mCLASS software will be available on select Windows tablet netbooks, tablet notebooks, handheld USB tablets and a new private label device for the Palm® platform.
Now Wireless Generation's mCLASS assessment software will be available for use on devices other than the Palm handheld: tablet-style Windows netbooks and notebooks, as well as handheld USB tablets that can connect to any computer and deliver a touch-tablet experience. We will also be releasing an affordable private label handheld device that continues to deliver mCLASS on the Palm platform.
Since launching mCLASS, we have continuously evaluated new devices and platforms in the search for an alternate or superior tool to Palm devices, though none have matched or surpassed them until recently. It is actually the arrival of these new devices that has influenced consumer market demand such that Palm is no longer manufacturing non-phone devices on the Palm OS.
To understand why we have been deliberate and cautious in our decision to provide more options for the user experience, it's helpful to first understand why our approach in pioneering handheld-to-Web assessment led us to become the foremost provider of mobile assessment solutions.
How do you improve what already works well? Very carefully.
We sought to improve upon the best aspects of 1:1 assessment
To help educators better use the information they were already obtaining with pen and paper, we made the data capture simpler and more accurate and made results immediately actionable to teachers and school leaders. We also retained two critical components of 1:1 assessment: the interaction between teacher and student and the value that could be created from that very human exchange.
We share the belief with many educators that for early grades (PK-3), addressing concerns about the quality of teacher-student interaction during assessment isn't best served by substituting the teacher with a computer, but by giving teachers an intuitive tool that guides them through the process and helps them become better.
For years, mCLASS users have benefitted from a simple, high-quality user experience on the Palm. This has translated to smooth adoption and strong fidelity of implementation, which are critical considerations when implementing technology in a school. Technology that is hard to learn, hard to use and doesn't work well will fail to deliver its potential.
A mobile device for K-3 assessment and instruction needs to be:
Small and light because it’s likely to be used in the teacher’s hand (preferably, one hand) when interacting with students.At this age, students can be anywhere - on a rug, at a table, in the hallway. The device needs to go wherever students and teachers are.
Able to accept handwritten input because real-time events, like particular reading behaviors and quick notes about children, do not lend themselves to QWERTY keyboard and mouse or fingertip input.Neither keyboard and mouse input nor single-finger tapping can effectively capture, for example, a student substituting the word “cat” for the word “car” when reading a book aloud.Keying the substitution in later just isn’t an option if you want a reliable record that can inform instruction.
Easy to sync because after all, the main purpose of collecting the data today is to inform instruction tomorrow.
Relatively inexpensive and easy to replace because the K-3 classroom can be an unforgiving environment for even the most durable tools.
Able to function with or without Internet connectivity while assessing. Requiring wireless connectivity at all times to complete assessment tasks just isn’t an option in most schools, though the capability should be available to meet ongoing expansion of wireless connectivity in schools.
Reliably responsive and easy to read (nothing’s worse than trying to tap an icon for the third time because the device is “not listening”).This is about the students, and it’s unfair to compromise their results or the experience with a less-than-professional-grade device that stands in the way.
Simple to deploy at scale in districts of any size, following a guiding principle of the company – the benefits of the technology must quickly and far outweigh the required investment in training.
Following the arrival and departure of many tech fads, some truly viable options have arrived.
New touch-interface, multi-function devices at increasingly attractive price points have emerged at a time when stimulus funds favor technological investment, making them truly feasible choices for educators. Equally important, there are many devices that meet the criteria previously explained to deliver a high-quality user experience and form factor conducive to 1:1 assessment.
Windows-based tablet devices- The following mCLASS® and Burst® products will be available for use on Windows-based tablet devices for January, 2010: mCLASS®:DIBELS® mCLASS®:IDEL®mCLASS®:CIRCLE™ mCLASS®: Reading 3D™ and mCLASS®:Math.
Burst®Reading Assessment, mCLASS®:RTI, mCLASS®:TPRI® and mCLASS®:Tejas Lee® will be available for this device by Fall 2010.
A new Palm platform device(PDA32-WG) We will continue to support the Palm platform with a new private-label device that is contract-produced for Wireless Generation on fully-licensed Palm OS and uses today’s hardware and technology. It will be similar in size, shape and weight to the Palm handhelds already in use by mCLASS customers, and will feature a warranty. All mCLASS products currently supported for use on Palm devices will be supported on this device. This move will reduce instability in a hardware marketplace that favors rapidly changing consumer trends over the longevity of proven products, and will provide a viable option for districts that are not yet ready to deploy volumes of Windows-based devices, or for those that favor the purpose-built form factor of the Palm over a larger multi-function device. The device is currently undergoing field trials and are anticipated to be available in the near future.
