Wow, the kids these days. WIWAK(when I was a kid) mastering the + button on the calculator was high tech.

Avery Coonley School may be nearly 100 years old, but when it comes to endowing its teachers and students with handheld technology for the classroom, this private, independent school in Downers Grove, Ill., is one of the most forward-looking schools in the state.

After the rousing success of a fourth-grade pilot program last year, each student and teacher in grades four through eight now have their own Zire 72 handheld, as well as a wireless keyboard, from palmOne. It's the realization of the school's vision to provide a learning device for every student, and one that has earned full support and cooperation from students, teachers and parents.

and the program seems to be a hit with the kids

According to Jennifer Garetto and Laura Bojkovski, the fourth-grade teachers who ran the pilot program, the benefits are obvious -- students are more enthusiastic and motivated. They also require very little instruction. Within a few days they are scheduling appointments, writing memos, writing lists to keep themselves on task, filling in the calendar with homework assignments and due dates, and even setting the alarm to remind themselves of a deadline. But the benefits go beyond organization.

"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(R) 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."

Are you ready for customers and coworkers that are incredibly tech savvy from a very young age? Wait until they discover mobbloging.

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Comments

[Patrick]

What a complete waste of time, money, and effort. Palm Pilots for the students—and what got cut out in terms of time and mindshare for these devices? Nothing is "free" and this does little to prepare these students for their future. When you see Germany and Japan providing these to their students then you'll know there's something to worry about. Until then, this is yet another example of what's wrong with public education in the U.S.—a focus on gadgetry and quick fixes instead of the basics. It's Atkins for education.

Be prepared for tech-savvy co-workers. By the time they can work they'll know how to reset a Palm Pilot and load an application on it but that device will be 15 years old and their "knowledge" will be completely worthless.

Good grief.

[Emily]

Hello, I actually attend Avery Coonley. (8th grade)

Interestingly enough, the younger students certainly do use them, though older students practically never touch them. (mine hard reset several months ago) Funds were raised through an auction.

The majority of us agree with Patrick.