IT WAS INEVITABLE. First there were Walkmans. Then there were pocket calculators. Last year, more than 25 million Game Boys and countless cellular phones were sold.
"We're in the age of technology in which it is minimized and personalized," said Mike Lorion, Vice President of Education at Palm, Inc. "We're now seeing an evolution moving technology into the hands of students and teachers with handheld computers. It's complementary to the technology that currently exists in classrooms, but also very powerful because it is able to touch each and every individual - not only in their academic lives, but in all of their life, all the time."
At five ounces and with the ability to store 20 pounds of learning materials, handheld computers are an enticing alternative to the typical 20-pound backpack. And with a national classroom average of four to five students per desktop computer costing a minimum of $1,000, these $130 handhelds offer an inexpensive investment in learning technology.
Reading, Writing, Calculating, and More
These portable devices allow for note taking, data analysis, and Web surfing. Used in 2nd grade through graduate programs, handhelds are demonstrating a variety of uses and benefits. On a card the size of a postage stamp, handhelds with expansion capability can carry electronic books (such as encyclopedias, and medical and legal references), music collections, study guides, and, eventually, electronic textbooks. Students can take notes, follow schedules, download their assignments, track their progress, and bring electronic notes home to their parents. They can write, calculate, draw, animate, and use digital imaging. Handhelds use an abbreviated form of writing called "grafitti."
Collecting and Analyzing Data
With the portability of these handheld computers, students can go on field trips using sensors and probes to capture data. Data can be instantly analyzed, graphed, and shared among students and teachers. Teachers can load questions, quizzes, and recording forms into students' handheld computers for their individual or small group use during these investigations.
Teachers can also keep track of student attendance, progress, and grades. Teachers can customize tests, conduct mini-assessments at any time, and gauge individual student learning.
Collaborating and Communicating
With the infrared capacity of these tiny computers, users can "beam" all kinds of information - drawings, data, even applications - to each other without using e-mail. Users just point one handheld toward another and immediately their essay, drawing, spreadsheet, quiz, or business card is shared. Teachers can quickly hand out documents or assignments to students and collect them just as quickly. Instant feedback on students' learning can be gathered and analyzed by the teacher by beaming.
A study by the Center for Children and Technology found 88 percent of teachers at Mindsurf Network pilot sites observed that when students' writing was shared with their classmates this way, their writing quality improved.
New wireless networks are also enabling handheld users to use e-mail, access the Internet, and conduct instant messaging. Through wireless networks and infrared beaming, users can also print information quickly and easily.
Teachers' Evaluations
In the first study of the effectiveness of handheld computers in K-12 schools, SRI International surveyed 86 teachers in the Palm Education Pioneer (PEP) program. Palm, Inc. awarded a handheld computer to every student in more than 175 K-12 classrooms during the fall of 2001. Teachers overwhelmingly believed that handheld computers were an effective instructional tool and contributed positively to the quality of the learning activities.
The teachers surveyed agreed that handheld technology "can make technology more integral to teaching and learning," according to the March 2002 findings. They liked its portability and ease of access which allowed computing to be integrated into a wide range of instructional activities, both in and out of the classroom. They reported its use promoted autonomous learning and student organization, motivation, collaboration, and communication. They also found it highly effective in inquiry-based activities.
Some drawbacks to the handheld's use were also reported. There were problems with synchronization and often equipment damage most frequently to the screen. There were logistical challenges such as the time required for synching and charging the computers, finding the right software and learning it, and the inconvenience of not having a handheld for every student when they were lost or left at home. Some usability issues were reported such as difficulty with extended writing without a keyboard, small screen size, difficulty reading the screen outside, and loss of memory. Off-task behaviors such as playing games or chatting were also reported.
The Future in Hand
Handheld computers may not replace desktop computers, but they can supplement them, the report concluded. Handhelds need to be integrated into the curricular instruction as well as with other technologies. This requires time for instructional planning and professional development. But when the majority of teachers believe handhelds are an effective instructional tool and the majority of students reported they make "learning more fun," increased classroom usage seems inevitable.
In the very near future, binders, books and backpacks may be a thing of the past. Instead, it may be common to see fifth grade students using their handhelds in the park to sketch leaves of local trees, incorporating concepts about their life cycle and ecosystems and beaming their drawings to each other to view. School principals may be freed from their office, able to visit classrooms, talk to parents and watch soccer games while keeping track of appointments, managing budgets, communicating with the the central office, and taking notes and photos with their handhelds. Teachers may not need gradebooks and cumbersome test protocols, instead using handhelds to assess students' learning progress at any time, record attendance and assignment grades, and immediately review individual or group performance data. And students will be able to monitor their assignment due dates, scores, class grades and current grade point averages.
The future educational usage of handhelds is as unlimited as the creativity of application developers, teachers and students.
