Illinois School Giving Handhelds to Students

A private school in Illinios has given a Zire 72 handheld and a wireless keyboard to every student and teacher in grades four through eight.

Avery Coonley School in Downers Grove held a pilot program in the fourth grade last year, which was deemed to be successful.

According to Jennifer Garetto and Laura Bojkovski, the teachers who ran the pilot program, the benefits are obvious -- students are more enthusiastic and motivated.

"The students write more often and more efficiently because they have keyboards and are no longer dependant upon going to the computer lab once a week," said Garetto. "They write essays, stories, and vocabulary words, as well as print them using a wireless Bluetooth printer. They also take their handhelds on field trips, use them to create animations and draw, and use them throughout the curriculum -- keeping everything they need together in one place."

"They work more independently, have more conversations, and share information by beaming notes to each other," Headmaster Tom Kracht said. "Overall, they are more efficient and organized. Having a handheld to use is fun and exhilarating. It gives them a certain measure of independence. To these kids, handheld computers are indispensable tools."

Before they can take their handhelds home, students must earn a "palmOne Operating License" by mastering a set of skills and demonstrating them to their teachers. To get a license, students must be able to enter characters using the handheld's built-in Graffiti 2 software, beam, manage a To Do list, schedule tasks, operate the handheld's camera, change preferences, and sign a contract confirming their understanding of how to take care of their handheld and keep it safe. Most kids get their license in three weeks, and so far, not one handheld has been lost.

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