Carol Hawkins: "Teachers Manage Better with Pocket PCs"

[Darius Wey]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.pocketpcmag.com/_archives/Jan05/PPCForTeachers.aspx' target='_blank'>http://www.pocketpcmag.com/_archive...orTeachers.aspx</a><br /><br /></div><i>"School teachers in Australia are taking part in a Queensland Government pilot program to test new technologies within the state's government-run schools. Since 2002, 800 teachers have been exploring Pocket PCs, and helping to develop software for them, in order to improve the administration of their students and of their classrooms. Called the ICT (Information and Communications Technology) Explorers Project, the pilot has attracted teachers from all corners of Australia's most decentralized state."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/wey-20050128-ICT.jpg" /><br /><br />For those of you who live in Australia, you may have observed that over the past few years, Queensland have taken an active interest in adopting new technologies to help enhance communication and organisation on both a state and national scale. The Education Department's recent adoption of Pocket PCs to boost organisation within schools and universities appears to be a good choice indeed. I've also seen these projects being extended in another states within Australia and other countries, and after reading people's experiences with their Pocket PCs in the article, it appears as though that all have found it to be an asset and a typical part of their daily lives. Ever since I started using a handheld device (which was a while ago), I've grown dependent on it, and moving back to a paper-pen lifestyle would absolutely kill me. This brings forth an interesting question - do you find your Pocket PC to be a valuable part of your life and has it helped you in organisation and management, or do you regret jumping on to the technological bandwagon?

[foebea]

I like to pretend to take notes during important meetings at work, and through the magic that is PocketPC, I am able to use both color and animation without bringing attention to myself.

If I were to go back to pen and paper this would have to change. While it is not uncommon to have a pad of paper at meetings, the constant flipping through the pages would bring some looks, not to mention my frequent searching though a collection of the requisite 32 pens for the necessary color.

All in all, the PocketPC has changed my life for the better, and I would not choose to give it up now.

[R K]

I'm glad they finally found some good homes for the old H3800/H3900 series iPAQs.

[MacBriar]

Well as a servering teacher in Northern Ireland who has been using a Palm Pilot (original) and now Pocket PC all I can say is I couldn't do without it. I set reminders for setting a class a homework/assignment and reminders for when that homework is due. I also use it to give brief reminders as to the topic in theory classes. In meetings of which there are many I use it (or my TabletPC) to take notes/reminders of deadlines.

I have managed to convince my Principal to use a PocketPC he has had one for about 2 years and now he is taking part in a pilot project on their use and has bought PocketPCs for the VicePrincipals.

People must be used to me now as I no longer get odd looks about the PocketPC at meetings thought that maybe more that they expect it from an IT teacher - I had previously been teaching Chemistry.

Ewan

[Vincent M Ferrari]

I wouldn't say that my Pocket PC has made me a more organized person, but it has definitely made me a more connected person. As an IT professional, I like being a click away from my office network, my email, my instant messaging, etc. My Pocket PC gives me that ability in a package I can carry along with me anywhere I go, and that to me is worth more than anything I can get out of a contact, calendar, or task application.

[JD Silver]

I find my Pocket PC invaluable while teaching computer engineering. I have used it with a VGA adapter to give presentations, as well as store my personal notes. As well as reminding me of events, due dates etc, I also use SprintDB Pro to handle attendance, grading and status of student work. Most of the material I use in a course is available on my PPC, so I am ready to discuss coursework anywhere, anytime. Really, it is a portable office.

[jimski]

Well lets just say there are good days and bad days (mostly due to ActiveSync). The good news is that the good days far outweigh the bad.

The day they announce that they are discontinuing Pocket PC's is the day that I go out and buy about 10 of the best available model, about 20 or so spare batteries, a few screen protectors and hope this stash lasts for the rest of my life as I can't imagine being without my PPC. Hey, I even have a spare 4705 right now just so I never have to go a day without.

[wocket]

I've been using a pocket pc in school since they first appeared and before that wince and before that palm and psion. I've convinced three of my colleagues to get one and with inital skepticism they now could'nt be without one. Two of my older pocket pc's I gave to friends who happen to be teachers.

[Stik]

I always delight in reading stories like this and the responses that are garnered in kind. Over the years I've personally felt like all you good folk ( moi included :wink: ) have been PPC ' beta testers ', early adapters that conciously or not have been giving feedback to the OEM's ( and Microsoft ) on what works, and what doesn't, w/ their respective handheld products.

As the tech works out the kinks, and more professional users in the classroom or the boardroom utilize PPC's realize their ROI is more than aptly justified, these same folks will realize that hey, we can use these devices to help keep our own personal lives better organized.

The trickle down effect will be that these users will join you early adapters as the next driving force, or evangelists if you will, in seeing a boon of growth in PocketPC sales going forward. The catalyst for this surge, IMO, will be the release of WM2005. We shall see. :mrgreen:

[BTS]

As a teacher I quite simply could not function without it. I primarily use it for free form notetaking (in the notes app) and use a specialty product called tapTap which is the companion to classroom management software called Tapro. Each day I track grades, behaviour, daily checklists, annotations, and attendance.

At the end of the day I sync it with my Tablet PC. My freeform notes automatically are placed into OneNote where I will file them under the proper section. My tapTap notes can then be synchronized with Tapro and then mailed out, etc. I do all of this without any wires as I use my wi-fi network to wirelessly Activesynch.

I really want to use it for reminding me of calendar and to-do items. I use Pocket Informant but there is one problem on my e750. It's the alarms. Oh no, it's not the issue of alarms not going off - it's that I can't hear them! My Palm is VERY loud when the alarm goes off. My e750 is this little chiming noise that I can barely (or can't) hear. Can anyone tell me how to boost this alarm?

Thanks for doing a post showing how teachers use these devices. We need more of these to help convince the education field that the use of Pocket PCs can really save more time for teaching than paperwork.

[ctmagnus]

Oh no, it's not the issue of alarms not going off - it's that I can't hear them! My Palm is VERY loud when the alarm goes off. My e750 is this little chiming noise that I can barely (or can't) hear. Can anyone tell me how to boost this alarm?

I found a few wav files on the Internet that I liked as alarm sounds, but there was one that I found too quiet. I just opened it up in an audio editing app that I got free with my soundcard and doubled the volume.