PDAs, Pocket PCs and Tablet PCs, Oh My!
April 12, 2008We have talked a lot about different types of technologies and how we can use them in the classroom. Today we want to share a YouTube clip with you that discusses PDAs, Pocket PCs and Tablet PCs because these are the cream of the crop when it comes to P/C! Check out the video and decide if you think they’d be useful. Let’s try not to think about cost and how many, many school districts can only dream of such technologies. More so, let’s pretend everyone has these- and how do we keep kids from breaking, losing, swaping and selling these devices? Also think about your life right now, would a device like this help you or do you think you have enough to worry about with your own PC (or mac!)?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFf9Mw3nlsY
Kristin
?!@?!?!?@ That was intense! I can’t believe those things can operate on watches and remote controls! I can see how they would be useful in classrooms. Students are already deeply immersed in the texting area, so I think this would be a kind of “stretching” of texting into the classroom. It might encourage students to drift from the correct forms of grammar though. As far as breaking swapping selling and losing such devices, I don’t really think there is any way of preventing that. If everyone has a device, I don’t see why they would feel the need to sell or swap it, but breaking and losing them is kind of a crap shoot. I’ve broken, or lost my cell phone, and remote tons of times, and I think I am usually good at taking care of stuff. As long as it is something that can be owned, we just have to assume that it is something that can be broken, lost, or stolen. I know you said not to get into cost issue, but I think this could be a reason why not every school has such pricey devices: fear of how students will guard, treat, protect them. -Aut
I forgot to add one more thing. I think I could probably handle a PDA, Pocket PC, or Tablet PC. It would take a little getting used to, but I would definitely try it out. I can’t exactly carry my PC around with me, and I don’t own a laptop, so the covenience of the size of such devices is a huge benefit. I don’t know that I could ever completely replace my pc with one of these things but i think i could handle swicthing back and forth. -Aut
I completely agree with Aut. I think that these devices would be a HUGE distraction for students and take their attention away from learning. The different types of technology are extremely interesting and attractive, but I believe that we would be fooling ourselves to think that students would be able to focus when they basically could have the world at their fingertips. I know that if I were in high school and had one of these things sitting in my pocket, I would want to play with it rather than pay attention to the teacher. You’d be crazy if you didn’t want to! I also think that there is no way to prevent students from losing or damaging them, especially since they seem so fragile (and expensive to replace!). They have a hard enough time taking care of books as it is, let alone one of these fun devices. And as Aut said, I lose everything that is little even though I am pretty responsible. It is so easy to just set something down somewhere and forget its location. I could see this evolving into a huge problem for high school students.
I would love to own one of these devices since I don’t have a laptop. I could do work outside on beautiful days, which would be a nice alternative rather than sitting in my room. They would add convenience to any student’s crazy life. However, I do love my desktop because it is reliable and difficult to have stolen (or at least I hope!). Owning one of the PDA’s, Pocket PCs and Tablet PCs would be extremely nice, but it’s not a necessity for me.
I liked the video. I agree with Aut also that the PCs might be a big distraction. Tablet PCs would be more useful in classrooms than PDAs and Pocket PCS. They are smarter for every student to bring to class than a laptop because they come in smaller sizes and they are easier to take notes on. I’m not sure if the devices in the video are Tablets, but they had different way of typing than I have seen on most other Tablets. I think that most Tablet PCs come with a stylus that allows the person to physically write on the computer as if they are writing with a pen and paper. That way students can draw diagrams and take notes as they choose with bullets and arrows etc. These types of PCs would be most useful. I wouldn’t be too concerned with theft because everyone would have one. There would have to be a repair service in the school for everyday computer problems or big problems with broken PCs. If taking notes on a Tablet PC became a norm, I think that more people would buy them.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,114383-page,1/article.html
–this article discusses the use of Tablet PCs in the classroom. It also discusses how they aid in paper-free classrooms; “in the classroom, the Tablet PCs have essentially replaced paper and the way courses are structured.”
At first, I was extremely confused with this video, not going to lie. I reaaly believe that these devices can be useful. Like the video said, they are exactly like pcs and macs, but only smaller and faster to use. This video shows how far we have come in the advancement of technology. I agree with Autumn in that I couldn’t believe that this can be used on remote controls as well as hand held devices that are used for playing video games! I think that this would be a great addition to the classroom because students already know how to text, and this just makes it easier. Also, if the students use a cell phone that has MessageEase, they will have an easier time using it in the classroom. It will definitely be difficult to make sure that students do not lose, break, swap, or sell one of these devices, but I think that if the teacher had the students leave them in school it would limit the problem. However, these devicescan be used for homework, and if this is done, this can not occur. There will always be someone who loses or breaks something, and that can’t be fixed. Something like this would help in my life. It seems that everything is done quicker, and I think it would make life easier (especially when you are in college.)
To get information, I looked at http://www.exideas.com/ME/index.html. It provides a lot of information about MessagEase, such as products and free downloads.
