have employed 'time of use' as an exposure surrogate from questionnaire information or billing records. The present study demonstrates such an approach may not account for variability in mobile phone transmit power, which can be roughly correlated with RF exposure. This variability exists (a) during a single call, (b) between separate calls, (c) between averaged values from individuals within a local study group and (d) between average values from groups in different geographical locations. Collectively, these data suggest efforts to identify dose response and statistical correlations between mobile phone use and subtle health endpoints may be significantly challenged.

Encyclopedia of Mobile Computing and Commerce (Book)
Written By: David Taniar
About: As the term 'encyclopedia' suggests, this book is an extensive study and reference source on mobile applications and commerce filled with chapters of brilliance contributed by hundreds of internationally renowned scholars and practitioners. It covers a broad coverage from the rising popularity and trends, latest concepts, technologies, and innovations. This book will definitely be a wonderful addition to anybody's library.

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