We will continue to support Linux-based Nokia devices currently deployed with mCLASS software. Currently, mCLASS:DIBELS/IDEL, mCLASS:Reading 3D, mCLASS:Math and Burst:Reading Assessment (as of 11/20/09) are supported on this device.
Handheld USB tablets These devices are not computers. They’re touch-enabled remote monitors that can display content from a computer screen, when connected to a computer via a USB cable, and come in a variety of sizes. They deliver a user experience very similar to a handheld (with the exception of needing to be tethered to a computer), they’re relatively inexpensive, and they can be used for a multitude of applications residing on a computer. These devices are currently undergoing field trials and are anticipated to be available in the near future.
To ensure a high quality user experience we are only recommending deployment of mCLASS software on Windows-based devices that meet our standards for a reliably responsive touch interface:
Asus® Eee T91
Intel®Classmate Convertible PC (also sold as the 2Go™, Equus NOBi, and M&A Companion Touch)
Additionally, most tablet notebook/laptop PCs will perform well
iMo Touch (Mini touch USB monitor)
While any of these devices will deliver a positive mCLASS experience, each has advantages relative to the needs of the district; it depends on priorities.
Generally speaking, cost and functionality go hand in hand - greater functionality comes with greater cost and larger size/weight. The most ideal form factor for 1:1 assessment favors smaller, lighter, less expensive but single-purpose devices. While there is a range, we'll repeat that all of the recommended devices represent what we'd consider to deliver a high quality 1:1 assessment experience; there are relative pros and cons within that range, spelled out in the device comparison chart.
We have evaluated and conducted usability testing on the growing universe of touch-enabled, Windows-based computing devices to ensure that those we recommend are capable of delivering the same quality of experience as on the Palm. It’s important to make a determination as to how well these devices meet the additional needs established for other classroom uses (e.g. full-powered tablet notebooks will offer a larger screen and keyboard, and the capacity to utilize a broader range of applications than a netbook would allow; conversely, full-function tablet notebooks are heavier and bulkier for conducting 1:1 assessment, and more expensive than tablet netbooks).
Key considerations to our recommendations included sensitivity and quality of the touch screen, device size, weight and overall balance, apparent build quality and sturdiness, as well as the typical factors that influence PC performance, including memory, CPU and disk size and speed.
We’re continuously evaluating new devices as they enter the marketplace and expect this list to grow in pace with the proliferation of touch-enabled tablet devices. As touch screen technology evolves, we anticipate that eventually all devices will meet reasonable minimum standards at increasingly attractive price points, but we’ve found that currently, not all are created equal.
Why would I want a Palm-like device? Isn’t that old technology?
The Palm OS is a simple, reliable, easy to implement software platform that had undergone years of refinement before Palm switched its device strategy toward phone-based devices. While some districts are embracing computing devices with operating systems from Microsoft, Apple and in some cases, Linux, broader deployment of these platforms typically requires a more demanding investment in time and resource to deploy, update and maintain devices on these platforms.
For districts whose hardware strategy does not include netbooks or notebooks at this time or at a scale that would impact early grade teachers, the simplicity and stability of the Palm platform actually makes it an ideal solution, as well as a smart solution for districts that already have broad deployment of Palm devices and wish to expand device use or replace devices without introducing a new platform.
The new device on which we’re deploying the Palm OS is rugged, lightweight and compact, which also makes it the most ideal form factor for teachers conducting 1:1 assessment. It will be produced by a reputable manufacturer of third-party technology hardware that specializes in rugged industrial applications, making them perfect for early elementary classrooms (no need to worry – the new devices will be just as ergonomic as the Palms). Wireless Generation will offer fully-licensed Palm OS devices as long as there is meaningful customer demand.
Why would I choose a single-purpose handheld over a multi-purpose laptop or netbook?
Not everyone wants a one-size-fits-all device. While Palm devices are fairly single-purpose, they excel at that purpose. They are lighter, more compact, simpler to operate and deploy, and more rugged than a netbook or notebook.
A district must consider all of the use cases for a device; there will always be trade-offs. A netbook tablet is less expensive, lighter and offers longer battery life than a traditional notebook tablet which conversely is more robust, can support more applications, and provides a larger, more comfortable keyboard. The private label Palm platform device fits in a pocket easily, offers much greater survivability from a drop or getting jostled around, and in the context of 1:1 assessment, still represents the most unobtrusive, easy-to-hold option.
Our approach has been to offer choice to our customers, and stability within those choices.
We are considering deployment of both tablet computing devices and handhelds in our district while we migrate all of our teachers to a mobile computing platform. Can both devices be supported in a single district?
