wotimes.com

Carrying heavy bags full of books will be a thing of the past for some Ocoee Middle School students this school year. One hundred-fifty seventh-graders at Ocoee Middle will participate in a national pilot program that will make them among the first students in the country to have round-the-clock access to learning resources.

Florida Education Commissioner Jim Horne, Orange County Public Schools Superintendent Ronald Blocker and technology industry leaders gathered at Ocoee Middle School last Friday morning to announce the school's selection for a new, high-tech learning program.

As Florida's State Demonstration School, Ocoee Middle School has already enjoyed many technological benefits, such as the implementation of Tablet PCs in the classroom last year. Through partnerships with Microsoft and Hewlett Packard, Ocoee Middle received a class set of 35 Tablet PCs to be used by seventh-graders.

Dr. Kate Clark, Ocoee Middle principal, announced Friday that some of her students will now be assigned their own personal Tablet PCs for school and home use. The first of its kind educational program will be studied, said Clark, by technology and education industry leaders to determine the benefits of giving students 24-hour access to computer- and Internet-based curriculum.

"This project will place Florida on the cutting edge of educational technology," said Horne. "The seventh-graders at Ocoee Middle School will make history while gaining skills that are sure to prepare them for today's fast-paced world."

Like many Orange County public middle schools, Ocoee Middle's seventh-grade population is divided into teams. One of these three teams was chosen to participate in the program. The 150 students on that team were chosen randomly, Clark said, and will now spend the school year carrying a single Tablet PC, instead of textbooks and notebooks. Whether in class or in the comfort of their own homes, these students will have instant access to their curriculum, which will be available online, and will not use textbooks or any print-based materials.

Collaboration between Microsoft, Hewlett Packard and Holt, Rinehart and Winston (a division of Harcourt) made the project possible. The companies signed a "partnership in education" agreement Friday, which will include contributing technology and equipment to schools like Ocoee Middle. This is the first time, said Clark, that a book publisher has joined with software companies for an educational project such as this.

The participating companies selected Ocoee Middle as the program's pilot site over top schools from New York, California and Texas. Ann Foster, Harcourt vice president for E-learning, said that Ocoee Middle was chosen because it has a leader that's committed and understands cutting-edge technology and has teachers and students who are familiar with working in a high-tech environment.

"We're excited to be associated with Ocoee Middle School," said Foster. "This is a key beginning for us in having instruction delivered with electronic materials."

Holt, Rinehart and Winston will provide the online school material that will make it possible for students to live without textbooks. Hewlett Packard contributed most of the Tablet PCs, which are equipped with Microsoft Windows XP Edition and a suite of Holt Online Learning programs and instructional materials that cover science, social studies and language arts.

These interactive, online books are available to students at school or at home through Microsoft Class Server 3.0 and feature tutors, maps, timelines and video and audio programs. Students will also have access to Producer for PowerPoint, MovieMaker 2, Windows Media Series 9 and Encarta Reference Library 2004. The computers' software will be upgraded, said Clark, in October with the release of Microsoft Office 2003.

"When I first saw the Tablet PC, I believed it would have a tremendous impact on education," said Clark. "I believe technology is the key to unlocking the potential of the many diverse students in our classrooms today."

Hewlett Packard developed the Tablet PC with the help of Microsoft. The three-pound computer has all the power of a full-size PC and is designed to help students make the most of their handwritten notes.

At first glance, the Tablet PC resembles a laptop computer, until the user detaches the screen. Instead of typing on the keyboard, students can remove the screen and write directly on it with a special pen. A wireless connection allows students to write, save, send and receive information on the tablet screen while moving freely throughout the classroom.

Since each student's handwriting may be different, the Tablet PC has handwriting recognition software that enables it to convert written words into text. The Tablet PC allows students to take handwritten notes, make and share journal entries and complete exercises, homework assignments and tests on a single device and from any location.

Enthusiasm for learning and motivation by the students should increase, Clark said, by having such a cutting-edge device.

Although they will no longer need book bags, students in the Ocoee Middle pilot program will be seen carrying their Tablet PCs in specialty backpacks given to them by Microsoft.

A university will soon be named as a partner in the study that will determine the effectiveness of the pilot program. Preliminary talks are underway, said Clark, between both the University of Central Florida and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to possibly begin a yearlong, comprehensive study. Grades, FCAT scores, teachers' assessments and the results of surveys given to students and teachers will also measure any improved level of academic achievement.

Although the pilot program is scheduled to end with the completion of this school year, Clark said she is confident it will prove to be a success and might be renewed for another year.