The curriculum use of RM Tablet PCs is currently being evaluated in 8 Birmingham schools.  Click here to find out more about the RM Tablet PC

What is Tablet PC?

Tablet PC is a fully functioning PC running the Windows XP Professional operating system - Tablet PC Edition. It will run all existing applications, but on top of this has greatly enhanced functionality.

Features of Tablet PC:

	It is a pen operated device. It has a digitising screen and a special pen, so there is no need for a mouse, and unlike earlier pen operated devices you don’t have to keep your fingers off the screen.
	It can be used in both landscape and portrait modes – great for looking at Publisher pages
	Tablet PCs are available in ‘slate’ (no keyboard or mouse) and ‘clamshell’ (has a keyboard built-in) formats. The clamshell devices are much more expensive.
	They all have in-built wireless network connectivity – currently 802.11b but this is being upgraded in the latest devices to the 54 Mb system.
	Handwriting recognition which does not need training is built-in as well.
	Voice input is also built-in at operating system level, but this does need training and like all previous systems it has some difficulty coping with my Black Country accent.
	The pen input makes graphics programmes like Windows Paint much easier to use.
	Digital Ink allows hand-written notes and drawing to be entered directly into Office 2002 applications.
	Ink comments can also be added. Once acted upon these can be deleted. In this way students no longer feel that their work is being defaced by the teacher’s “red pen”.
	All applications can print to a new application called the Journal Note Writer where hand-written annotations can be added.
	It has a Sticky Notes feature which can be used to store hand written notes and sounds. These can be dragged and dropped, or pasted into other applications. Good for marking work?
	All Office XP Applications have “digital ink” functionality built-in, so for example one can write on top of PowerPoint presentations and then chose whether or not to save these annotations. This gives Tablet PC much of the functionality of an interactive whiteboard.

Some Examples of the Use of Tablet PC in Education:

• Using Journal Notes Writer:

  • Use the graph paper template to draw graphs which can easy be rubbed out and modified without the need to start again.

  • Print a diagram to the background. Labels can be added in handwriting.

  • SATs Papers. These can be downloaded in PDF format, printed to the Journal and then completed in ‘digital ink’. They can also be marked in a different colour ‘digital ink’.

  • Correcting Text. Words can easily be rubbed out and corrected in a different colour ‘digital ink’.

  • Handwritten notes can be taken during a lesson and then converted to typed text for presentation in a word processor at a later time.

  • Matching exercises. Link words or diagrams in two columns by drawing arrows.

• As a substitute for an interactive whiteboard.

• Annotating teaching notes distributed electronically.

• Instant access to the Internet via built-in wireless connectivity.

• Highly portable learning devices which can easily be transported home and extend learning out of school hours.

• To improve handwriting. The handwriting recognition is excellent and for most children if the computer does not recognise their handwriting, they improve it.

• To improve concentration. The pupils tend to focus in on to the tablet in an intense way. This mitigates against sharing work with their peers but does help concentration.

• To improve motivation.

• Brainstorming/Mind Mapping.

Conclusion