We are fully capable of supporting both platforms in any district, and are happy to partner with our districts to help ensure a seamless transition as it relates to deployment of multiple mCLASS delivery platforms in one environment.
Why aren’t you making your software available for Apple’s iPod Touch platform?
There are some meaningful challenges from a usability standpoint, to start. As the touch screen on iPod devices do not accept stylus input, it is incredibly difficult to capture miscues on a small screen while writing with one’s fingertip.
Another obstacle to this platform is that software must be deployed through the iTunes Store – Apple will not allow direct upload of software to iPod devices. This creates implementation challenges, not the least of which is that Apple will not commit to immediately releasing critical bug fixes or routine software updates; turnaround can be at least seven days to publish updates. We have also heard these concerns from partners in districts already piloting or evaluating the platform for other applications.
Apple’s business model is heavily centered on the consumer marketplace and while this may change, they are not currently focused on serving the business community as robustly as other hardware and service providers.
Apple has also consistently and frequently evolved and updated their products and OS, often with little warning to software developers. This creates a volatile market environment in which devices quickly become outdated and it is a challenge for any third-party software developer to provide the best experience for their customers. The moves we have made have been designed expressly to mitigate hardware market volatility for our customers.
Additionally, of all potential devices we have evaluated, they are both small (easily concealable) and regarded as desirable entertainment devices, making them attractive theft targets.
Generally speaking, the iPod family represents an impressive range of devices that are clearly helping to drive the technology marketplace in a positive direction. We will follow any changes in Apple’s implementation model that would make the platform a more viable option for district IT staff typically stretched well beyond their limits.
I’m considering or have already purchased netbooks or laptops that don’t convert into a tablet for my teachers. How can I use mCLASS?
We do not recommend using mCLASS products on devices other than those listed in the recommendations section. Here’s why: Starting with the assumption that you’re a district recognizing the value of 1:1 assessment, we ask that you consider the key points that make this modality valuable – the ability for the teacher to sit close to the student, for the device to be unobtrusive to the experience, and for the teacher to engage meaningfully with the student during the assessment. Placing a clamshell laptop with a touchscreen or, worse yet, a laptop and mouse, between the teacher and student is antithetical to these priorities.
Usability testing we’ve conducted has shown that this modality (non-tablet), even among power users, significantly reduces the ability of the teacher to engage with the student as the hand-eye actions required are more complex. Additionally, students were distracted by the devices much more often than when a tablet or handheld device was used to conduct the assessment; the barrier of the device between teacher and student (in the case of a non-tablet touch screen) and the addition of keyboard and mouse clicks (in the case of non-touch devices) proved to be significant distracters for the students.
We know from research that developing mCLASS for non-touch and non-tablet devices would deliver a poor experience for students, and we anticipate that the poor quality of experience for teachers would present adoption and fidelity risks. We couldn’t in good conscience develop and implement our software for a modality with such fundamental challenges.
There are options:
Specifically for your teachers conducting 1:1 assessment, purchase a recommended tablet device and purchase as you’d otherwise planned for your other staff; if those teachers already have non-tablet devices, redeploy those to other staff.
Purchase new private label Palm platform devices ONLY for teachers conducting 1:1 assessment in addition to their non-tablet devices.
Purchase touch-screen iMO Mini Monitors for teachers who need to conduct 1:1 assessment.Connected via a USB cable to any laptop or netbook, the device, which is slightly larger than a Palm handheld, can deliver a stylus-and-touch, handheld experience during 1:1 assessment while tethered to a mobile computer.
Why aren’t you making your software available for smartphones?
Most districts are not yet ready to supply their teachers with mobile phones requiring the expense of monthly service plans. While there are some attractive phone-hybrid devices on the market, it’s important to realize that the advertised prices are contingent upon committing to a one- or two-year service agreement with the wireless providers that heavily subsidize those devices. Without the contract commitment, the unit price on those devices often exceeds that of well-equipped tablet netbooks.
The mobile phone marketplace is also primarily focused on the consumer marketplace and highly volatile. Devices available today are seldom on the market two years from now, which makes a district’s ability to maintain a predictable inventory of devices nearly impossible. Again, the moves we’re making are designed to minimize this kind of hardware market volatility for our customers.
Procurement – where can I find these devices?
Districts can source the Asus, Go2PC and Equus tablet netbooks, other tablet laptops, as well as the iMo handheld monitor from their standard procurement channels, which was how most districts purchased Palm devices in conjunction with mCLASS products. Districts can source the new private label Palm platform handheld directly from Wireless Generation as a sole source provider.
