I feel that this field project was a success over all. The students really enjoyed using the handhelds in the classroom. Using Palm handhelds made it possible for the class to use technology without having to “share” or take turns. The way documents can be linked with the GoKnow software suite made it easy for students to keep track of multiple documents, and the portability of the Palms meant that they could be available any time / any place. The big lessons learned were – make sure you know the hardware and software so that troubleshooting is quick and easy or it can REALLY be disruptive. Also, take advantage of the students are good with technology – they can be a life-saving resource.

The project that I found most interesting was Trish’s use of Scratch to make mini tutorials for student use. I think that a teacher could develop a library of these over time, and have them available as a tool for providing extra support for students who need it or even “extension” lessons for students who need to be further challenged. It would be a big investment of time initially, but would then be available for future classes!