Wireless Access In Cellular Communication Systems

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

Introduction

Technology and science have followed separate paths for millenniums. Technology is the heart of the industrial enterprise system and the entire modern lifestyle. Its level of existence in a society is synonymous with the standards of living of that society. Advancement in technology has enabled human beings to live far more comfortably. Students must be able to relate subjects and notions to one another and emphasize the know-how of transferring knowledge to real-life situations. Educational issues seems to consistently top the list of concern of people dealing with this problem. The Malaysian government ranked general education, more engineering education, and a better technology management as high priorities. People recognized the importance of wireless access in cellular communication system and technology education and proceeded to foster the link between them. Students are going to use the broadband connections for both voice and data communications over time mainly because of its convenience and mobility. Most recently, cellular companies began offering data wireless cards in a PC for true wireless capabilities and many other data plan packages. All of these proven technologies offer their own sets of benefits and drawbacks for comparable costs. The Education Minister of Bangladesh, Nurul Islam Nahid said that technology-based modern education should be expended to build a poverty-free and prosperous Bangladesh as quoted in The Financial Express (Anon., 2011). In other words, the technology is able to influence social change across the world. The goals of bringing technology to depressed areas are basically for education and social inclusion. One must recognize that advancements have reflected both good and bad influences.

Social impacts towards education with wireless access in cellular communication systems

Positive Impacts

Better communication between students and teachers via wireless access

With the use of wireless access, students can access notes and exercises anytime and anywhere. Besides, students and teachers can have discussions in forums or chatting application. Students can ask questions regarding the contents that they do not understand in the class. Effective teachers are genuine. They listen, help students probe into problems, offer alternatives, and help students understand the consequences of choice. A good interpersonal skill helps in understanding each other. All of the above mentioned criteria can be achieved with the wireless access that allows communication at anytime and anywhere between students and teachers. This enhanced the teaching efficiency which directly bringing benefits towards education field. In short, interpersonal communication is a key term in the discussion of differing communication types.

Never forget good questions: enhance better understanding among students and teachers

Other than that, all thinking is driven by questions. Hellmut and David (2006, pg. 64) said that "good question generate good thinking; deep questions, deep thinking; no question, no thinking" but good questioning is not something that works in isolation. And therefore, when there is any good question, teachers can directly post in the forum through wireless access in cellular communication system. Through wireless access in cellular communication, teachers can greatly speed up their communication with students and also can give students topic-related questions whenever they are needed. This will affect a student’s behaviour towards his/her study since questioning enhances a student’s motivation to work hard and interact with teachers and friends. Therefore, this provides a good opportunity to get to know more about students and their motivations and inspirations.

The great use of forum and Email: helpful tools to meet people

Learning is a continual task. With the use of wireless access in cellular communication system, a forum can be very useful. It is a public bulletin board where several responses and counter-responses to a common question may be posted at any time for all to see. Students get to "talk" to each other in the forum. It is a good opportunity to get a group discussion run smoothly. Learning is a life-long process. In some cases, software program developers allow a user to install their programs on their mobile. This is a very good way to upgrade one’s own software without additional software cost. Students pose questions and the instructors have time to ponder their responses. This also allows others to contribute their views. Students will receive immediate and meaningful feedback. Other than that, email is also another form of virtual communication. Email is much like a letter; it does not occur in real time and is less conversational than chat rooms and instant messaging, which do occur in real time. However, two modes of online communication that make email appear almost archaic, are instant messaging and chat. Internet usage usually starts with email and then progresses to chatting, interactive discussion groups and instant messaging. Discussion groups and bulletin boards are similar because many participants read and respond to both. Discussion groups provide a helpful tool to meet people.

