Transcript PowerPoint Presentation - Integration of Wireless Portable

Tom Baines School
May 5, 2002
Calgary, Alberta
Integration
of
Wireless Portable Computers
Tom Baines
School - Calgary
Project Goals
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Determine if wireless portable computers will
enhance teaching and learning
Develop processes and procedures that help
to make the their integration successful
Determine the total impact
of this technology in the
school
Description
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Integrate 20 portable wireless computers
Install a reliable wireless radio based network in the
school
Develop processes and procedures for the use of this
technology
In-service and support teachers in the use of this
technology
Evaluate the result of integration of this technology
Integration Projects
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Projects Completed to date
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Grade 7 Math
Grade 7 Language Arts
Grade 7 Life Skills
Projects To Come
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Grade 9 Social Studies -Email and web development
Grade 7 Humanities - Report writing and use of Middle Search
on the Internet
WPC in Grade 7 Math
Student used the WPC to access a software package called
The Learning Equation by Nelson Canada.
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Orientation and set up went well
 Students had a high percentage with
access to portable computers at home.
Students worked well to collaborate using the
hardware/software
The class was comfortable working in their
own classroom
WPC in Grade 7 Language Arts
Students were to do research on both the Internet and with
other resources in the library using WPC.
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Class was doing research in the
library
Integrated well into the library
 Increase in student/computer
density
Ability of teacher to better support
the learning process
WPC Grade 7 Word Processing
Students used WPC to supplement a mini-computer lab
so each student had access to a word processor and the
school servers.
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All students have access to
individual computer resources
Students were able to work on
their own
Students able to save files to
the school server
Design of Wireless Portable
Computer System
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Computers were configured so they had
similar user interfaces as the rest of the
computers in the school
Computers could access the wireless
network anywhere in the school
 All classes have access to the
technology
 All resources were made available to
the wireless computer (same as wired
computers)
Orientation for students and teachers
Demographics of Students
and Teachers
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All teachers who were hired when the school started
had to commit to the integration of technology
Most students have computers at home
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80-90%
School provides computer to take home if not available
School has one FTE to support technology and
information
Changes in the
Classroom with WPC-Teacher
Change
Positive
Access Network Resources
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Access Special Software (TLE)
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Ability to Edit/Proof Students Work
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Ability to work collaboratively
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More space to do research
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Ease of use by students
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Negative
Time to set up/take down
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Durability of the computer
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Quality of work was higher
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Changes in the
Classroom with WPC -Student
Change
Positive
Comfort being in their own room
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Easier to work together on TLE
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More focused on work
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Negative
Time to set up and get going
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Battery died on our computer
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Teacher able to help more
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Easy to correct notes on computer
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Could access the Internet to get info
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Got work done done faster
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Comments from Teachers
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“Students did the work quicker than on paper”
“The assignment marks were higher”
“Revisions of work were easier”
“As teacher I could see what students were doing and
help them to get on the right track”
“The class was more comfortable and on task when
they stayed in their classroom”
“Dead batteries caused problems”
“Choice of project presentation went beyond word
processing - HyperStudio, web pages”
Conclusions
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Wireless Portable Computing - It works
 As work stations
 Wireless connections
Students at our school find WPC easy to use
 Interface is the same as other machines
 Orientation provide for students
Teachers like the flexibility of working in
their own classroom a benefit