Freedom and Versatility at Sharon Academy
Updated: March 3, 2004
Tablet PC Enhances Learning and Creativity in the Classroom
Sharon Academy, located in the White River Valley river basin of central Vermont, brings together middle school students from around the state who have been participating in an exciting learning program using cutting-edge educational technology—the Tablet PC.
Michael Livingston, Assistant Head of the school, shares his enthusiasm: "There's no question that technology increasingly plays a role in education for all of us," he says. "The Tablet PC has become a very popular item here."
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Imagination is the limit
There is one thing that the Sharon Academy teachers and students agree on—the Tablet PC is very versatile across any subject being studied. The school has in fact made an effort to move them around to the different departments, including science, art, math, and English. Whether writing a paper, drawing a self-portrait, or creating a Microsoft® PowerPoint® presentation on alternate forms of energy, the Tablet PC adds the power of technology to the learning experience.
 | They can always go backwards, or can erase, or they can just start again. The Tablet PC accents and influences the quality of the work that the students are able to do. |  | | Ed Koren, Art, Sharon Academy
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One aspect of the Tablet PC that Art teacher Ed Koren did not anticipate until the computers entered his classroom room was the immediate risk-free environment that they provided. "What happens with students is that they get so uptight about going further with a drawing," he says. With the Tablet PC, students can "do it without fearing that they're going to make a mistake. They can always go backwards, or can erase, or they can just start again. The Tablet PC accents and influences the quality of the work that the students are able to do."
Let me count the ways
The portability of the Tablet PC and the capability to convert handwritten notes to text, such as the rough draft of a paper, have resonated strongly with the students. Unlike other types of computers but like a paper notebook, students can use the Tablet PC to write or draw directly on the screen. Sharon Academy students no longer duplicate work by retyping, changes are easily made, and all their notes-in fact, an entire history of the process-are on the computer rather than scattered across various sheets of paper.
| These are the best computers we have. We've just been having a great time with them. Everyone has an application. | | | Curtis Koren, Humanities, Sharon Academy
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Clearly a fan of the Tablet PC and what it has brought to his students, Mr. Koren readily lists the many benefits, but one sticks out clearly—the lack of distraction that it brings to the classroom. "I love the fact that it folds down the way it does because the screen on most laptops is actually a real obstacle or a barrier, and it stands in the way between the teacher and the student. The Tablet PC does not. It interfaces so well in the classroom."
