Handheld devices for primary children

[synaesthesia]

Morning folks, not sure if this is the right part of the form but will ask away

 

Got a school looking to invest in the future in some handheld devices for the children of a primary age.

The aim is to have something the kids can use to search information via the internet (over wireless), check spellings, use a calculator, built in camera and microphone etc etc.

 

Obviously things like "Smartphone" keep jumping up however these might be a bit useability-prohibitive for children of this age, but something along those lines, or PDAs would be ideal.

 

So, does anyone use anything like this in a primary school, or elsewhere that may be useable by 8-11 year olds?

Anyone mentioning "iPad" will have one of said devices inserted in their earhole, neatly folded

[danrhodes]

Is a small netbook too BIG as some of them now are tiny, how about an ITouch?

 

D

[synaesthesia]

I swear to god I replied to this...

 

Anyway, the people involved are quite taken with the idea of a proper handheld rather than a netbook - I did suggest that at first giving a much broader range of applications and freedom. Definitely no Apple stuff involved, although it's a particularly well to-do and small school, they don't believe anything with an Apple badge would stand up for more than a week in the hands of the children

[SimpleSi]

I think the only device that meets that specs at the moment is a smartphone.

 

I believe that companies are bringing out £100 smartphones nowadays that meet the spec- pop down the shops and have a look at what's available

 

Maybe suggest getting one to trial (and if it is not suitable for the pupils it could be used as a school mobile for trips)

 

regards

 

Simon

[synaesthesia]

Aye, that's an idea worth expanding into. On one hand you'd think primary school children might find them "too complicated" but reality is rarely further from the truth, half of these kids have phones already twice as complicated