Adapting to Different Needs in Different Locations: Handheld Computers in University Education

Educational use of handheld computers is becoming more common. It is therefore important to examine differences between standard educational interactions, and possibilities offered by handheld devices. Handheld computers allow the opportunity to study at times and locations where individualised interactions would not normally be possible or convenient. Conditions in such locations may differently affect a user's choice of task or ability to carry out an activity successfully. This paper introduces two adaptive systems: (1) a system that adapts to learner knowledge as in a standard intelligent tutoring system, but also to time availability for study and location-related features of concentration level and likelihood of interruption; (2) a system providing easy access to commonly used files, applications and tasks, according to location of use.