Teachers want to improve instruction for students. They also want to find
better ways to manage the paperwork load for themselves. Desktop computers
can be used for this purpose, however they aren't portable and many
teachers find that access to a system in the classroom isn't adequate
because it doesn't allow for working at home. Middle and high school
teachers may also face the challenge of being assigned to more than one
classroom and, as a result, needing to share the teacher station with
colleagues. This can lead to problems with data security and coordinating
usage.
Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) are inexpensive (prices begin under
$150), lightweight, fit in your pocket, run longer than laptops on a
battery charge, and are easy to learn to use. It is simple to synchronize
data with a desktop or laptop computer, and most PDAs can communicate with
other infrared enabled devices including computers, printers, wireless
networks, and other PDAs.
Join us in an overview of basic PDA capabilities, software specifically
designed for teacher and student classroom PDA use, and examples of
programs where students and teachers use PDAs to increase access and make
appropriate use of technology throughout the day.
Resources
http://www.handheld.hice-dev.org/
http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/pages/listhandheldsu.html
Presenter Bio
Susan's initial exposure to
technology involved an unfortunate incident with a TRS-80 computer in
1978. However, she was not to be deterred for long and was soon exploring
possible uses for Tandy Color Computers in classrooms.
A teacher, site administrator, and
technology specialist for almost 25 years, Susan often found herself on
the bleeding edge of technology integration, but has continued to be a
champion of its use with students, parents, teachers and administrators.
She began publishing articles about technology use and providing
professional development to educators and parents in the mid-1980's, and
these are still high priority areas for her today.
When she became a site administrator
in the early 1990's, Susan began to realize that little time or energy was
being devoted to bringing administrators up to speed on how technology
could be used to make their jobs easier and how they can support teachers
in classroom technology integration. In response, she helped found
Computer Using Educators' Administrator Special Interest Group in 1993.
The group is still going strong with nearly 300 members across the nation.
Her book, Making Technology Standards Work for You: A Guide for School
Administrators was published in April 2002, and a companion book,
101 Best Web Sites for Principals is due to be released in early 2003.
In June 2000, Susan struck out on her
own as a consultant and author. "It's exciting to have opportunities to
work with a variety of educators from around the country as they explore
ways to improve student achievement through the use of technology."
Susan J. Brooks
Educational Consultant/Writer
SJBrooks@aol.com