Allow different learning styles that increases learning efficiency

Hellmut and David (2006, pg.249) stated that students do their best when instructions and learning contexts matches a learning style. Other authorities concur, saying that attention to students’ learning styles can have a strong effect on achievement. With wireless access, whether the students are the left mode learners (who are analytic, rational, prefer logic, good planner, prefer established and certain information, rely on thinking and remembering, like talking and writing, and draw on organized information) or right mode learners (who are intuitive, want instruction to be demonstrates, problem solved by discovering patterns, rely on drawing, prefer essay tests, good at metaphoric language and imagery, like experimenting, and holistic), they can learn according to their own learning style. For example, teachers can prepare many types of information online to share with the students. Once there is some information provided that suits students’ learning styles, they will be willing to read through and "digest" it. And therefore, it helps directly and indirectly towards their performance in their studies.

Promote online courses that bring effective learning

According to Judith (2010, pg. 7), the major difference between online and campus courses can be summarized in five characteristics which explain how wireless access in cellular education system affects education:

The faculty role shifts to coaching and mentoring. A faculty's role in online courses is primarily coaching, mentoring, guiding, and directing learning rather than lecturing and telling. Online courses are more of a bottom-up development of knowledge.

Meetings are asynchronous. Online class discussions are primarily asynchronous - at different time rather than synchronous - at same time.

Learners are more active. Learners' dialogues and activities are increased in online courses. Learners must do more thinking, writing, doing, sharing, reflecting, and peer reviewing as a part of a community of learners.

Learning sources and spaces are more flexible. Content sources are now increasingly mobile, accessible on smart phones, iPods, and other small, mobile, hand-held devices. This means that learners have many options. In additional to the usual mix of required, highly recommended, and other resources, students will be suggesting and contributing and creating additional resourceful contents.

Assessment is continuous. Assessment in online courses is continuous, multiphase, and often community based rather than concentrated, monitored, and primarily individual. This is pedagogically beneficial and makes cheating or any other forms of fraud more difficult. Students can effectively eliminate a whole range of potential challenges by using low-stakes automated quizzes, frequent or regular posting in discussion forums, short tests, case studies, and customized project.

From the above five characteristics, we can conclude that online courses can improve study performance. Instructional pages, assignments, style, colour, and most other components that meld together to build an attractive courseware. With wireless access in cellular communication system, students can now be exposed to online courses. Mobile application being designed for cellular online courses with valuable resources will not only help to promote a greener environment, save transportation costs, but most importantly it helps students to score better in their studies.

Online courses promote the use of 3-D modelling and animation which can improve academic performance

According to David Gil (2008), students in United States are beginning to utilize professional grade 3-D modelling and animation software to create original works of visual art. He found that the students’ experiences with popular visuals have cultured, motivated, and guided their efforts and attitudes towards learning in art. If the 3-D modelling and animation are promoted in the internet, students will be motivated and consequently get serious about their studies through wireless access in cellular communication systems. Hence it can promote internet-based 3-D modelling and animation which helps in academic achievement.

Advantage of online courses: Reaching distant learners

Home study and correspondence courses have been around for a very long time. They are still a strong presence in the distance learning field today. It allows instructors to reach students in different geographical areas. Online courses mean instantaneous communication. Hundreds of universities, continuing education institutes and countless commercial organizations are turning to online learning for valid reasons. It gives schools the ability to extend their reach well beyond their location. Students are able to take control of their won learning and to learn at their own place. Accessibility from anywhere around the world allows students to have opportunity to build a global network of colleagues. Internet allows people to communicate despite the miles between them. It helps the distance between cultures and countries to shrink, making interpersonal interaction increase with ease and the time-saving qualities of advanced technology grow.

