CMP: Technology & Learning, December, 2003 - Volume 24, Number 5
"NetOp School" Journal informercial from CrossTec Corporation
A presentation of state-of-the-art classroom technology. The NetOp School system gives a teacher, who is in a computer-lab setting, absolute control over each student's personal computer and a central projection system. This product review describes, what I believe, is the ideal teaching environment. The product review prompted me to pursue it further at the NetOp web site.
Here is the scenario that their educational
system supports:
Each student has her/his individual computer with them at their desks (or elsewhere,
hopefully, if wireless). Every computer is connected to the teachers console
in the front of the classroom. The technology allows the teacher to a) monitor
every computer in the class, b) send messages, files, assignments to each computer
or any group of computers, c) project the screen of any specific student onto
the front screen for highlighting discussion, d) freeze all activity on any
one or all computers in order to get students' attention, e) collaborate with
any one student via private application sharing and white board.
A clever Flash animated demonstration on their web site illustrates some of the versatile uses of their classroom instructional system.
If I could add a few elements that would make this learning environment even better I might replace all desktop computers with small tablet pc's or perhaps handheld computers. The tablet pc's and/or handheld computers along with projected"smartboard" technology in the front of the classroom would allow students from their "desks" to write, draw, execute, manipulate, contribute to the projected screen image in the front of the class. I would make the environment wireless. I would use Bluetooth and infrared beaming technology and create collaborative and cooperative projects/games. In an ideal world these students' computers would go home with the students each day and be "connected" to the classroom server 24/7.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Jerry Garfunkel