The Tablet PC Takes Its Place in the Classroom

By THOMAS J. FITZGERALD

Published: September 9, 2004
The New York Times Electronic Edition.

TABLET PC's have been around for almost two years now, and while they have not yet proved to be the revolutionary change agents that they were billed as in November 2002, they are starting to carve a niche for themselves in certain corners of the digital world.

Industries like health care and insurance have embraced tablet PC's, which can speed the processing of records and forms. While tablets, which account for only about 1 percent of the market for notebook computers, are still generally more expensive than laptops with comparable specifications, prices have started to fall. And last month, Microsoft released an updated version of its Windows XP Tablet PC operating system that offers improved handwriting recognition, addressing one of the chief complaints about the earlier version.

But perhaps the most promising area so far is in the classroom, a setting in which portable devices with handwriting capabilities would seem to make sense. Educators at a handful of schools, many of them private high schools, are pressing ahead with plans to issue students tablet PC's for use in English, foreign language, math, science and social studies classes.

At some schools, the hope is to do away with paper notebooks, on the way to eliminating as much paper as possible. In that vision, students would take tests electronically, read their textbooks online and send their homework by e-mail. Proponents say the devices can improve interaction among teachers and students and increase opportunities for critical thinking by cutting down on busywork.

One factor that favors educators is that students seem to like tablets, especially the pen-based interface that takes the place of a mouse and keyboard.

"That was undoubtedly the best and coolest part," said John Stanton, a senior last year at Cathedral Preparatory School in Erie, Pa., who took part in a pilot program to test the devices.

Mr. Stanton, 18, was on the school's debate team, and he used a tablet PC to take notes and prepare responses during debates. He said the tablet kept pace with swift handwriting and was useful because he could quickly call up his writings from earlier rounds.

Administrators at Cathedral Prep had initially considered laptops, but switched to tablet PC's after early testing by staff members. "We did not want to get caught up with the novelty of this thing," said the Rev. Scott W. Jabo, headmaster at Cathedral Prep. "The more we were using it, we saw a lot of practical uses."

Cathedral Prep issued tablet PC's to 160 ninth graders when they started classes this month, with the goal of eliminating paper notebooks and centralizing study materials on a device linked to the school's wireless network. The device chosen by the school, a model from Acer, has a 10-inch screen and weighs about three pounds. Like most consumer tablets, it includes a standard keyboard and can function as a laptop when the screen is repositioned.

School officials said they paid $1,350 per device, which included volume and education discounts. Students will be charged a technology fee, to be added to tuition over four years, to cover the cost of the device plus warranties, software and a book bag.

Tablet PC's run essentially the same Windows-based programs as other computers. But instead of a mouse, there is a stylus, or pen, that can be used for navigation by touching the screen. The pen also can take the place of the keyboard; users can handwrite directly in programs, using an on-screen input panel, or by tapping letters and numbers on an on-screen keyboard. Programs designed specifically for the tablet PC, like Microsoft's Windows Journal, enable freeform handwriting that can be converted to text or saved in the original "digital ink" format.

Beyond using them for taking notes and reading, some schools have developed detailed plans to integrate tablet PC's into their curriculums. At the Benjamin School, a private day school in North Palm Beach, Fla., eighth graders tested the devices last year in history and English, while teachers had their own units so they could explore ways to integrate them in all subjects.

This year all ninth graders at the school, about 100 students, will be using their own tablets, a model from Gateway with a 14-inch screen, in all of their classes. The school has a new campus with a wireless network; students and teachers will have access to collaborative software, interactive whiteboards at the front of the class and classroom management tools, as well as the Internet and personal file-storage space.

Using Tablet PC's in allows teachers to go beyond conventional teaching methods, said Barbara Murphy, co-chair of the school's technology committee and a 10th-grade chemistry teacher. Instead of standing at the front of the classroom and talking, Ms. Murphy said, teachers can oversee students' work on projects. "We want students to be actively involved," she said. "The tablet PC seems to really facilitate that."

For example, using one piece of software, a peer-to-peer program called Groove Virtual Office from Groove Networks, students and teachers can collaborate on projects in the classroom from home or anywhere there is an Internet connection. The program, geared mainly for businesses, also has features designed for tablet PC's.

Using Groove in a math class, for example, a teacher could write out an equation in a shared workspace that is displayed on the classroom's whiteboard, and students seated at their desks can use their tablet pens to take turns adding steps to it. "It's like having 20 kids standing at a blackboard, each with chalk in their hands," said Ken Didsbury, academic dean and an English teacher at the Benjamin School.

Students who tested the devices last year said the pen capabilities were sufficient for note-taking. "It writes just like a pen and paper," said Shohan Shetty, 14, who is entering the ninth grade this year. "It's fast."

William Fraser, 14, also used the device last year. He said a strong feature was having Internet access at his desk for fast research. William also said he found the pen to be useful. "About half the class wrote with the pen because they weren't completely used to typing," he said. "And if you want to make a diagram, you just draw with it."

Classroom management software also figures in the Benjamin plan. Using a program called SynchronEyes, from Smart Technologies, teachers can poll students anonymously to determine if subject matter is being understood. Teachers can also view the students' screens to catch instant messaging or to administer electronic testing. "It's a little Big Brotherish, but it allows us to be sure that when we give a test electronically, the kids can't cheat," Mr. Didsbury added.

Students were required to purchase the tablets before the start of the school year; the cost was $1,925 plus $167 for insurance, school officials said. The price, which the school negotiated with Gateway after comparing three manufacturers' offerings, included bundled software like Microsoft Office 2003, Microsoft OneNote and an antivirus program.

Teachers say they feel energized by the challenges and opportunities presented by tablet PC's. Linda Willich, a social studies teacher at the Benjamin School, is preparing a new system for students to organize their work. She says she is looking forward to the collaboration tools and pen capabilities for drawing graphs.

"I can see huge possibilities for it, especially in economics," she said. "There are all kinds of things we haven't even anticipated that will not only be challenges, but will be exciting."