Anytime, Anywhere
Learning with Handhelds
Gayle P. Clement
Elaine T. Fitzgerald
Agenda
 Introductions
 Why
Use Handhelds in the Classroom
– Research
– Uses
– Types
 Basic
Tools
– Basics of a Handheld
– Teaching the Basics to Students
Agenda cont.
 Setting
Routines and Procedures
 Applications and Programs
 Handhelds in the Classroom
– Learned the Hard Way
 References
and Resources
Challenge Question
How can we use handheld
technology to positively
transform teaching and
learning environments?
Handhelds in the Classroom
What
questions should you
be asking?
Learning Environment
Is it okay for students to be on their handhelds
before school, during breaks, after school, at
lunch, in the halls?
 Will your students be required to be in a room
with an adult whenever they are using their
handheld?
 If they get done with their work early, can they
use their handheld?
 How do you feel about games, downloading
music, etc?
 With beaming possibilities how do your prevent
students from cheating?

Learning Environment
Roles and responsibilities of teachers,
students and teachers
 What are the rules in using handhelds in
the classroom?
 What are the consequences when a student
doesn’t comply with the rules? What
happens when a handheld breaks?
 What activities and projects are appropriate
in using handhelds? What resources
support handheld use in the curriculum?

Handheld Etiquette
 Bring
your handheld to class daily
 Handheld should be fully charged
before coming to class.
 Use handhelds when and as
instructed.
 If you forget to bring your handheld to
class, you will receive a consequence.
Handheld Etiquette
 If
you forget to bring your handheld to
class, you will receive a consequence.
 Using beaming only when instructed.
 Any
more?
Handheld Questions
Are there any features that help facilitate
the enforcement of these guidelines?
 Can you think of other classroom
management issues?
 Can you think of other guidelines that
apply to your class?
 Can you think of other guidelines that
facilitate instruction and/or learning?
 Other things to consider?

Learned the Hard Way
Palm Education Pioneers Program
􀂄
Crawford and Vahey, 2002
 􀂄 Surveys of 102 early adopters
 􀂄 Results
 89%: effective instructional tool
 93%: positive impact on student
learning
 45%: change in instructional practice
Reasons to Use Handheld
Computers in the Classroom
 Instructional
tool
 Organizational/personal
 Real
world tool
 Motivational
effects
 Convenience
tool
Reasons to Use Handheld
Computers in the Classroom
 One-to-one
 Cost
Ratio
Factor
 Communication and Collaboration
 Meeting Student Technology
Standards and NCLB
 Simplicity
Conflicting Visions
“A defined vision for the learning
environment should logically precede
the adoption of a new technology
solution, including handheld computers
used by teachers and/or students.”
Wesley A. Fryer
Fryer, Wesley A. (2003) Competing visions of handheld computer use in the classroom. Accessed 1
June 2004. <http://www.wtvi.com/teks/03_04_articles/competing_visions.html>
Questions to be asked
What does a quality learning environment
look like?
 What does it sound like?
 How should technology be used to shape
this environment?
 Should technology define the
environment?
 Is technology a fundamental requirement
for teaching and learning, or an optional
add-on?

Fryer, Wesley A. (2003) Competing visions of handheld computer use in the classroom. Accessed 1
June 2005. <http://www.wtvi.com/teks/03_04_articles/competing_visions.html>
Vision 1: Assessment
 Individual
assessment
 Software tailored to grade level and
curriculum
 Collected data is reported to
administrators and parents
Fryer, Wesley A. (2003) Competing visions of handheld computer use in the classroom. Accessed 1
June 2005. <http://www.wtvi.com/teks/03_04_articles/competing_visions.html>
Vision 2: Teacher Directed
 Formative
assessments delivered
 Immediate feedback from students
 Assess more frequently
 Students are engaged physically
and intellectually
Fryer, Wesley A. (2003) Competing visions of handheld computer use in the classroom. Accessed 1
June 2005. <http://www.wtvi.com/teks/03_04_articles/competing_visions.html>
Vision 3: Paperless Classroom
Management
Less paper by using the handheld for
attendance
 Student information and schedule data
 State test data on students
 Teacher lesson plans
 Provides more information for parents
 Does not change the instructional
process

Fryer, Wesley A. (2003) Competing visions of handheld computer use in the classroom. Accessed 1
June 2005. <http://www.wtvi.com/teks/03_04_articles/competing_visions.html>
Vision 4: Authentic Learning
All students have access to a device
 Access information, take notes, e-mail
exchanges, collaboration
 Learn best
 Engaged with authentic content
 Publish for authentic audience
 Have the tools necessary to do the job