Use of Multimedia, another form of presentation that save time, and increase teaching efficiency

According to Robert (2002), instructors face steep learning curves with the advent of internet-based education and emphasizes that the online environment must be created in such a way that learning can and will take place. Delivery of learning using traditional methods generally required only the instructor, textbook, and whatever additional support material that the instructor was able to gather. With internet-based education and training, all that has changed. How good their online lessons become, highly and heavily depends on how they are able to adapt to the computer age. Internet can be a wonderful tool for instructors and trainers. It provides sources of supplementary materials or studies for students. Alternatively, internet may be used to provide part of a course entirely online, including assignment, grading, feedback and electronic mailing to keep in touch with students, remote and to give oneself time to reflect on an appropriate answer yet still respond within a short space of time. Online learning is excellent for most academic courses and training programs which requires cognitive learning where students use memorization, learnt concepts, use analytical skills, evaluate data and use the knowledge to arrive at solution. However, programs that seek to change students’ attitudes, such as dealing with cultural differences or behavioural training, do not work as well online. Courses that require students to use physical skills such as auto mechanics or welding cannot rely on online learning.

Unlike traditional teaching style, instructor do not have to waste more time to develop his material such as making photocopies, procuring textbook, preparing overheads, maintaining classroom and equipments such as tape-players and overhead projector. But of course there are challenges in promoting online learning other than in cognitive learning. For instructors who work with students in many time zones, this is very advantageous. One important benefit an online learning offers to the instructor is the ability to greatly enhance his or her presentation by addition of slides, audio messages, video, animation, flat or three dimensional images and hypertext links. This mode of presentation has less text, more whitespace and different font for better readability. Multimedia is so interesting and vibrant. Multimedia helps students to understand more deeply and able to apply knowledge to achieve solution.

Power of E-format

Reduce physical burden and thus increasing teaching and learning efficiency

According to Khalil (1993), internet is an ocean of information, which can be harnessed for the rendition of information in school. Including technology in the learning process makes learning a more enjoyable activity, thus inviting greater interests from the kids. A school should have an online library system with online database which by the utilization of technology can be maintained in an efficient manner. With technology, students can have light school bags and enjoy the day to school because the introduction of technology in schools can results in decreased use of papers, bringing most of the school works into e-format. Thus, we see the wireless access in cellular communication system not only benefits the students but also the teachers. This more-effective and efficient way of storing and distributing information forms a bridge that seemingly links the gap between the present and future education system.

Promote E-newspaper

Newspapers are good for education. As stated in PR Newswire (Anon., 2000), NIE is a cooperative effort between schools and newspapers that promotes the use of newspapers as an educational resource and a co-curriculum tool. In this cooperative effort between schools and newspapers this chronicle, read far and wide, is being used as an educational resource. According to McClatchy (2006), NIE dates to the 1930s and has remained true to its original goal which is to promote reading newspapers, but more importantly, to promote reading. Reading unfortunately has increasingly found itself relegated to a lesser position among our children, while competing with iPods, IM, PlayStation and "American Idol". He believes that newspapers are the harbingers of critical thinking, although usually not the last word on any subject, they do cause people to think, to question, to discover and to decide. With wireless access in cellular communication system, users now can view e-newspaper anytime when they are free. Time wastage is reduced and furthermore helps in education success indirectly.

Convenience and mobility increase student’s motivation towards their studies

Under normal conditions, a wireless network transfers data much faster than a 56k modem. There are many reasons to support the wireless access in cellular communication system. They include mainly convenience and mobility. Students can access network resources from nearly any location in the world. Students can access network resources anywhere with the advancement in cellular communication system nowadays. Students enjoy learning in such a convenient way compared to going to library and looking for printed reference book.

