Hardware for Teachers T

40 Figure 11. A portable keyboard More information on these devices can be found at: http:www.alphasmart.com http:www.edweek.orgewnewstory.cfm?slug=20wordtech.h21 Handheld and Tablet Technologies Handheld technologies, also known as Personal Digital Assistants PDAs, are a rapidly expanding industry with many new products introduced every few months. These devices are basically palm-sized battery-operated computers with powerful processors inside and with a screen for the user-interface. Among popular PDA manufacturers are Palm http:www.palm.com , Handspring http:www.handspring.com ,Hewlett-Packard http:www.hp.comjornada , Sony http:www.sonystyle.commicrosclie and Compaq: http:www.compaq.comshowroomhandhelds.html More information on handheld technologies in education can be found in: http:www.handheld.hice-dev.org http:educatorspalm.orgindex.html http:www.pdaed.comverticalhome.xml Tablet PCs are a relatively new technology and therefore still rather expensive, but prices are dropping steadily. They are basically very thin and light computers with pen-based capabilities like PDAs, allowing users to write directly on the screen in their own handwriting -- or convert them to typed text for use in other applications. More information on Tablet PCs is available from all major computer and laptop producers. Other Technologies There are number of other digital devices that can be used in schools to enhance students’ project activities. Some of these are: Digital cameras: They are presently a relatively costly investment but then, digital pictures are free. A digital camera can connect to a computer to store, edit, print or project digital pictures. Their prices are gradually dropping, becoming affordable devices for schools. These cameras can be used as mobile scanners in outdoor school projects and field trips that may benefit from using images. Students’ school newspapers, which are very popular educational projects, can also make good use of these devices. UPS: These are necessary devices in environments prone to power failure, such as rural schools. UPSs work on batteries and keep hardware working for a few minutes in case of a power failure, so that users can save their work and close the operating system without information loss. UPSs are also useful to protect the hardware from an unstable power supply. 41 Screen projectors: These are useful devices for multimedia classroom presentations. These devices are connected to computers to project the screen image onto a large screen so that a whole class can view the presentation. Presentations may be prepared on the computer with easy-to-use software such as PowerPoint. See: http:www.microsoft.comofficepowerpoint . Science devices. There is a large software and hardware industry producing digital devices for school science, including data loggers, robots, sensors, and calculators. See for example: Science devices: http:www.pasco.com , http:www.vernier.com , http:www.rogerfrost.com , http:education.ti.comeducationportal Educational robotics: http:www.parallax.com , http:www.rec.ri.cmu.edueducation , http:handyboard.comcricket

7. Maintenance

The need to plan and budget for hardware and software maintenance cannot be overemphasized. In Enlaces’ experience, schools without a well-funded technical support program will perceive very soon in weeks or at most in a few months the mistake of not having considered this issue. Reconfiguring computers and printers, installing new software, preventing and eliminating viruses and network shutdowns are just a few examples of the daily routine of the technical support team. Proper maintenance requires a technical staff with continuous training, special purpose tools i.e., to reconfigure a network from a remote location using IP tools and standardized procedures. See, for example, the following Internet services monitoring system in use by Enlaces: http:smsi.enlaces.cl . Schools will need good quality long-term technical support, but it is advisable to plan for a gradual independence by training teachers on technical subjects and by providing regional help desks. A few levels of technical assistance are advisable. The school level, with one or more teachers specially trained to perform basic troubleshooting and preventive maintenance procedures; a district level, with better prepared and dedicated technicians that can perform regular preventive maintenance at a deeper level and solve more difficult hardware and software problems; and, finally, a regional or national level, that coordinates these activities, provides regular training courses, deals with global software licenses and negotiates with hardware vendors and service providers to achieve quality services and reduced prices for hardware and software, their warranties and ideally, even supplies like printer ink-jet cartridges and toner, paper and other supplies. Enlaces installed in 2003 a free phone-based help desk for schools, whose purpose is to assist school technicians and ICT Coordinators in trouble-shooting hardware and software. Questions from users are registered and processed to determine assistance and training needs in different school categories i.e. urban or rural, primary and secondary schools, etc.