Dell Barbara Thank You

To: From: Date: Subject:	Barbara Heilmann Jerry Garfunkel September 29, 2004 Dell Educational Computing
	Hello Barbara, Please forgive the delay in thanking you for the gift I received at the Elliot Soloway presentation at CW Post last Spring. Drs. Bette Schneiderman and Mike Byrne (LIU/CW Post) hosted and Steve Silverman (Computer Logic Group) sponsored the event. I am the graduate student who won the door prize, a Dell Axim, that you (Dell) donated. I wanted you to know that it had a important effect on the direction of my educational studies. It inspired a few educational projects

	I became interested in the educational possibilities of Handheld's in general and the Pocket PC with 802.11 specifically. Consequently, I designed some model educational systems (classroom-wide, school wide and district wide) using combinations of Servers, Desktop PCs (laptops or tablets) and Handheld Pocket PC (802.11 and Bluetooth). Each of these projects may contain some business opportunities for Dell to consider, which is why I've included references in this letter. I am happy to follow up with you, Barbara, if you or others at Dell have any interest in these projects. a) The International Fashion Portal, connects a classroom in Half Hollow Hills with a classroom in Bucharest Romania via web-conferencing. Development of the Fashion Portal Collaboration project is underway. We are also facilitating the development of collaborative, interactive projects (lessons) between the classrooms on both sides of this Classroom-to-Classroom Portal. b) The "Merit Society" identifies and rewards the top students in a school. VPN servers and Handheld technologies (classroom-wide, school-wide, district-wide, "Community-wide" (however one chooses to define "community) play an important role. c) Two model high-tech classrooms have been developed conceptually and outlined. Each classroom has a server (secure VPN with students homes and parents), desktop computers (laptops/tablets), Handheld computers (Pocket PC, 802.11/Bluetooth), smart-board technologies, video-conferencing, wireless, teacher-controlled desktop computer system (NetOP), application sharing, et al. d) The Game Playing Logic Class is a non-culturally-biased assessment tool, and a vehicle to teach deductive reasoning & problem solving skills. It turns the Handheld Pocket PCs into game-playing, deductive-logic development tools ("toys.") I would love to attract Dell's interest (and support) in any other project I've developed. But that is not the primary purpose of this note. It's purpose, Barbara, is to thank you and demonstrate the cause-and-effect of that wonderful Dell Axim you donated to the CW Post presentation of Dr. Elliott Soloway and the many good things that may result. Thank you again. Jerry

In Summary
Merit Society	High school "Merit Society" for top "20% Server and handheld technologies Classroom-wide, school-wide, district-wide, "Community-wide" (however one chooses to define "community)
International Fashion Portal	Live, interactive audio/video conferencing between the Half Hollow Hills Fashion Club and a Bucharest, Romania high school fashion class.
International Students Initiative for Peace	International twinned classrooms (schools,communities), Classroom-to-Classroom Portal Multi-cultural collaborative projects Mission of Peace from the United Nations
Game Playing Logic Class	Deductive logic skills assessment and development
Model High Tech Classroom	desktop embedded tablet pc's, slide out of slot to take home, all texts on e-books, all connected via NetOP , smart board, projection system, video cams at each desk, video portal to twinned classroom (wall size video portal), remote application sharing , wireless 802.11/bluetooth/ir, handheld's, dig cams(inter/intra) classrooms video conferencing. With Curriculum support group, working collaboratively and further sub-divided into "Experts Groups" developing individual lesson plans and projects that exploit this technology. A Repository of projects and lessons for all ages and all subjects will be maintained.