***Framework of Our Mobile Solutions***

Mobility is a cornerstone of Penn State’s overall vision of the modern, well-connected campus. In an environment as diverse and broad as Penn State, the use of mobile technologies will empower new and engaging information sharing that will revolutionize learning, research and service. To achieve our vision of building leaders for the digital global economy, our school is currently taking major steps in creating a virtual pervasive learning environment for ultimate learning. This environment consists of three major components: (a) the mobile infrastructure, (b) the pervasive classrooms, and (c) a collaborative mobile learning environment. (see the diagram for illustration) Currently under construction and scheduled to be completed by Fall of 2003, the state-of-the-art new IST building will provide the essential mobile infrastructure for adaptive learning. We have also undertaken several curricular initiatives and stand ready to integrate mobile technology into all of the School courses.

Our goals for the project are:

. Create an HP Virtual Pervasive Classroom, where all IST students/faculty can use the facility to: experience problems faced in mobile environments and articulate, study, and test their proposed solutions; develop, test, and defend their mo-bile services design ideas using the virtual classrooms; and explore technical/behavior/environmental issues related to pervasive infrastructure design/selection, which will improve or redesign the mobile infrastructure and applications. Two major surveys will be conducted to understand the potential impacts and determinants of m-Learning. In addition, to en-sure an effective and secure use of the mobile devices, we are currently developing and testing a system similar to a li-brary checkout system that can be used to view device lists, availability, short-term checkout, and report usage. Some percentage of the devices can be checked out for short-term usage by students. In return, students need to report their us-age experience. A computer-aided device management system will be developed.

Create a team-based collaborative mobile learning environment, where all IST students and others can experience mobile learning, communicate with their team members for discussion, and enable collaboration and team work. These m-Collaboration tools will serve as the basis for an extended m-Learning lifecycle. Tools and utilities will be created that extend current web-based collaboration tools.

Develop a special curriculum in mobile computing to advance the use of mobile technology solutions. Initially, a series of two courses – (1) Wireless Networks: Design and Security and (2) Mobile Information Services: Design and Implementation - will be developed. Websites will be developed to document the syllabi, non-copyrighted teaching materials, and selected student projects.

History --- In the fall of 1997, President Graham Spanier in his “State-of-the-University Address” asked if Penn State was doing enough to help meet the workforce needs of the Information Age. In May 1998, an Information Sciences and Technology Strategic Planning Group recommended that Penn State should create a School of Information Sciences and Technology (IST). The school was approved by the Board of Trustees in September 1998 and was given the status of a college within the University, with a dean as its academic leader.

In March 1999, the University Faculty Senate approved curricula for both baccalaureate and associate degree programs in information sciences and technology. Forty-three new courses also were approved. In May 1999, James B. Thomas was appointed dean of the school. The baccalaureate program was offered at seven Penn State locations in the fall of 1999, with two locations initiating the program in fall 2000, and three additional locations in fall 2001. The associate degree program was offered at nine locations in the fall of 1999, with four additional locations offering the program in fall 2000 and one additional location in fall 2001.