PDAs make school projects fun

Students can use the high-tech gizmos for drawing, animation, and math and vocabulary work.

May 26, 2005|By Adinah Greene, Sentinel Staff Writer

Trevon Cleveland likes Graffiti. The 9-year-old boy doesn't spray paint on walls, but he writes words on his personal digital assistant.

Graffiti is one of the programs Trevon and his classmates have learned to use since getting the PDAs in March.

"It's easier than to search for letters, and you can write it down and it pops up," said Trevon, explaining the program. "The letters are cool and not complete letters, and that's usually how I write."

The fourth-grade Aviation and Aerospace Magnet class received the Palm m130s after their teacher, Rhonda Schad, wrote a proposal to get the computers from the county technology department. Schad wanted to bring more technology into her classroom at Durrance Elementary School in Orlando.

"This puts a small-size computer into the hands of a child," Schad said. "They get the technology skills they need for the future."

Schad said it was easier to get the hand-held computers, which usually run about $150, for her class than to get an individual computer for each student. Schad's proposal outlined how she would integrate the PDAs into her teaching.

Each PDA has a number that tells the students when they should charge the battery. One of the classroom doors has small pouches where each computer is stored when the children leave. Schad said she would like to let the children take the PDAs home eventually.

The PTA gave Schad another small grant that allowed her to buy more-elaborate software for the mini-computers. She bought programs called Pico Map, Freewrite and the students' favorite, Sketchy.

Sketchy allows the students to draw pictures and use animation. The program gives the children hundreds of color options to illustrate their work.

"Sketchy is my favorite because you get to do what you want to," Camille Glazer said. "Right now, I'm trying to make a rodent, which I am not very good at."

Trevon said Sketchy is his favorite program because he's interested in drawing.

Other software helps students with math assignments, compiles vocabulary lists, makes to-do lists and enables them to beam information to one another through infrared light. Beaming questions or drawings in class requires aiming two PDAs at each other and sending the piece of work.

Jose Diaz, 10, said he likes beaming messages to his friends and using the calculator on his PDA.

"I was excited because it's much easier to do work," Jose said. "Plus it's electronic. It's fun to use, too."

Schad said the kids have more enthusiasm for working on their computer pads with a stylus than working with paper and pencil. The PDAs give the children more variety and creativity to fulfill their assignments, she said.

The students also share more ideas with one another when they beam information, and that's more efficient, she said.

"We have to-do lists, so it helps me stay organized . . . We have books, logs and educational games, which are really fun," Trevon said.

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