Science - Keep taking the tablets May 17, 2007
Posted by Brian in : Uncategorized , trackback
Earlier this week the science department took delivery of 24 tablet PC’s as part of a project to evaluate their use within a school science department.
Our most excellent IT staff loaded them with the required software and they were then split up into groups of eight and distributed around the department enabling each of our science subjects to access them when they wish.
The tablets come with a wireless connection, voice recognition software and screens which after being rotated can be placed flush to the keyboard to enable them to be written on with a special “pen”.
I was pretty skeptical that it could decode my scrawl but it had no problem converting what I had written on the screen in to a fully formatted word document.
The opportunities for their use in Science seem endless.
Finding out how to use them to maximum effect and therefore enhancing the learning and teaching experience of our pupils will hopefully prove a fruitful, worthwhile and fun experience for all concerned.
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I’m looking forward to seeing these in action. I think we should set up a separate project evaluation blog to track how useful and their use in science over the next 12 months? What do you think? Is this something you would be willing to set up?
hi brian a very interesting development indeed and ill be watching with interest, I know that a few schools in glasgow have tried out the classroom in a box kit , basically a class set of laptops that are contained in a ‘mobile’ secure trolley that also acts as the charging unit for the laptops. From what ive heard the idea is in theory good, but in practice problems soon materialesd, the main one being the fact that over a period of time the laptop batteries soon started lossing charge and rather than being available for 6 periods a day the laptops where in fact only being used a few periods at most.also wireless conectivity could be hit and miss at times…Also and from a techies point of view I think it became a bit of nigtmare with the transportaion of the kit around the school.
cheers
harry
No problem Ollie. I will have a think about it over the weekend and see what I can come up with.
There are problems Harry but I guess part of the evaluation of the tablet PC’s is to highlight the possible pitfalls and come up with solutions to them.
Feedback is vital to the success of this kind of project. Most IT equipment is manufactured for business and not education, and we all know that education is a very different game.
It may turn out that the comments from staff and pupils involved in this trial could alter how the tablets are utilised in education throughout Scotland.
Manufacturers and entrepreneurs would also be wise to keep a weather eye out with regard to how problems affecting battery life, storage, and mobility of the units throughout a large department can be overcome.
Interesting times.
Gorram!!!!
I am SO jealous.
We have gyration keyboards and mice that link up to our whiteboards and laptops which are VERY cool, but new convertible model Tablet PCs (not as good as Mac, but thats another discussion)
Very jealous
I am looking forward to seeing how these work out Brian. I will need o come down when they have been in school a while to look at how they are being used with pupils. I look forward to the updates!