Survival Strategies for Palm OS Handhelds in the Classroom

by Christine Tomasino

©2004

     A lot of times technology just shows up in classrooms and teachers have to figure out how to manage learning with those digital tools. PalmOS handhelds have great potential to close the digital divide in the quest to make one-to-one computing a reality. But to maximize the potential of this technology, teachers need new skills and survival strategies to change instructional design to use these tools far beyond the calendar and contacts.

     Teachers everywhere are suffering from InfoClutter. This clutter may be hundreds of files saved on the server, disorganized file system, or no system at all. Add handhelds on top of this clutter and teachers will quickly become buried in the flow of information beamed and exchanged with the computer during a hot sync operation. After working with thousands of students and hundreds of teachers implementing handhelds for learning, here are the top survival strategies to make your implementation seamless.

Strategy 1

Students need to “own” the handheld. Personalize the digital tools for students.

Labeling the handhelds – While most digital devices have inventory tracking codes, consider non permanent labels with the students' names to indicate the device owner at a glance.

Naming the handhelds -- Each handheld should be assigned a unique user name so that files transferred electronically during the Hotsync operation can be organized for the user. If the devices are being assigned to individual students, consider last name, first name or another name that would identify the user. Numbering schemes are an option for naming, however, they are less personal.

Charging the handhelds – Battery life is one of the most important features to manage in a classroom. Your handheld may have a multiple device charge solution or consider making the students responsible for keeping their devices charged.

Students Manage Handheld Files-- Teach students to delete files to manage the handheld InfoClutter and give them tools to manage learning like grade book, assignment tracking, and goal setting.

Let the students take the handhelds home—Students gain the most benefits from handheld use when they become personal devices and are used as a tool both at school and home. Develop policies for students using the handhelds outside the classroom.

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Strategy 2

Create a strategic process for managing digital files and student work.

     One of the first things a teacher should decide is how the student created document will be used. Does it need to be turned in? Are you taking a grade? Does it need to be printed? Will it be manipulated and returned? Thinking about the answers to these questions will help minimize InfoClutter, keep student files organized whether all handhelds are synced or whether student documents are beamed to a “teacher machine” which is then synced to q computer.

Develop A Unique File Naming Structure for All Student Work

Maintaining a system for saving digital files is important for storing and accessing student work. Requiring students to save files with short unique names for an assignment will minimize InfoClutter. A naming structure that uses student information first will guarantee that all work from a student remains together in an alpha sort.

Suggestion for naming files:

<student code or initials> <assignment code> <date> ie. cmtbstorm3-1

Plan for Receiving Student Files for Viewing or Storing

Pick a routine or combination of routines that work for your classroom set-up depending on the software application, the learning task and the output required.

Possible Scenarios for managing student files:

1. Beam the multiple files to a teacher handheld and view from the handheld or sync to computer.

2. Beam multiple files to student leader and sync leader handheld.

3. Beam files from within application to student leader file and beam student leader file to teacher handheld. (Software must be able to support this option)

4. Schedule Hotsyncing (USB or Wireless) times for students using one or multiple computers

Customize the HotSync Operation for the Users--Shorten That Sync! This tip is especially valuable when Palms are used in the classroom. Student syncing of Palms can take up valuable classroom time. This syncing time can be shortened by setting the conduits to only sync the application the students are working with.

Understanding the Application Conduits and File Locations--When a Hotsync operation is performed the handheld synchronizes its files with the computer. Conduits for each application store the files. Memo Pad, To Do List, Datebook and Address Book (Basic Palm OS applications) store the data in Palm Desktop. To access any student work from these applications launch Palm Desktop. Other applications such as AlphaWord by AlphaSmart, Documents To Go by DataViz or Inspiration for PalmOS by Inspiration, Inc. have conduits which can be configured to store files in a user defined location.

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Strategy 3

Structure the deployment of the digital tools for instructional efficiency.

