Introduction

This report investigates the impact of adding wireless computer networking access to the learning and working processes of students in computer communication courses. The study collects data from a range of sources and uses it to analyse and characterise learning and collaboration experiences and perceptions.

The project context is more completely defined by the proposal documents in Appendix A. An overview of the project context is provided in the next section. The major research hypopthesis addressed by this study is stated as follows...

Hypothesis: Students form working groups based on content/context not local geography. Widespread access to communication makes locality irrelevant to learning.

This pilot study investigated techniques and approaches for evaluating the impact of wireless networks on learning and collaboration. The primary outcomes in this study refine the research hypotheses and tailor the data collection process to be more effective. The data collected also provides insight into the aspects of the learning process in a wireless environment.

The limitations in the study are due to the small sample sizes obtained in some phases of the data collection. One of the most important outcomes of this initial study is therefore an evaluation of data collection methods, and the establishment of confidence in the hypothesis.

The remainer of this report is structured as follows.