How soon will voting kits be superceeded by PDAs?

[graham@gdeanict.info]

... Just attended Blackburn with Darwen E Learning conference and heard Dave Whyley's inspiring talk about the work of Wolverhampton with PDAs. It can only be a matter of time before such devices replace the handsets we have come to ove over the last 12 months. Currently the cost is 3x that of a voting handset - but with a lot more than 3 times the functionality!

How about a PDA versions of ACTIprimary/studio?

[Lee Nelson]

But can you vote with them?

Here is a link to his powerpoint presentation in case anyone is interested.

http://wgfl.wolverhampton.gov.uk/PDASite/content/powerpoint/PDA%20Project%20Powerpoint%202004.ppt

[daverosthorn]

I'm just about to watch that presentation.

I think a PDA version of AS2 would be fantastic, though! It could be used for off-site teaching, in theory. I don't think you'd need all the developer tools there, but having pen functionality as well as being able to save created flipcharts would be fantastic.

Something for the future, maybe? +wave+ [clap] :eek:

Dave clwn

[daverosthorn]

It'd be great to take a PDA out into the workplace (in terms of apprenticeships) and show the learner FLPs that have been used in class, or designed specifically to be shown as part of their NVQ learning.

I believe my company are currently looking at using PDAs to get rid of our paper portfolios, and I think it'd be awesome if Promethean were eventually involved in this.

[graham@gdeanict.info]

But can you vote with them?

Here is a link to his powerpoint presentation in case anyone is interested.

http://wgfl.wolverhampton.gov.uk/PDASite/content/powerpoint/PDA%20Project%20Powerpoint%202004.ppt


...they're working on it - he showed a screenshot showing the layout for what they are hoping it will look like - with multiple choice responses and alpanumeric input as an extra.

[Dug]

Here's an idea (don't know if it would work):

IF there was some sort of bluetooth facility within the computer (is there a USB bluetooth receiver if not?)

AND students had bluetooth enabled mobile phones (could these be donated by parents in a steady stream as they upgrade their phones)

AND there was some software installed on the computer that could handle multiple bluetooth input

THEN you'd maybe have a very interactive situation.

[Jos]

Whilst it is true that Bluetooth USB dongles are cheap (and Bluetooth is built in to all currently shipping Macs) there are numerous disadvantages to using Bluetooth enabled phones as voting devices. These include:
i) Cumbersome to register or ‘pair up’ multiple phones to a Bluetooth enabled PC.
ii) Bluetooth standard only allows seven devices to communicate in a network or piconet. Although piconets can be connected together to form a scatternet again this is difficult to administer.
iii) It would be almost inevitable that phone calls would be received during the lesson which would be highly disruptive.

However I do think it could be useful for a teacher’s Bluetooth enabled phone to be configured as remote control. There is an excellent software package that enables this functionality called Salling Clicker (http://www.salling.com/) which is for Mac and Windows. On the Mac both Salling Clicker and Activstudio support Applescript so it is possible to use your mobile phone to: launch Activstudio, open a flipchart, go to next page, previous page, start a voting session etc. etc.

[Dug]

Oh well. Shame about the bluetooth.
Love the idea of phone as remote. However... bet you can't do it with ActivePrimary.

[Danny Nicholson]

I have heard about software that runs on a PDA that lets it vote via a network... so wireless networking needed. I can't remember the name offhand, and probably wouldnt be allowed to post a link anyway.... But that kind of tech is out there...

A class set of PDA's is still very pricey though compared to a class set of ActiVote kits - but there are some interesting projects being done with them...