September 7 - Training with Mike Curtis

Quick Jump to: Quizzler, Sketchy, Afternoon, 

Mike traveled all the way from Michigan to guide us in the start of our handheld adventures!  

He started the day with the simplest applications of the Handheld Learning Environment (HLE) from GoKnow.  

We all created a ViewPoint "slideshow" outline and beamed the files to each other.  

Next we learned that the benefit of using Free Write as a word processor includes the power to COLLABORATE because you have the option to receive a beamed file within the current document (merge the files together) OR as a entirely new file.  Also- instead of beaming files, try exchanging files.  Pretty cool!

Third, we created KWL charts in iKWL.  The new features in this program, including the Word List and the option to beam just select sections of the KWL chart.  

After a short morning break we all successfully created Quizzler quizzes from the Memo pad.  Remember to use this form exactly:

#quizzler NAME

#name NAME

question

correctanswer;wronganswer;wronganswer;wronganswer  

(etc.)

Let's play a game!  Code5 provided us with mental strategies we didn't realize we had stored in our heads!

It was time to get serious.  Why do we need these handhelds?  Why not just use paper and pencil?  We may firmly believe in the benefits ourselves, but sometimes people who don't know the benefits don't understand why this technology benefits our students.  The main reasons Mike highlighted and shared with us included the following:

• Access

• Convergence

• Permanency

• Simplicity

• Collaboration

• Malleability

This afternoon we will defend our positions more specifically by taking a look at our own curriculum and subject areas to find uses that would not have produced the same results if only done with pencil and paper. 

Now, it's time for SKETCHY!!

Through experimental learning and lots of sharing of discoveries, we all successfully created awesome Sketchys...or so we thought, until viewing some created by students at www.goknow.com/sketchycontest/.  Ok, so now we know who the REAL experts are!

Sketchy makes learning more ANIMATED!

AFTERNOON Session:

Let's get organized with "Locker."  This HLE application allows teachers to beam assignments to each student's digital locker, when they can archive assignments, notes, and events and keep them organized in categories.  

Cells was our next stop in the HLE suite.  This program is very similar to Excel, or Sheet to Go, yet simplified for use with younger learners.  In addition to the application, we also learned about the favorite pizza toppings of our group!

To culminate the HLE suite we next explored PicoMap.  This graphic organizer/concept mapping program allows you to attach files from any other GoKnow software files to your web.  **We learned that in order for the attach feature to work, you must also have the INTERMEDIA file on your Palm in addition to PicoMap itself.  

WOW!  What a lot of learning!  Culminating activities included a demonstration of PAAM (thank you Mr. Walters for being the "guinea pig") discussion of Fling it (why does the network never work when you need it to?) and small group work time.  Teachers really brainstormed some great management issues and ways to head off problems early.  I personally feel certain that all this time and effort will really pay off for our students, their learning outcomes, and their amazing upcoming experiences in the world of handheld computing!  Thank you, Mike, for starting us down the right path.

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