In the past, a student’s audience has been the teacher. Students manufactured reports, projects, journals, etc., to please the teacher. My students learn about and use new methods of communication, like web sites, blogs, and podcasts. These are communication tools from the real world, which makes it motivating. Also, because web sites, blogs, and podcasts are available worldwide on the Internet, students have a real audience. With modern communication tools, the audience is global. Producing content for a certain audience is important. For instance, I find that the discussions of our products for the Web revolve around thinking about our audience.  “Will students in another school know who Mrs. Kelley is?” “Will second graders who listen to this know the meaning of the word conductor?”

It’s incredibly enjoyable for my students and me when we have a final product of which we can be proud. It’s also satisfying when we receive comments from our readers and listeners. This reminds us that our audience is for real!

Read Tony’s blog at:
http://www.learninginhand.com/blog/

Find blogs created by Tony’s graduate students at:
http://www.learninginhand.com/class/blogs.html

Review Tony’s student’s Roving Reporter projects at:
http://www.learninginhand.com/class/logspring05/

Read blogs by Willowdale staff and students:
http://www.mpsomaha.org/willow/blog

Listen to Willowdale podcasts at:
http://www.mpsomaha.org/willow/radio

Handhelds are best used in a one-to-one situation where each student has access to his or her own handheld.  When a teacher knows that every student has a computer, technology use can be more spontaneously - the teacher can take advantage of teachable moments.  Also, the teacher doesn’t need to plan weeks in advance so she can book the computer lab.

Students really enjoy having a personalized computer. The handhelds are filled with their writing, their high game scores, and their drawings, etc. Indeed, students see the value of handheld computing and realize that these devices help them learn.

Check out handheld lesson plans created by students in Tony’s graduate class:
http://www.learninginhand.com/lessonplans.html

Tony provides the following list of resources that will aid you in finding handheld lessons for your classroom: http://www.learninginhand.com/links/lessonplans.html

Take a look at this list of videos provided by Tony.  They show how teachers and students at various schools are using handhelds in the classroom.
http://www.learninginhand.com/links/videos.html

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