National Science Foundation Selects SRI International to Evaluate Impact of Ubiquitous Computing in Classrooms

MENLO PARK, Calif. - February 3, 2003 - The National Science Foundation has awarded SRI International, an independent not-for-profit research and development organization, a three-year, $1.1 million grant to evaluate the impact of ubiquitous computing in K-12 classrooms. SRI International will team with six other leaders in the field to create and maintain an active network of evaluators and to develop a common framework for understanding how desktop, laptop and handheld computers are currently used in mathematics and science education.

Since the early 1990s, school districts across the United States have invested tens of billions of dollars in educational technology. As a result, computers have become an integral part of the learning experience in many elementary and secondary schools. In the state of Maine, for example, every seventh grade student receives a laptop computer at the start of the school year. As more schools integrate 1-to-1 computing into the classroom, it is increasingly important to determine how the devices are used, how ubiquitous computing changes the learning experience, and how teachers integrate available technology into curricula.

To fully understand the effect of ubiquitous computing on mathematics and science education, researchers in SRI's Center for Education Policy are teaming with several well-known institutions in the technology and learning field, including the University of Virginia, the University of Minnesota, The Metiri Group, Kent State University, ROCKMAN ET AL, and EDC's Center for Children and Technology. In addition to collaborating on a national level, each organization is working separately to evaluate a number of computing initiatives in several states.

"With more teachers and students using laptops or handheld computers on a daily basis, it is essential that policymakers and practitioners alike understand the effect that ubiquitous computing has on a classroom environment," said Dr. Andrew Zucker, associate director at SRI International's Center for Education Policy. "By pooling our resources and sharing research findings with the six other institutions in the consortium, we'll be able to develop the comprehensive framework and the knowledge policymakers need to understand and guide the widespread adoption of computers in math and science classrooms."

The project teams will post the study framework and evaluation findings on the project's Web site (http://ubiqcomputing.org). In addition, a number of new evaluation tools and other resources will be available for download from the Web site.

About SRI International
Silicon Valley-based SRI International (http://www.sri.com) is one of the world's leading independent research and technology development organizations. Founded as Stanford Research Institute in 1946, SRI has been meeting the strategic needs of clients for more than 55 years. The nonprofit research institute performs contract research and development for government agencies, commercial businesses and private foundations. In addition to conducting contract R&D, SRI licenses its technologies, forms strategic partnerships and creates spin-off companies.

SRI's Center for Education Policy researches and evaluates the design, implementation and impact of a variety of educational programs, including improvement efforts for traditionally underrepresented students, teacher professional development, math and science education, adult literacy, educational system reform, curriculum and instruction, technical assistance to districts and states, and effective educational practices.