Alexis
I think that this technology would be better suited for the teachers themselves or a business person rather than a student. If they were using the technology which allows students to write rather than having to text I also think that it would be more useful. I agree with what most everyone has said before, that this would be more of a distraction than anything. On a side note however I did think of a good use for this type of technology. This could possibly be very beneficial for students with disabilities or handicaps. Check this page out they talk briefly about some technology which allows students to write on a writing tablet and has built in handwriting recognition technology so they can basically easily convert their notes to a digital format. I think that this would be more practical for a classroom than the mediums which you essentially text with.
-Frank-
Forgot to put that link up http://teachers.esu7.org/ljacobi/stories/storyReader$6
I agree with what many others have said, that pc’s might be a huge distraction. I know if I had one and I was suppose to be “writing” something on one …I would probably be texting one of my friends or playing a game!
As Jamie said, the larger tablet pcs I think would be more practical in a classroom. In the article she found I was interested on how these devices worked in a classroom. It is a very new learning tool and we can only figure out these technology by using it for ourselves. I agree with Frank that a writing stylus would be more useful. Students can draw diagrams and charts would be extremely beneficial because as much as pda’s pocket pcs and tablet pcs can do, there are always some draw backs, such as art. I found this article on the microsoft tablet pcs. http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2000/nov00/11-13tabletpc.mspx
The article was written in 2000…imagine the technology that has improved since then. What I liked most about the tablet pc that microsoft was offering was “digital ink offers in addition is the ability to move, highlight, save, sort and search those handwritten notes.” (Loeb) Making students lives much easier.
As most of us have said, there is really no way of keeping a student from breaking or losing pdas & pocket pcs. I tend to be always having someone call my cell phone so I can find it! I wouldn’t be concerned with someone stealing or swapping a device like this. I’ve never swapped a cell phone or computer with someone. So if I’m understanding this correctly I think it would be similar to that.
A device like this I think could help me out. When I’m in class or just reading and I think of a possible thesis for a paper or an idea for a lesson plan it would be a great place to write my ideas down, instead of the random piece of paper I can find. I currently own a laptop and I carry that with me when I can, but one of these devices would make my life more convenient.
I have a PDA phone and I love it! The phone is extremely convienent. I think that there is a time and a place for these devices to be used, and I am not quite sure if school at least at lower levels is the place. Like many others have said it attracts text messaging, aol messaging, emailing, internet surfing, and game playing while students should be participating in a classroom activity. There isn’t really anyway to block certain sites on these devices or keep track of each site each student is on.
However, when discussing the idea of breaking or losing PDA’s and other pocket PC’s it’s inveitable. Technology isn’t perfect it malfunctions, and can be easily broken.
I agree with Kaitlyn that this could be problematic when trying to get students to pay attention in their classrooms. I know if my homework were on these devices I would definitely just be on AIM in class all of the time. I think this is a cool idea and we could try to figure a way to make this work and make these students pay attnetion in classes!
Jackie
This was such a cool little presentation of the devices. However I also see this as a distraction for the English classroom. These devices are somewhat excessive when it comes to a learning environment and I think they are better suited for the educator as Frank had mentioned.
I’ve actually seen kids get distracted from laptops first hand. Last semester this girl would sit in front of me with her laptop and go on aim or facebook. At one point she started playing Zuma and I almost lost it (she was terrible, very hard to watch.)
As far as using these things myself, I don’t really see it. This seems to be an area that I am just not up to speed. I see all these commercials for Blackberries and Iphones and though they look cool, I really don’t see them as useful. I feel I learn better through pen and paper. I’d hate to consider myself conservative in any real way but this is an area that, at least for me, aint broke and as such I don’t intend to fix it.
WOW that video was overwhelming! The person was typing so fast on such a tiny little thing! I definitely think that these new pieces of technology are useful, however, I agree with Frank that they are more useful for college students, teachers, or business people than they are for High School students. As Ashley pointed out, college students could use them to easy transport work to other locations like out in the sun (!) or on an interview or observation. Business people and teachers could also stay organized. Young students would most likely become distracted and easily lose focus.
Do you think that students would get less distracted if these devices were simply introduced to them occasionally and not a part of their daily use?
That is an exceptional new form of technology and I really think once more people become aware of it we will all be utilizing it. I feel like it can make life a lot easier in the work place but as far as leisure time goes I think that it may conflict with the classroom a bit. I think that it will be a lot easier for students to get away with text messaging in class without the teacher realizing. Once you turn your back to write on the chalk board a student could potentially converse with a few people. I just think it might be a bit too tempting for them to not use. Especially when it is first sold and popular.
and yes to answer your question Stacia, I think that if it was introduced in students lives as not the everyday texting option then it could be more beneficial and not interfering.
these pieces of technology are so advanced. I can remember when we were obligated to buy an 80$ graphing calculator for high school math, it was no time before we had games on them. While these tools are amazingly beneficial, there is always the risk of children getting distracted. Unfortunately, to have the benefits we have to risk that.