Researching Tablets
On "Technology Day" at Seneca College (last Monday), I attended a workshop where the whole "class" was provided with an HP tablet.
The experience of using a stylus, tablet screen and the software behind the wired classroom had a profound impact on me as an educator and consultant.
For example, if I was having trouble with a question, I could let the teacher know my "status", such as "Don't Understand" without embarassing myself in front of my peers. It was a great way of using real-time polls.
We could scribble the answers to the questions pushed out to our tablets and then share the answers as a class. Erasing functioned much like a pencil - turning the stylus upside down.
The presenter was a math teacher, but it could have many applications for any subject.
Do you use a tablet?
Do you use it for your business? Education? Other?
Describe a specific experience you've had where a tablet gave you an advantage.
I'd like to prepare a post with real-world examples from tablet users since I don't own one myself. Please feel free to email me at sue at wordtree dot ca or leave a comment.
Comments
I use a tablet, mainly as an e-flipchart and to sign documents
I bought a Motion Computing M1400 tablet on eBay last year for about USD 250. I upgraded it with extra RAM and a bigger hard disk in late 2009, then installed Windows 7, which has very good built-in handwriting recognition. I use it mainly for business in two key ways: as an e-flipchart when presenting, and to sign documents without having to print them. The benefits of the paperless office, I think, are obvious. I have had a handful of people (out of a total audience of about 400) tell me that they really like that I use the tablet to draw on stage, rather than simply show prepared presentation slides. I think that makes me more memorable as a presenter.
Thank you! Yes, I can see how
Thank you! Yes, I can see how it would make you much more memorable as a presenter.