Basics

• Students are given lots of assignments. They also have to plan for tests and study groups, and figure out when to start writing for assignments. Teachers, on the other hand, have to organize classes, and keep track of their own schedules. Thus, many schools and school distracts have looked to newer ways to assist in this organization, and the PDA, with its ability to organize dates, schedules and tasks, fits in perfectly with a school's needs.
  
  

Application in schools

• In 2002, Wired reported that Wake Forest University began implementing software that allowed users of a Compaq iPaq PDA to create PDA web servers that other students could access via any web browser. From 2002 onward, PDA usage in school has seen much more implementation. Recently, the St Mary's, Ohio, school district began implementing a PDA program and giving out PDAs to third-graders to help them organize their classroom activities.
  
  

Advantages

• Using a PDA in an educational setting offers several advantages. For one, the use of PDAs reduces the amount of paperwork required in a class. For instance, a class syllabus can be put on the PDA, so that it's less likely to be lost. If students used handheld computers, a teacher could make the paperwork available on a website or file server where the students could access them. This way, if they lose the paper, they can easily retrieve it.
  
  

Disadvantages

• There are a few problems with the implementation of PDAs in an educational setting. Many critics argue that the presence of electronics in the classroom creates distractability, especially with PDAs that allow the installation of third-party software. Furthermore, problems could ensue with technical difficulties and problems with the software that may inhibit the use in classrooms. Lastly, there are also costs with actually implementing such a program, including the price of the PDAs.
  
  

Conclusions

• PDA usage in school has seen an increase in the last few years. Although the usage is still small in some schools around the country, it's gaining ground in various places. PDAs offer several advantages to regular paperwork when it comes to a school setting, but the caveat is that instead of a physical hard copy on paper, any information stored on a PDA is subject to the whims of the electronic device.