MarkBook  section 1-4
MarkBook CNX for Palm and Pocket PC PDAs

MarkBook has an optional PalmOS handheld and/or Pocket PC component called "MarkBook CNX" ("MarkBook connects"). To use this option, you will need to purchase a copy of CNX and install the supplied files on your handheld computer plus "conduit" software on your PC. Your PC must run Windows® '95 or better, have MarkBook 2003 installed, and have the PalmOS or the Pocket PC desktop software already installed. Then, you'll be able to move all classes electronically through the CNX conduit onto the handheld, display data for each student, record attendance, record numerous assessments, update assessments, and return all data collected on the handheld to MarkBook on your Windows PC. Even the 2Mb handhelds will store hundreds of assessments plus many months of attendance data for all of your classes before it's necessary to move these items back to the PC.

MarkBook CNX comes with a digital manual on the installation CD.

Handheld users should also see section 2-3 and section 7-10.


Handheld Computers
There are a number of brands of handheld computers on the market. Collectively, these are known as Personal Digital Assistants or PDAs. Some PDAs use the Palm Operating System or PalmOS and these are called Palm computers. Others use the Windows CE OS and these are known as Pocket PC computers. Many independent manufacturers, including Palm Inc., Sony, Handspring Visor, and others make their own brand of PDAs that run with a PalmOS. Other independents including Toshiba, Compaq, HP and Dell make Pocket PCs. Regardless of manufacturer, all PalmOS handheld models come equipped with useful software applications pre-installed including a date book, an address book, a memo pad, date & clock, a calculator, and others. There are optional hardware components such as an attachable camera, keyboards, cell phones, carrying cases, etc. In addition, there are thousands of separate software applications that one may purchase for their Palm OS computer. Some function exclusively on the handheld while others interoperate with a desktop or notebook computer. MarkBook CNX is one of the latter.

MarkBook CNX after installation Handheld computers are designed to communicate with a PC. That is, they will exchange data and files with appropriate software applications running on a PC. The process of exchanging data is known as a HotSync® or an Active Sync. While PDAs will work without a PC, all come with an installation CD to put software tools (including the synchronization software) onto the user's desktop or a notebook computer. To HotSync a PDA computer with a PC, the two computers must be connected through a wire connected at the PC's serial port, or through a serial/USB adaptor, or wirelessly through their infrared ports. During the Sync process, the PDA and the PC will update each other's address book, date book, etc. in sequence. The Sync process is also used to install new software applications, such as MarkBook CNX, onto the purchaser's handheld.

The Pros and Cons of PDAs
Handhelds run on batteries (some models are re-chargeable) and all are small enough to fit in your pocket. Consequently, their most obvious advantage over other computers is mobility. Secondly, with 2 to 8 Mb of RAM, handhelds can store and display significant amounts of data. Thirdly, PDA computer users avoid typing by receiving files and data via the Sync process. Easy data entry is a fourth advantage. The monitor viewer on PDAs is a touch screen. On-the-spot data entry is done by touching the screen with the stylus included in your PDA purchase. Fifthly, each PDA has an instant-on screen. No waiting! When you touch the power button it's on and ready to perform!

The downside of handhelds is computational speed. For number crunching and sorting they're nowhere as fast as desktop or notebook computers. Nor do they communicate conveniently with printers unless special software is added. MarkBook CNX software goes with the strengths - it receives classes electronically (no typing), it enables a teacher to instantly access and display selected information, and it enables rapid, on-the-spot data entry. When you decide to put in multiple assessments or record attendance, the handheld is ready instantly. To do the number crunching, analysis, displays, communication, and printing, MarkBook CNX sends all collected data back to MarkBook running on a desktop or notebook computer.

There are assessment advantages in using a handheld. A teacher is more likely to assess cognitive skills and psychomotor skills when using a handheld. Without the handheld computer, paper-based assessment tends to focus on cognitive knowledge expectations. See Appendix A-1 and Appendix A-4 for details on these categories of objectives. Assessment methodology can be vastly superior with a handheld. Suppose a teacher is assessing microscope skills in the lab and has each student demonstrate their skill. The teacher has the opportunity to provide instant feedback and ask for a second showing: "Your use of coarse and fine oculars was out of order. Show me again with the proper sequence." In this process, the student gets a further chance to learn and to prove their achievement. In educational jargon, the teacher has done formative assessment, provided remediation, and ended by recording a summative assessment on the handheld, all within seconds. Typically, the student is delighted because they got a further opportunity to learn and to provide proof of their learning for summative purposes. Finally, the student knows what mark they earned and why. This same series of events would be unlikely with a typical paper-based assessment system. And the teacher has measured the actual skill as opposed to grading a written description of the skill.

There are administrative advantages as well. For school evacuations, whether it be drills or real emergencies, teachers are expected to take attendance for their current class once evacuation is complete. If the paper attendance sheet is already in the office, or otherwise inaccessible, each class list is on the handheld in the teacher's pocket ready for attendance recording once outside the building.

MarkBook CNX will run on any PalmOS handheld device with Hotsync® version 3.1 or higher. CNX also runs on a any Pocket PC with Windows CE 3.0 or higher, Windows Mobile 2003 and 2003 2nd edition. This includes Pocket PC 2003. The CNX CD comes with a complete installation and operating manual as an Adobe Acrobat file (.pdf file).


Ordering MarkBook CNX
Contact a distributor listed in section 13-1.


Trademarks
HotSync® and Palm® are trademarks of Palm Inc. Windows® is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. MarkBook® is a trademark of Asylum Software Inc.

Manual: Go to section 2-1 to see how to open a class.


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