Fryer, Wesley A. (2003) Competing visions of handheld computer use in the classroom. Accessed 1
June 2005. <http://www.wtvi.com/teks/03_04_articles/competing_visions.html>
Things to Consider
􀂄
Expandability/Memory
 􀂄 Color vs. monochrome
 􀂄 Keyboard/thumb-board
Educational Applications
Word Processing Software
Documents to Go
WordSmith
Free Write
Included
free with
many Palms
Hot syncs with MS
Word
Can easily send files
to handheld
Includes Word to Go
Sheet to Go and
Presentations to Go
Hot
Pros
Part of a Package
with GoKnow
Saves as html
Includes Pico Map,
Sketchy, Fling It
Cost: $29.95-39.99
Volume Pricing
Cost: $29.95
Volume Pricing
Word
syncs with MS
Cost: $19.95 per year
or $59.95 for lifetime
Volume Pricing
Concept Mapping
Inspiration
Pico Map
?Diagrams
Diagram
Idea Pad
View
Free with Dana
Create concept
Outline View
Part of Package maps
Beams
Beams
Print boy
Prints if print
included
software is
available
Same features
as Inspiration
Hot syncs with
Inspiration 7.6
Send templates
to the handheld
Diagram
Cost: $29.95
Volume Pricing
Cost:
Free
Cost: $19.95 or
59.95
Volume Pricing
Cost:
Free
View
Outline View
Outline exports
to Memo Pad for
synching or
printing if print
software
available.
Drawing/Animation
Sketcher
Sketchy
Gray Paint
256
Colors
Beams
Alarm
Write notes
Part
of Goknow
package
256 Colors
Animates
Beams
Prints
Different
Cost:
Free
Cost:
$19.95 or 59.95
Cost:
Free
Shades
of Gray
Simple drawing
tool
Spreadsheets
Sheet to Go
Cells
Part
of Documents To Go
Formulas
Beams
Prints
Hot syncs with Excel
Charts/Graphs only with
Premier version
Data
Cost:
$29.95 part of Docs to Go
$49.99 Premier Docs to Go
Cost:
$24.95
Collection
Beams
Prints
Simple formulas
Hangman
 Play
hangman with either the
supplied word lists or create your
own.
 List can be beamed
Spell It
 Practice
spelling and vocabulary
 Create your own word lists
 Lists can be beamed
eBooks
 PalmReader
or Adobe Reader
 Read books using the Palm
 Create notes and bookmarks
 eReader Pro – allows word lookup
and different fonts $14.95
What If Builder
 Enables
students to create decisiontree models, also known as "Action
Mazes," "tree literature," "plot
branching" or "choose your own
adventure.
Language Arts


Silly Sentences -Enter lists of adjectives, nouns,
verbs, adverbs, and prepositional phrases. The
words are randomly combined to make
outrageous sentences! Color coding helps
students identify the parts of speech.
BooksLog - Students record information about
books they read, including a rating 1-5 and a
short review. Records can be beamed to others.
Math



MathCard - Simple math flash card application.
Students select size of numbers and operations
to use.
MathWiz - Students are presented with four
random numbers chosen between 1 and 10. A
5th random number is also given as the "target."
Using addition, subtraction, multiplication,
division, and parentheses, students must
combine the first four numbers to produce the
5th.
Divisible -Practice divisibility for 1, 2, 3, 4,
5, 6, 8, 9, and 10.
Social Studies


Solar Wars - Students learn economics with this
game. They must buy supplies low and sell when
the market is high.
Pocket Directory- Free Viewer – view the
Constitution, Declaration of Independence
Science




Cooties- Students simulate how a virus moves.
Students work together to discover the path of
the virus.
Pocket Directory- Free Viewer – view the
Astronomy Guide and Nutrition Guide
Periodic Table -Tapping on any of the element
boxes will show a list of its properties.
Ecological Footprint Calculator
Students take a survey and it calculates their
ecological footprint.
Teacher Tools


Name Picker - Reads and displays a list of names
or items from a memo and chooses once of them
randomly when tapped.
Big Clock - A free clock with alarm, world time
and timer/stopwatch. Everything is displayed with
large numbers.
Types of Handhelds
Zodiac
Garmin
Palm
Dana by
AlphaSmart
Peripherals to Consider
 Keyboards
 Printers
 Memory
Cards
 SD Deploy
 Cases
 Multi-Chargers
 Presentation Device
 Probes
Resources
 http://www.willard.k12.mo.us/co/tec
h/handheld/research.htm
 http://www.learninginhand.com
 http://www.goknow.com
 http://www.wtvi.com/teks/03_04_ar
ticles/competing_visions.html