The Use and Efficacy of Handheld Computers for School-Based Data Collection: A Literature Review

Given the increasing influence of technology and the explosion in data collection demands, the acceptance and assimilation of new paradigms and technologies require today's educators, researchers, and evaluators to consider alternative tools, and apply them effectively. One of these alternatives, handheld computers, also known as personal digital assistants (PDAs), makes the benefits of computerized data collection more accessible to field-based researchers. An evaluation of handheld computers as data collection tools in research settings requires an understanding of their use from different perspectives in existing research. This review examines the willingness of teachers to adopt handheld data collection systems by focusing on 5 main features: (a) ease of use, (b) usefulness, (c) subjective norms, (d) intention to use, and (e) dependability.