Must Have Free Palm OS Handheld Apps

Free, Must Have PalmOS Handheld Applications for the Classroom!

by Christine Tomasino

Ask a leading handheld user two of the educational applications they would most like to purchase for student use and the reply would be Documents To Go by DataViz, a handheld suite of applications that interface with the Microsoft Office products and Inspiration for the Palm OS, a replica of its Windows/Mac version. These two powerful handheld applications, which can sync with the computer software, are a must for classrooms with budgets. However, if you are one of the many teachers with “no budget” for learning tools, don’t get discouraged.

If limited funding for digital tools forces shoe-string solutions for handhelds in your classroom, it’s no big deal! The standard Palm OS applications like MemoPad and ToDoList are more than just organizers, and have powerful applications in the active learning classroom for getting students to talk, write and reflect during the learning process. But you can also download handheld applications for free from my favorite sites, Eurocool, PalmGear, or FreewarePalm. (Note: If you look for free applications be sure you are downloading FREEWARE and not just a free demo of something that is a trial version, or one that will expire after a certain time period.)

As you test out “free” handheld software, ask yourself, “Are my handhelds ACTIVE?” “How would this software be used in the process of learning where student activities promote active learning strategies?” While there are thousands of educational handheld applications available, I have created a list of free “MUST HAVE” handheld applications that promote meaningful dialogue, writing and summarizing and student reflection in learning. These applications coupled with active learning strategies will integrate handheld technology into powerful learning situations in your classroom.

Top 20 Free Must Have Applications for Palm OS Handhelds

LiteNotes v2.0

http://www.freewarepalm.com/utilities/litenotes.shtml

InfraChat v8.0

http://www.freewarepalm.com/communication/infrachat.shtml

When getting kids to talk about content easy to use software that acts like a chat program with text and drawing functions is a must. Two of my favorites are InfraChat v8 and LiteNotes 2.0. I can never keep them straight so I use both, alternating use for variety in student activities. Students can record thoughts and drawings, beam them to other students or save them for later! Works well for individual reflection and interactive grouping activities.

Bookshare 2.1

http://www.freewarepalm.com/docs/bookshare.shtml

Software that can create powerful learning records, gets kids to talk and works well with individuals contributing thinking and artifacts to a larger group is Bookshare v2.1.

BookShare allows groups of students to collaboratively create and edit shared documents. Each student can create a pages of a book and then all students can BeamSync their pages into one book. All changes made to the book are integrated and spread to everyone else who has the same book! Everyone gets to contribute in creating new books and editing existing books to keep them up to date. Students can use Bookshare 2.1 to take notes or to create a product for learning.

Discussion

http://education.mit.edu/pda/idiscussion.htm

Discussion can be used as a pre and post learning activity to see how student thinking and understanding has changed throughout learning. The Discussion simulation poses students a statement that they must consider (e.g. "The Civil War never ended.” Students individually rate their agreement or disagreement with the statement and provide a brief rationale. Students go around and make their case to the other students, and track how their own opinion and rationale changes in response to feedback from others.

Note: In order to change the agree/disagree statement type:?!? at the opening screen in place of a name.

PickAwinner v.0.3c

http://www.froggysoft.com/Palm/palmEN.html
You need to select a winner? Place them in your PalmOS AddressBook and this application will select one for you. It is a great tool for small and large group management techniques.

WhoWon 1.3

http://www.froggysoft.com/Palm/palmEN.html

A random number generator with nice graphics, sound and vibration that can be used as an instructional management tools for student activities.

