Lightning in a Bottle

The concerns that many in Congress have over e-rate waste are voiced in an article yesterday at the New York Times (free registration required). Several examples are given of wasteful or outrageous expenditures (a $1,000,000 server for a 350 student elementary school?), but many still defend the program. Of the districts audited last year, one third were found to be out of compliance. I’d be curious to see what that means, however - does it just mean that their tech plan doesn’t match their erate application?

I hope the baby doesn’t get thrown out with the bath on this. Even if there has been wasteful spending and fraud, the majority of schools that have used this funding have been able to expand their networking infrastructure in critical ways that would never have been possible otherwise.

ZDNet has posted a video profiling the OQO handheld computer. Seeing it demonstrated works a lot better than reading about it and even looking at photos. I can easily see these little critters being put to great use in classrooms when the prices get down to a reasonable range. At that point in time I suspect PDAs will either fade away, or become low-cost, disposable devices along the lines of inexpensive calculators.

One of the more interesting potential technologies we’ve been watching is the OQO, an “ultra personal computer.” Built to be the size of a handheld (4.9 inches x 3.4 inches x 0.9 inches), it is actually a full Windows XP computer. With a touch screen, wireless networking, and hiding keyboard, it sounds like a lot of portable power. Hypothetically, anway, since the device was first announced nearly two years ago but has never actually appeared.

However, it looks like the OQO may finally make it to market. This article takes a look at the testing program now starting up where 40 users will try out trial versions of the computer, with a planned fall release date. You can view more pictures and get full specifications at the home OQO website.

It will probably be an expensive little critter when it comes out, much more than educators can afford for school use. However, it can give us a look into the not-too-distant future, when pocket-sized devices are full-powered computers, and will at some time fall into the same price range has current handhelds.

Indiana University has put together an impressive online learning program focused on technology integration. The Learning to Teach with Technology Studio has several dozen 1-credit courses that cover a variety of curriculum-specific topics. What I like about the structure of the courses is that they are built around essential teaching questions, such as:

• Scientific Graphs and Charts: How can my students use technology to organize and present their inquiry data?

• Using Internet-based Simulations to Explore Probability: How can I create a probability lesson that incorporates Internet-based simulations?
• Storytelling as Communication: How can I use technology to help my students improve writing and presentation skills?
  

It’s nice to see courses that don’t just focus on technology skills, but instead provides specific direction on effective strategies with students.

Registration is available to individuals, or a school/district can order site-based subscriptions.

The Rio Grande Consolidated Independent School District (I’m glad I don’t have to put that on my business card) has made a serious commitment to the use of Palms at the elementary school level. With the purchase of 1,000 new handhelds, they have a total of 2,700 Palms being used in the second through fifth grades. As described in this article at the Brighthand website, the handhelds are used for both student work and for an assessment system called Tango from Liberty Solutions that is matched to the state’s standards. The system allows teachers to collect observations, examples of student work, even photographs (taken with the handhelds, of course). Data and reports generated are available to the superintendent whenever the teacher or student handhelds have been uploaded.

The article gives some fairly extensive coverage to the district’s implementation and what their goals are. It sounds like a pretty well thought-out approach, and not a simple “our kids need to use technology” program.