Microsoft Surface at BETT 09

[apoth0r]

It sounds like a nice idea for primary schools but again it will be about the staffing within these schools. Having a group of a few children on the interactive tables is great, but what about the 25 other children that need their needs met too. Fair enough some schools have the staff, but it's down to that at then end of the day. Some schools have all their TA's tied up with reading and writing schemes that REQUIRE a constant daily timetable. Would be great for kids to use these things though, just needs an interactive adult to watch over them too (at no additional cost) Edited January 19, 2009 by apoth0r
typo :(

[Grumpydev]

The software know you bring an interesting point the fact that ms have sat on demo models for so long means that partner companies have not had chance to create software for it so in Microsoft case is going to hinder the roll out.

 

Did anyone manage to play the collaborative spelling/word/maths game that was on the Surface at BETT? I was one of the developers and I would be interested in any feedback (good or bad!) from anyone that had chance to play it.

 

It was well and truly pimped at the RM area, but I'm not sure Microsoft themselves did a particularly good job.

[JJonas]

I didnt play it but I did see it being played and was quite impressed. At struck me as being something our special needs department might be interested in. Unfortunately at the moment I feel the Surface system is too expensive for us, but I will be watching to see how it develops in the future.

[Grumpydev]

I didnt play it but I did see it being played and was quite impressed. At struck me as being something our special needs department might be interested in. Unfortunately at the moment I feel the Surface system is too expensive for us, but I will be watching to see how it develops in the future.

 

I think they're still too expensive to justify for a school, but they've only just really sorted out the production of them in any kind of volume so hopefully the cost will start to come down.

 

The idea of the proof of concept app we did was to spark the imagination of the people there and hopefully generate some interest for when the price is a bit more palatable.

[gaz350]

@David

 

When I meant worth I meant educational worth I still think 6 grand is too much but they will come down I am sure of that.

 

The software know you bring an interesting point the fact that ms have sat on demo models for so long means that partner companies have not had chance to create software for it so in Microsoft case is going to hinder the roll out.

 

When I said about software main thing is that software companies will fill the void like they have done with IWB. Every IWB has some kind of 'notebook' software on it but lot of resources are from third party software houses (hence why ms sitting on demo is going to hinder them)

 

As for them taking over other technology I never said that it all links into together. Again in my view (and this includes me) we look at at from old way point of view we get hung up on this piece of technology and this item where as students look at from the view of the "technology in front of me".

 

Don't get me wrong they are not to replace the current technology but compliment the current technology.

 

As for device for every student...

 

Also I had interesting conversation with head of E-Learning foundation down at BETT about technology prices and ability for parents to pay for it.

 

In her view the tipping point is 1 pound a week over two years so devices need to be about £100 which at moment we are just getting to not quite there yet but nearly (as you have to make it last two years so the really cheap devices are not quite right yet).

 

But then to be very blunt why are we wasting money on providing every student with say internet enabled handheld device when 80% have them already have one at home. So maybe we should be looking to to provide the devices for the other 20% who don't have them at home (arr home access money). Then that means we can be spending money on those extra things like tables/iwb.

 

This of course means we have to step away from the network deny button and allow student devices on the network something I think we all need to start doing in the next few years....

 

I have asked question to several people over last few weeks about allowing home devices on the network several said yes that is easy to do but yet we all seem to say "personnel devices on network over my dead body".

 

So then question is why are we saying it?

 

Russ

 

Russ can you hear our conversation over here in rutland or something? we had this exact discussion in a meeting discussing the ICT vision for our new college with the ICT consultants. I dont know about you but i hate saying no to people.

 

One place we see the MS surface like tables is in some of our more public spaces. our LRC for example will have collaboration 'pods' which these will fit in very nicely, only thing i can see wrong with them is they could do with being a little bigger?

Edited January 19, 2009 by gaz350

[gshaw]

It's all about the software really, as hardware wise it's just a touchscreen on a table (ok a multitouch touchscreen )

 

One idea when looking at it... could it one day recognise a cup of tea like it does mobile phones and heat that area up to keep it warm

Edited January 22, 2009 by gshaw