PDAs in the Classroom

1
PDAs in the Classroom

• Aida A. Garcia
• TL 729
• Fall 2005

2
What are PDAs?

• Personal Digital Assistants
• Hand Held Highly Portable
• Different Devices Hold Different Amounts of
  Memory
• i.e., Palms from 16 MB to 256 MB
• Optional Peripherals
• Keyboards
• Docks
• Headsets
• GPS
• Chargers

Information and function of devices mostly based
on Palm One products.
3
Sample Devices Often Used in Education
Palm Zire 31
Palm Tungsten T5
Palm Tungsten E2
Palm TX
Palm Tungsten C
http//www.palm.com/us/products
4
Software Hardware

• Microsoft Office Software Word, Excel, Power
  Point
• Software Available for Subject Areas Such As
• History Social Sciences
• Science
• Religion
• Math
• Foreign Languages
• Computer Science Engineering
• Fine Arts
• Reference Oxford Dictionaries, Encyclopedias,
  Language Dictionaries More
• Other
• MP3 / Audio
• Wi Fi / Internet Access
• Photos
• Games
• E-Books

5
Brief Condensed History of PDAs

• 1970s Electronic devices getting smaller and
  less expensive (pre-PDA devices)
• Organizer features and notepad capabilities begin
  to develop
• 1978 Toshibas LC-836 Memo Note 30 was the
  first to be sold as a calculator and an
  integrated organizer
• Stored phone numbers and simple memos
• 1980s power and usability feature development
  led to Hand Held Computers
• Later generations smaller, more powerful and
  bigger screens
• 1986/87 Casio introduced the IF-8000 Organizer
• Users could draw diagrams or write notes and they
  were saved as images
• 1990 Sony Palm Top
• Handwriting recognition and organizer functions
• 1993 Apple Newton Message Pad
• Sold for six years but unsuccessful because of
  poor handwriting recognition
• Apple coined the term personal digital
  assistant
• 1994 IBM built the Simon smartphone for
  BellSouth

From The Evolution of the PDA 1975-1995 by Evan
Koblentz
6
PDAs in Education
Image from www.goknow.com
7
Appropriate Age Levels

• Used in K-12 Higher Education
• Research for this presentation found use as low
  as 2nd Grade.
• Durability is an issue for grades K-2nd.
• Majority of the literature focused on use by 3rd
  grade and above.

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Examples of Uses in Different Content Areas

• Math
• PDAs have functions present in graphing
  calculators where students can calculate
  different statistical data and graph the data.
• Animation can also be used to demonstrate
  different mathematical concepts.
• Science
• Cooties Program, students learn about and track
  how viruses and bacteria spread by interacting
  with one anothers PDAs.
• Probes can be attached to measure different
  factors in field experiments.
• I.e., Can measure the amount of carbon dioxide in
  a pond
• Data can be collected, recorded, and analyzed in
  the field.
• English
• Journaling
• Peer Editing
• E-Books
• I.e., Moby Dick downloaded to PDA

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Teachers Parents

• Teachers can
• Distribute documents and other materials to
  students instantly
• Automatically update their gradebooks and other
  student records
• Parents can access
• Student Schedules
• Homework Assignments
• School Calendars Handbooks
• Permission Slips
• Communication between teachers, students and
  parents facilitated.

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Why PDAs?

• Revolutionize the Classroom
• Mobility allows students to take anywhere, do
  homework and study
• Students more motivated to learn
• Students write more
• Students are more organized
• Teachers can have round the clock access to their
  students
• One computer costs the same as three Palms
• E-books (literature textbooks) cost less for
  districts and in turn students
• Faster than taking time out to go to computer lab
  for different lessons, activities or internet
  access
• Pilot Programs in Kansas
• Olathe USD
• Olathe Northwest High School
• Wichita USD
• 17 Schools in the District

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PDAs In Action

• Handfuls of Handhelds
• http//www.goknow.com/Video/Handful/
• The Power of Handheld Computers in the Classroom
• http//www.goknow.com/Video/LearningWithHandhelds/
  

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References

• Classroom of the Future. (n.d.). Retrieved on
  November 3, 2005 from http//migrant.org/project_i
  nfo/pda/cotf.cfm
• Crane, E. (2004) Growing Up Connected. Education
  In Hand. Retrieved from http//www.districtadmini
  stration.com/page.cfm?p761 on November 3, 2005
• Getting Started Learning Impact. (n.d.).
  Retrieved on November 3, 2005 from
  http//www.goknow.com/GettingStarted/LearningImpac
  t.php
• Koblentz, E., (2005). The Evolution of the PDA
  1975-1995. In Computer Collector Newsletter.
  Retrieved on November 22, 2005 from
  httpwww.snarc.net/pda/pda-treatise.htm
• Meyeron, J. (2001). Teaching and Learning with
  PDAs. Retrieved on November 3, 2005 from
  http//web.pdx.edu/meyertj/pda.html
• Staudt, C. (2000). The Future of Handleld
  Computers in Education A Conversation with Palm,
  Inc. The Concord Consortium Newsletter.
  Retrieved on November 25, 2005 from
  http//www.concord.org/publications/newsletter/200
  0fall/futureofhandhelds.html
• Soloway, E. (n.d.) Supporting Science Inquiry in
  K-12 Using Palm Computers A Palm Manifesto.
  Retrieved on November 26, 2005 from
  http//www.pdaed.com/features/palmmanifesto.xml
• Thibeault, J. (n.d.). Learning on the Go.
  Retrieved on November 3, 2005 from
  http//www.pdaed.com/vertical/features/learning.xm
  l
• Why Your Child of Student Needs a Handheld
  Computer for School. (n.d.). Retrieved on
  November 3, 2005 from http//www.goknow.com/Gettin
  gStarted/Documents/WhyHandhelds.pdf