Instructional Testing through Wireless Handheld Devices

1 Cerise Wuthrich, Midwestern State University, Dept. of Computer Science, 3410 Taft Blvd, Wichita Falls, TX 76308 [email protected] 2 Ranette Halverson, Midwestern State University, Dept. of Computer Science, 3410 Taft Blvd, Wichita Falls, TX 76308, [email protected] 3 Terry W. Griffin, Midwestern St ate University, Dept. of Computer Science, 3410 Taft Blvd, Wichita Falls, TX 76308, [email protected] 4 Nelson L. Passos, Midwestern State University, Dept. of Computer Science, 3410 Taft Blvd, Wichita Falls, TX 76308, [email protected] Abstract In the educational field, students and faculty are looking for tools that may help to improve the learning process. Today’s students, however, are usually too busy to follow a plan of study. Practice tests and questions are becoming an essential requirement of textbooks to allow the students to evaluate their current knowledge. Wireless access to the Internet has opened the door to a new range of computer applications, designed to satisfy the requirement of mobile users, equipped with a cell phone device. This paper describes the use of mobile devices as a medium for a self-evaluation tool complete with study guidelines feedback. Such an application is designed and implemented using many traditional Web methodologies, allowing a fast transition from the current wired Web system to the cell phone environment. This paper briefly discusses the Web tools used in such an implementation and presents an example of a test-feedback application appropriate for cell phone access. .