Teaching, Learning & Technology

[#1]

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Anyone teaching or learning subjects like math, science, design, or engineering, knows that the “pen is mightier than the keyboard” (Julia Williams, Rose-Hulman). It turns out that in many cases, the pen is also mightier than a finger. A recent article by Campus Technology explains why…

In his article, “Style, but no Stylus”, John Waters describes what he learned from faculty who have been using what Gartner now refers to as “traditional tablets” (laptops-that-have-screens-you-can-draw-on). The faculty who are interviewed are quite articulate on why the stylus matters [full disclosure: I was pleasantly surprised to see that the faculty mentioned are all HP grant recipients!].

The key points include:

• You need to be able to draw detailed diagrams and/or write in long-hand –tasks that are both better suited to a stylus than a finger  

Students and faculty at Trine also found that brainstorming sessions were more productive with a stylus and digital ink, which allows users to draw and diagram. (Michelle Dunn, Trine’s CIO)

“That’s what makes the tablet PC a compelling teaching tool - the ability to annotate, to write notes, to create diagrams, and just to draw on the screen” (Lyndasu Crowe, Darton College)

• Resolution matters if you want to write in longhand or draw detailed diagrams; course images have some but limited value to students taking notes or faculty discussing critical ideas
  
  “The finger is a perfectly good thing for selecting content, but if you’re trying to input content—trying to draw a diagram, for example—there’s a huge difference,” he says. “You just don’t get the same accuracy with the fingertip.” (Dave Berque, DePauw University)

• Students and faculty still need a keyboard (term papers and reams of writing are not going away any time soon). 

Now we just need a new name for the “traditional” tablet pc. I brought this up more than two years ago (“What’s in a Name? Revisiting the “Tablet PC”), but I think it’s time to revisit the matter. If the pad/slate format is going to be called a “tablet”, what should we call the “laptops-that-have-screens-you-can-draw-on”? Please post a comment with your favorite suggestions!

Jim Vanides, B.S.M.E, M.Ed.
Education Program Manager
HP Office of Global Social Innovation
Hewlett-Packard

www.hp.com/go/socialinnovation
Follow me on Twitter @jgvanides

[#2]

Hi all!

I would describe these computers, whether as "convertible" laptops or as "slate" form-factor, as stylus-driven tablets. If the unit can work either with a stylus or touch, I would refer to them as dual-mode tablets.

As well, the dual-mode units should have a "stylus-only" mode selectable via a hardware switch.

With regards,

Simon Mackay

[#3]

Simon - Great suggestion. "Stylus-driven" is to-the-point and clear. Would a device that has a stylus, finger-touch, and a keyboard be "triple-mode"?  

Perhaps "stylus-capable laptop" and "stylus-capable slate" would be a helpful taxonomy?

Anyone else have thoughts on this? Keep the ideas coming!

- Jim

[#4]

you've done really excellent job! thanks a lot for sharing!!