Big Clock 2.8

http://www.freewarepalm.com/clock/bigclock.shtml

To facilitate large and small group student activities this clock with alarm, worldtime and timer is a great management tools for teachers or students.

eReader

http://www.palmdigitalmedia.com/products/palmreader/free

eBook Studio $29.95

http://www.palmdigitalmedia.com/product/detail/15001

Free ebooks can be downloaded to the Palm OS handheld from Memoware and viewed using eReader. The free and Pro versions of eReader are the same. The Pro features can be tried for a 15-day trial period, and then the Pro features will be disabled, allowing continued use of the free eReader. While there are many ebooks that are appropriate for classroom learning, a wonderful, but not free, addition to eReader is the ability to make your own books that students can read as alternative text, especially for those struggling readers. eBook Studio creates ebooks that can be read by the eReader software. With eBook Studio you will be able to easily design the navigation of your document, format it, and convert the finished document for reading on a handheld.

WhatIfBuilder

http://www.kidsolve.com/index.html

The What-If Builder is a tool that enables students to create decision-tree models, also known as "Action Mazes," "tree literature," "plot branching" or "choose your own adventure. A good example for the use of this application as a science tool can be found at http://www.concord.org/~barbara/guide/fieldguide/build_key.html.

DicMake 1.5

http://www.freewarepalm.com/educational/dicmake.shtml

Noah Lite1.0

http://www.arslexis.com/

Two applications that help students with vocabulary development are Noah Lite and DicMake. Noah Lite 1.0 offers definitions of 37 thousand words. DicMake allows the user to add vocabulary words, a perfect tool for creating a custom user dictionary of terms with descriptions created by students.

Homework Helper

http://www.freewarepalm.com/educational/homeworkhelper.shtml

Homework Helper v3.0 is a simple "virtual agenda" for students to manage their learning and use the handheld as a personal information tool. Students can use this application to track their assignments and get organized.

Grade Plus 1.0

http://www.pdasoftnet.com/gradep/

This program will help students keep track of grades on homework assignments, tests, and projects so they know how they are doing in every class. This software extends the use of the handheld as a personal learning tool for students.

Quiz Wiz 2.4

http://nosleepsoftware.sourceforge.net/

An easy to use quizzing program that lets students study any topic using flashcards, multiple choice, or true/false questions supports seamless and ongoing classroom assessment. With QuizWiz quizzes can be created using the PalmOS Memo Pad application by teachers or students and shared with others.

Quizzer 1.0

http://www.palmgamingworld.com/quiz/quizzer.shtml

An easy way to create quizzes for student learning activities Quizzer can check student understanding of content and skills in all subject areas.

My Goals 1.0

http://appsbyaaron.tripod.com/products.htm

CheatBook

http://www.bcpalm.tk

As a part of the learning process students need to continually reflect on their learning and make connections and these two handheld applications can support that individual reflection. As teachers, we need to sometimes re-purpose software to meet the learning events in our classrooms. These two pieces of software have the potential to be powerful tools and are in need of creative teachers designing student learning activities.

SpellIt 1.0.8

http://www.freewarepalm.com/educational/spellitbystephen.shtml

Students can practice spelling words using the word jumble, flashcards or testing features. Progress can be monitored by view testing results, and word groups can be shared between students through the beaming function. A great re-purposing of this software makes it a tool to learn new vocabulary for all subjects.

AnimateMe!

http://www.rodrigosoftware.tk/

Students can create slideshows to demonstrate understanding of a particular concept or skill. This program lets you do up to 10 colorful animations, with unlimited frames per animation. The program features three different animation speeds, three different pen widths, 256 colors (16 grey tones for greyscale handhelds), frame duplication, and other useful stuff. View animations created by users at http://www.rodrigosoftware.tk.

Sketcher2

http://www.palmettologic.com/Sketcher.html

Use this software to create visual representations for any subject area. Students can scribble quick reminders, capture creative ideas, map directions, create drawings to understand math functions, or create visual representations for vocabulary. Whether students use it for doodling or for content learning activities, the palette of 256 pen colors (or 16 shades for grayscale displays) help students represent what they have learned and share it with others.

Christine Tomasino has been working with a federal No Child Left Behind Grant implementing handhelds in science and social science classrooms. For any feedback or questions as you implement PalmOS handhelds in classrooms, feel free to contact Christine.