Is it time to get personal? The technology about to transform classroom learning |
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Wednesday, 29 October 2008 |
They look like BlackBerrys – and they're about to transform classroom learning forever.
Technology never stands still. No sooner have schools got to grips with the interactive whiteboard than the latest gizmo is advancing on classrooms, this time in the form of handheld personal digital assistants (PDAs). There are a number of these small portable devices demonstrating varying degrees of sophistication: the latest versions come with inbuilt digital camera, video recorder, Wi-Fi access and satellite navigation.
Yet, according to Phillip Collie of online educational resource Schoolzone.co.uk, schools have been slow to appreciate the potential of the new technology. "In terms of uptake, it's very early days yet," says Collie, who believes it will be another five years before PDAs are adopted wholesale by schools. "It's a question of technology restrictions, pedagogical issues and cost."
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