The Relationship Between PDA Usage and Student Performance in an Introductory Engineering Course

This research focuses on the development of a methodology to evaluate student attitudes towards technology in the classroom and the impact of this technology on student learning. A survey was developed and tested to evaluate the impact of introducing Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) in a traditional college classroom setting. PDAs were introduced in an introductory course in the College of Engineering at Oregon State University. A reliable attitude assessment tool was developed as a result of this research. Initial results of this study also provide empirical data that engineering students respond favorably to the introduction of PDAs in a traditional classroom setting. Preliminary results also provide limited evidence that student attitudes may vary based on gender, age, and/or ethnicity. Standard student performance metrics (course assignment and exam scores) and student self‐evaluations were used to assess the impact on student learning and are discussed.