Wilsden Primary School, near Bradford, shows how handheld computers have helped improve literacy and enabled instant assessment.
Following funding from parents, daily use of handheld PDAs, called Educational Digital Assistants (EDAs) has boosted pupil confidence and engaged them with their learning.
Teaching Assistant Jane Booth works with pupils in small groups to record pupils reading and encourage collaborative learning. Year 4 teacher Jo Scott and ICT co-ordinator Jackie Renton use the EDAs as tools for instant assessment and personalised learning in the classroom.
Staff benefit from the mobility and fun factor of the technology, as the children complete an educational treasure trail. In a training session, the year 5 teachers discuss ways of using the EDAs in preparation for adopting the technology in their own classrooms.
Useful websites
Education Guardian: please switch on your mobiles
Article discussing mobile technology as a learning platform
Learning Outside the Classroom
Resourse to help professionals with learning outside the classroom
Learning Outside the Classroom
Resourse to help professionals with learning outside the classroom
Organisation focused on enhancing teaching and learning through mobile technologies
Case Study of a school that used PDAs to increase motivation and attainment in ICT
Teacher Training Resource Bank
Project exploring how PDAs can be used to support trainees in schools
Details on what mobile learning is and how it can be used in education
Different learning methods used with mobile technologies
