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Handsprings to Learning
Fri May 4, 2001 - 11:12 PM EDT - By James Hromadka
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» Introduction This year Students & Faculty The Future
Introduction The field of education provides the makers of handheld computers with a wonderful opportunity for introducing their products to a growing, interested, intelligent and technically savvy market: students. Palm is making strides at the University of South Dakota while Bachman Software's PrintBoy application will be used at in Orlando Park, Illinois, and at East Carolina University (ECU) , students are using Handspring Visors in courses specifically designed to utilize handhelds. I had an opportunity to speak with Dave Watkins, Special Assistant for Information Technology and Distributed Education Projects and asked him about the university's "Handsprings to Learning" program.
Hromadka : Tell us about the "Handsprings to Learning" (HtL) program at ECU. What is it, and how many students are in the program?
Watkins : The Handsprings to Learning program at East Carolina University is designed to enhance the teaching and learning processes by deploying handheld computers -- and soon wireless connectivity technology -- for faculty and student use alike. Handheld technology has advanced to the extent that the handheld computer now works in conventional and wireless environments and is a cost-effective means of instruction and communication.
Currently, the program has approximately seventy-five students enrolled in 6 courses. Each student uses a Handspring Visor Deluxe including a Springboard backup module; a modem; and MultiMail Pro, QuickSheet, WordSmith, Firepad, Docs to Go and AvantGo software, all of which were purchased by the university. The School of Education offers two on-campus courses. Two off-campus, web-based courses are offered by the School of Industry and Technology and the School of Nursing offers one course. The sixth course is an Honors course in art taught by a faculty member from the School of Art.
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