The machine is able to run all standard Windows
applications, enabling children to use curriculum software and Office
applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Publisher while taking
advantage of the features of the Tablet. Ben was particularly impressed
with the number of ways that text can be entered, into any application:
External keyboard
Once connected, a keyboard can be used to
enter text as with any other PC. Obviously, this requires a certain
level of keyboard skill, in order to enter text efficiently.
On screen keyboard
Olivia preferred using the onscreen keyboard
to enter text. By tapping on the letters at the bottom of the screen
(arranged as on a normal QWERTY keyboard), they appear in the document
you are creating.
Handwriting
After installing an update, it is possible
to write directly into an Office document (e.g. a Word page). However,
we did not use this extensively. Children tended to use Journal for
their handwritten work. Lewis in Year 4 thinks that writing on the
screen is better than typing, because he finds it difficult to find
each letter on the keyboard.
Writing Pad
The writing input pad was very popular. This is activated by clicking
a tab below the on-screen keyboard. After a short pause, the software
converts anything written into text, which is then inserted at the
cursor point on the page. Handy 'Space', 'Enter', 'Backspace' and
'Delete' keys are next to the writing pad, making it easy to move
around the document and to correct mistakes.
Both Ben and Olivia found handwriting recognition
to be quite accurate. They soon recognised which of their letters
the Tablet became confused about, and were able to adapt their writing
to improve the accuracy.
Younger children didn't cope as well with this
feature, as their handwriting was much slower. Before finishing a
word, the Tablet may have already converted it, resulting in a number
of broken up words. For younger pupils, the Tablet also confused lower
and upper case. This feature obviously requires a certain level of
writing skill and consistency in order to use it properly.
Speech Recognition
Both Ben and Olivia had great fun using the speech recognition element
of the Tablet. When I first showed them how to dictate text into a
Word document, and how to command the software using my voice, they
were extremely impressed. However, this method of inputting text is
far from perfect. Although they both had opportunities to undertake
the time-consuming training needed by the Tablet to recognise and
understand their voices, mistakes were made too frequently for this
feature to be used seriously. However, they thoroughly enjoyed laughing
at the mistakes the Tablet made! They were also amused that if they
turned around to talk to someone while dictating to the machine, it
would try to record their conversation in the middle of their document!
Ben also wondered if you had to speak in an American accent to improve
the recognition. So he tried it, and it did!
Both children were impressed with the number
of ways of entering text into the machine, and formed their own preferences.
Because of this, their typing ability was no longer a major factor
in how quickly and easily they could create their document.
Olivia also found that using Excel with the Tablet
gave her greater control because she could click directly on the cells,
making the whole process much faster. Ben also made a PowerPoint presentation
to explain the good and bad things about the Tablet, using the Writing
Pad to convert his handwriting to text for the presentation.