Promote social media that helps students to read more and think more

Much of today’s Web activities involve the creation and consumption of "social media". According to Kathryn, Steven and Evan (2009), an internet user usually interact with another user online, and comprises of activities such as creating and commenting on blog, uploading and sharing user-generated content such as video and photos, and communicating with friends through social networking sites such as Facebook. The internet actually expanded school’s traditional boundaries. Many individuals lack the resources necessary to use that. Moreover, internet is both easy and inexpensive to use. Web-based interactive services encourage the development of affinity groups sharing common interests. Message can be easily conveyed to persons sharing the same interests or points of view. These features make the internet a highly popular and effective means of communicating ideas and information. For example, engineering students can log on to engineering-education-information sharing forums. Articles, journals and newsletters can be shared among people on internet especially to those who can get updates immediately with wireless access in cellular communication system. Additionally, with internet, the educational experience can be streamlined, and indeed enhanced by the use of platforms that make it easier for teachers and students to interact with each other among themselves. Many of the functions that one sees in the typical social networking site, like messaging, sharing links, and common collaboration spaces, can be used in the school context. Teachers can post assignments and class notes or answer to frequently asked questions. Students can send messages to their teachers seeking help on particular issues. Many schools encourage the use of email as a mean of promoting parent and/or student and school communication. Web-based homework also can be an efficient means of providing students with an additional out-of-school assistance. Hence fostering a creative learning opportunity to students.

Promote just-in-time learning and remove time lag in traditional education system

There are several ways to distribute course materials to students. Without wireless access/internet, an instructor has to do a lot in order to distribute some quality materials. The material has to be retyped, printed, bound, then mailed out to students or distributed to them in class (photocopied), often after a significant delay. With wireless access in cellular communication system that promotes online learning, the instructor may just edit the appropriate web pages and upload the material. It becomes available to students instantaneously. The time lag is removed. The easiest method is to have that material available online on web pages. Materials can be distributed immediately. Some specific materials may be hyperlinked to the main course pages and accessed when students need them. This is called the just-in-time learning.

Negative Impacts

Risky E-behaviour: x-rated content "hurt" their mind, cyber bullying

Selvi Salame (2012, pg 19) found out that one of the acts of downloading is the downloading of the games, and it was found that gaming is very popular among pre-adolescents compared to older adolescents and younger adolescents. In other words, they might be addicted to games and affect their studies. Addicted gamers do not know when to stop, and thus, they do not spend time for their studies. They do not spend time to look for online and extra information online. They do not really have time to revise on their homework and thus their studies and academic results are affected heavily. Besides online communication and downloading, engaging into risky behaviours was identified too. Some of the risky behaviours as identified are as follow:

Waste time chatting with people they do not know in the offline world (using cellular communication).

Viewing or downloading X-rated content without parental knowledge which is highly addictive.

Give out personal information such as name, email address and age to the outside world.

All of the above risky behaviours will both directly and indirectly affect their studies. In addition, giving out personal information might lead to another issue which is cyber bullying (sending and posting harmful material or engaging in any other forms of social cruelty using the internet).

Cyber bullying cause psychological illness that affects studies

The most common cyber bullying among others are cyber-prank, sending anonymous emails, spreading rumours online, forwarding private information without permission, posting mean and hurtful personal information of other people online. All this might lead to the victims of cyber bullying not to concentrate in their studies since they might be affected psychologically by the harmful materials in cyber bullying. This will affect their academics as well. According to Kathlyn, Steven and Evan (2009), the increasing popularity and sophistication of social media on the web can lead to cyber bullying or trash talking. For example, may be there is a list of people whom the web site creator wishes they would die and ends up drawing a teacher with her head cut off. Therefore, school officials should always remind student to use the technology appropriately. They should inform and protect students from inappropriate or illegal communications and solicitation and to encourage school districts to provide education about internet threats and risks, including without-limitation-child-predators, fraud, and other dangers. They should impose effective rules and their appropriate punishments for the use of social media to intimidate, defame, harass, threaten, or bully others in order to reduce the misuse of personal electronic devices. Internet safety policy also helps to protect users from visual depictions of material that is obscene such as child pornography.

Problems with class attendance

According to Robert (2002), if students perceive that they are receiving sufficient material online, they may not come to class because an asynchronous program allows them to log on to web and access lessons whenever is convenient for them. Although this allows students to have complete-time freedom and that students do not have to be in a classroom because by their telephones, they can refer to the materials wanted at any specific time. Online learning system may make it difficult to control participation of the students. Therefore, online attendance must be taken to ensure active participation of students.

