Assignment: Journal Article Reviews:

The Handheld Educator, Vol 2, Part 8, 2003 -
"Every Child can Learn" Sponsored insert by Excelsior Corp.
(The Handheld Educator is a special advertising insert in the Technology& Learning journal, December, 2003 - Volume 24, Number 5)
The product reviews may have been non-objective; the pedagogy discussed was valid and useful.

The author presents three strategies for "brain based learning:"
a) Create learning environments in which students are immersed in what they are doing.
b) Provide students with "challenging activities."
c) Include critical thinking into student activities.

Immersing students into their activities
This is one of the issues presented by Dr. Elliot Soloway at his recent LIU presentation. It is a key component of any successful learning environment - handheld-based or otherwise. Students perform much better when they perceive their participation as an opportunity rather than an obligation. These students come into the classroom with a predefined desire to succeed - a shared-vision with the teacher/school. The teacher's job becomes more of a mentor, coach, director and less of a guardian, task-master, disciplinarian.

This last issue acknowledges the many roles that teachers play in the course of their work day. This has come up in many articles and texts I've read. I have dealt with it elsewhere. Briefly, I believe some day we will recognize (and institutionalize) at least two distinct roles/specializations - categories of roles to be more precise - that teachers perform: a) pedagogical and b) administrative/behavioral. The pedogical functions are best left to the educators: the subject experts, the curriculum specialists, the "learning delivery experts," etc. The administrative and behavioral functions involve all of the things a teacher must do to prepare and process his/her students for learning. Its biggest component of course is discipline; but not far behind are all the parent/community interactions, school system interactions, classroom management issues, etc. These responsibilities deserve greater recognition and their own professional position, perhaps "Teacher Administrator." This position should demand respect, specialization, professional skill and an appropriate salary.

Challenging activities:
It is important to guage the difficulty level of every lesson for every student - as best we can. This subject is related to Senge's concept of teaching to each individual's specific set of "intelligences," i.e. customizing the teaching methods and activities to suit the learner. Lessons (and all curricula in general) need to be tailored in such a way that students are neither bored by to little material presented too slowly nor choked by too much material presented too quickly.

Critical Thinking:
In a true constructivist environment, the students should take part in their own performance evaluation. If required, necessary adjustments should be made so that students stay "on track" without wondering off too far before being brought back on track. Putting class activities into the context of their real lives will help them develop critical thinking skills - in their real lives.

The article discusses some of the activities (inter-activities) in which the students participate. Pictures of the students in the classroom, engaged in their "learning games" with the beaming handheld computers (PDAs), clearly illustrate that the students are enthusiastically enjoying the experiences. It is clear why Dr. Elliot Soloway's enthusiasm is so demonstrable. The Hi-Ce project itself is successful because of the enthusiasm it exudes.

The technology allows for all kinds of advanced educational uses including teacher (school) monitoring of students' activities and progress. Teachers can beam quizzes and special messages to individual "handhelds" in the classroom. Likewise, students are constantly engaged in 1-on-1, 1-on-many, many-on-many handheld activities (games?).

It is the very smallness of the handhelds (these little teaching tools) that makes the difference in how this tool is used. It is one of the points that Elliot Soloway was making. Sometimes it is subtle changes in technology that bring about major changes in use. The size of the handheld computer is just such a "subtlety." I've discussed this topic of subtle changes having major affects in another journal review.

~~~~~~~~~~~ Jerry Garfunkel