Don’t Waste The Buttons!--There are four buttons located at the bottom of the Palm that come preset to the calendar, address book, memo pad and To Do list. Did you know you can set these buttons to any application installed on your Palm? Why have them set to applications your students may never use? Set them to the most used applications.

Categorizing Applications--To save valuable learning time frequently used applications can also be filed into one category for quick access or categories of applications can be created that relate to student tasks. You can place an application into any category. The least amount of scrolling and tapping the better!

Develop a solution for re-installing handheld software--One of the biggest frustrations for classroom teachers is that handheld technology is not faultless and hard resets of the device do happen. Since any added handheld software is stored in RAM, when this occurs, especially during the middle of a lesson, the handheld is restored to original configurations and loses any added software and student files.

Successful use of handhelds needs a strategy for getting all applications back to the handheld in a timely fashion whether with Hotsyncing, using memory cards or Deploy card solutions from Grant Street Software.

Develop a Process for Printing--The word time comes up frequently when students are printing documents. Planned strategies are needed for success! It may be unrealistic to think that in a 40-minute period thirty students can create a writing artifact, print the response and take it with them as a study aid. Is it essential the artifact needs to be in print?

Situational Solutions might be:

1. For IR errors tape off an area where students set their handhelds to be in direct line with the printer IR port.

2. Approximately four students could beam files to a student leader who prints the documents.

3. Configure some handhelds to print to a USB/IR printer while others print to a Network printer.

4. Have student teams work together to create one team document to print.

5. Hotsync files and print from a computer.

Show and Tell Using a Palm Emulator--Demonstrating to a classroom of students using a handheld requires a projection system and a device that can project the handheld image. For a shoe-string budget a solution is a Palm Emulator.

Develop a HotSync Plan--Handhelds coupled with printers can be used as stand-alone technology devices with many instructional uses, however, syncing the handheld to the computer extends its capabilities. Moving student files to a computer and installing software onto handhelds requires a Hotsync operation. This can be performed via USB connection, infra-red (not recommended) or using a wireless network connection. Planning for Hotsyncing handheld devices is an important task for instructional management in a classroom. Will all handhelds sync to the same computer? Do all students need to sync everyday?

Set up Classroom Rules for Handheld Use--Before handing out handhelds to students, think about classroom rules for handheld use. The rules set will depend on the specific classroom situation, classroom management style, and students.

Consider:

Rules about bringing handhelds to class . All students are responsible for bringing their handheld to class each day, fully charged and ready for use.

Rules about handheld use in class.  Handhelds are to be used in class only when permitted by the teacher and for learning purposes

Rules about beaming in class. Beaming is not to be done in class except as a part of a designated activity or with prior permission.

Rules about installing software to handhelds. Software other than that on an approved class list of software, shall be installed to handheld devices. If there is an application that students find useful, create a process for adding it to the class list.

Rules about software licensing and illegal copying. No software should be downloaded or installed to the handheld unless the proper license has been obtained. In addition, any copyrighted materials or other people's work should not be copied without the appropriate permissions.

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Strategy 4

Connect technology applications in the learning plan. Promote active learning to engage students in classroom strategies that work to increase student achievement.

Search for suitable applications with curricular connections-- Promote active learning to engage students in classroom strategies that work to increase student achievement. Some free applications for student activities can be found from the list of software or search for other content area software that connects learning concepts at FreewarePalm or Eurocool.

Identify a suite of applications—Create a classroom list of applications that:

1. support student reflection

2. foster meaningful dialogue between students

3. are used for the process of learning

4. are used for creating student products

Know your software applications-- All applications do not have the ability to bring student work into the computer. Identify the strengths and limitations of the handheld applications. Which applications can print? Which have separate conduits for easy MS Office Work? Which have beaming functions for co-development?

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Strategy #5

Promote active learning to engage students in classroom strategies that work to increase student achievement.

    Continue to develop student learning activities using handhelds that model effective learning. Investigate what research says increases student achievement and develop student learning activities with handhelds to maximize the use of this digital tool. Examples for active learning strategies:

Reading Quest strategies for increasing comprehension

A hotlist of active learning strategies for student activities

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