Friday, June 22, 2007

The 411 on One-to-One Computing

This article talks about one to one computing which essentially means every student has regular, reliable access to technology. They can use it anytime and anyplace. It address teachable moments as breaking down classroom walls and engaging students in real world learning. The basic types of technology used are laptops, handelds and tablet PCs.
Laptops are functional, easy to learn, support is readily available, it has integration helps and they have cross-platform capability. The disadvantages are that they cost $1,000 or higher, they are heavy, not real mobile and there is the physical barrier making it difficult for teacher to monitor.
Handhelds are cost efficient, functional, have task-specific hardware and mobile. They weigh the littlest and all software will transfer to PC or MAC. The disadvantages to the handhelds is the size(small screen), they have limited features and you need to spend time learning how to use, install and troubleshoot with them.
Tablet PCs are very mobile, have many handwriting capabilities, are easy to handle and very compatable. The disadvantages are that they have limited software, limited educational materials and they are the most expensive of the three.

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