Our Mission

Computers have infiltrated schools in the past twenty years, at many levels of the educational system as well as many levels of complexity. With the rise of a new series of computing devices called Personal Digital Assistants, or PDA's, our research team is curious what opportunities and affordances might be available in public schools.

The key differences between PDA and traditional desktop computers are the cornerstone of our research. One, PDA's tend to be handheld, and are always wholly portable. They may be taken anywhere and used anywhere, without wires, electrical power, or other infrastructure requirements. Two, PDA's tend to be inexpensive, with a retail price that is generally less than a fifth of a traditional desktop computer. Third, these devices are becoming more "network-friendly", including design elements for sharing and exchanging information with one another as well as with other resources elsewhere within a local network or the entire Internet.

We are curious about the role of PDA's in different parts of the educational system. How can students use PDA's to improve their learning and expand their opportunities? How can teachers use PDA's to improve their teaching and simplify their administrative tasks? How can administrators use PDA's to better perform their duties? And finally, how can PDA's help parents/guardians to interact better with their schools and improve the quality of their relationship with their child's education?

Our mission as researchers is to determine and implement new opportunties for PDAs in education. We welcome your suggestions and assistance.