Class Session Report

Daily Reporter – Holly Mahl
Friday, June 9 (1:00 to 4:00 pm)

The pupils saunter into the technology building with drinks and goodies in hand to get them through the next four and half hours imprisoned to their laptop and handheld computers.  Many have looks of concern, wondering what concept and software they will use to create two lesson plans using the handheld computers.  Wait!  The class is cheering with excitement.  The pupils realize it is Friday and today’s class is only four hours short!  A sparkle appears in the pupils’ eyes and the instructor, Mr. Smith, can see the creativity begin to flow.  

Mr. Smith decides to teach the class about the website, “PAAM.”  The website allows the teacher to grade students’ assignments on the computer, a fifteen inch screen, rather than on the handheld computer, a three inch screen.  PAAM can organize assignments by class and a teacher can set a filter for the assignment he/she wants to view. 

PAAM has several features that are helpful in assisting teachers in their task of assessing students’ assignments.  One of the advantages of PAAM is that a teacher can save their weary eyesight by viewing assignments on a larger screen.  Also, PAAM allows the teacher to see everything that a student has saved on their handheld computers, including notes that students are sending to their friends.  PAAM gives teachers the option to delete games or items that are inappropriate for students to have on their handheld computers when students hotsync.  Furthermore, PAAM allows a teacher to organize assignments by using filters on the program rather than searching through countless files.

The PAAM program does have a few disadvantages.  An intense discussion between several classmates arose over when students would hotsync their handheld computers.  The instructor recommended that the students hotsync their handheld computers every other day.  It would take about five to ten minutes to hotsync and the best place to perform this task would be in the computer lab.  Okay, this would work assuming that all parties involved would cooperate.  This issue would just have to be dealt with when and if problems arose.  Another issue was what class would take their precious teaching time to hotsync the handhelds.  Several options were suggested.  Subject areas could rotate each quarter or reading classes would perform the task.  At this time, it was decided that the students would hotsync their handheld computers in reading class.  One team would perform the task the first ten minutes of the block while the other team would do the task the last ten minutes of the block.  All in all, the eighth grade team of teachers are a cooperative and flexible group that will work out any issues that the handheld computers cause.

After being educated about the PAAM website, we were left with the rest of the afternoon to answer the age old question, “What will I teach?”  Mr. Smith assigned the class to create two lesson plans using the handheld computers.  Some classmates were successful in writing a lesson plan while others surfed the internet searching for some creative idea to inspire them.   The book, “Handhelds for Teachers and Administrators,” by Janet Coughlin, was very helpful in suggesting new methods to use the handheld computers in the classroom.  The CD that accompanied the book had the worksheets and software required to teach lessons in the book.  The book is a good resource to remember how to use the different software programs on the handheld computers.  While these avenues gave several ideas to proceed forward in writing lesson plans, several classmates were just mentally spent from their grueling hours of teaching summer school and then reporting to class all week.

As the class neared to a closing for the day, Mr. Smith suggested that the classmates consider what programs and games they wanted for the students to have on their handheld computers.  When the students hotsync with PAAM these programs and games would be added to their handheld computers.  Classmates left with much to do and think about over the weekend.  Two more classes to go and then the summer to practice, like, and depend on the handheld computers.

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