Over dependent on the internet: not beneficial to everyone in the world

To be able to fully participate in online learning using wireless access in cellular communication system, a good and economical internet connection is an essential element. According to Robert (2002), some countries such as Myanmar (Burma) do not permit internet access. It also closed all of its universities some years ago, making it difficult for students to get a tertiary education. Although the Union of Myanmar has permitted universities to reopen and that emailing is available on a limited basis, internet is still restricted. Thus online learning is still a dream for them. As a conclusion, not every person on the earth gets the benefits from the wireless access in cellular communication system. If we over depend on the internet towards future education system, some countries might not able to catch up.

Internet: a huge distraction

Although instructors always remind students about the need to focus on studies and to segment their online time reserving some specific time for study, but because of the technology is rapidly evolving, the internet itself can be a huge distortion to students. Additionally, the mobility and convenience of wireless access in cellular communication system has brought the instant messaging (IM) to be very popular. The problem is that sometimes study-related matters are not being discussed. For example, according to Korzeniowski (1998), out of a 204 sample in the United Kingdom, 65 percent reported using IM for personal purposes such as flirting and gossip. Examples of small talk or gossip include evening plans, a current love interest, or simply catching up with a friend.

Language deconstruction and social development

Shorthand and symbols in an online conversation provide efficiency and timeliness but do not relate to the incompetence in speech of the user. However, like many other trends, when used excessively, bad habits are difficult to dismiss. Therefore, online communicators run the risk of language deconstruction as it continues to follow them outside the digital real world. Many people claim to use it every day. Some see this shorthand as a positive aspect because it encourages writing and thinking of its users. Of course the opposition states that all grammar rules are being ignored, and symbols are substituted for words and emotions by this arrival of language deconstruction. For example, English teachers have seen "words" like u (you), r (are), b4 (before), and rite (right or write) in the student composition papers. They are so used to abbreviating. Most educators see abbreviations, no capital letters or punctuation, improper grammar, incomplete sentences, spelling errors, and a greater use of emoticons than the business/professional related conversations is the another sign of a collapsing standard. Because of the frequent use of the internet as a communications tool, today’s educators might see a decline in their students’ writing skills.

Conclusion

Technology is the portal through which we interact with information. There is an inter-linkage among internet connectedness, information literacy, and quality of life. In broad terms, technology literacy is having the ability to use technology as a tool to research, organize, and communicate information. Internet is the modern day Pandora box. It can provide meaning learning opportunity for educators and students over its appropriate use. Fully transformed to an online version with wireless access in cellular communication system only be used as an adjunct to the present course format. Keeping up with technology is a must.

Technology is changing the face of education and online learning (using wireless access of cellular communication system) offers much to learn about and many interesting opportunities. The appropriate use of the internet in areas such as online news, online forums, and online counselling can help to promote self sufficiency, psychological empowerment, lifelong learning, and rehabilitation. The greater involvement with the online community was predictive of lower perceived life stress for students. A trend toward decreased loneliness and improved psychological well-being among students was observed when e-mail and internet access was provided. Learning becomes more interesting and alive, delivery time will be reduced and instructor will have more time to consider course enhancements.

Internet wireless access via 3G or 4G mobile phones and broadband is growing, as the Internet is becoming increasingly ubiquitous. Another improvement is that the internet activity scope is much wider and includes the trendy internet applications of recent years, such as the use of instant messaging, social media, online news, music and video downloads, and other applications and courseware that are used in education field. People should keep abreast of the latest developments in information communication technology products. Wireless access in cellular communication systems has a wider scope of venues to internet access. Social media and emerging technologies are gaining attention for use in education. Future studies should explore the potential trends and implications of ‘‘social media’’ for learning so as to expand the meaning of the concepts of IC and information literacy.