PDAs

Perhaps you have already encountered this scenario: Your child comes home from school complaining that all the other kids have PDAs and insists that s/he should have one as well. Do you relent and buy one?

If you are a parent who is not especially familiar with computer technology, it may be hard to tell whether or not a PDA is really an educational necessity. Just what is a PDA, anyway? What are they used for, and how much do they cost?

Select a question below to learn more about PDAs. Use the navigation to the left to learn about other technologies.

1. What does "PDA" stand for?
2. What does a PDA look like?
3. What can a PDA do?
4. How could my child use a PDA for school?
5. How could my child misuse a PDA at school?
6. Aren't PDAs too complicated for children?
7. Are there different kinds of PDAs? Who makes them?
8. Will my child be required to have a PDA for school?
9. How much does a PDA cost?
10. What is the difference between a PDA and a handheld computer?
11. Where can I buy a PDA?

How could my child use a PDA for school?

As an electronic organizer, a PDA gives your child a fun way to keep track of (and work on) his or her school obligations. The task-list function that most PDAs offer could help your child keep track of homework assignments; the calendar function is a good way to keep track of important dates and times. The address "book" can store the contact information for teachers and fellow students (as well as for parents and the authorities). While the notepad function is good for entering short notes, it cannot yet compare for speed with real pencil and paper.

One of the more exciting possibilities of the PDA is its ability to store large, book-length documents (called, appropriately, "e-books") in its memory. Perhaps one day students will download their school textbooks to PDA instead of lugging them around in a backpack.

Many libraries across the country are currently in the process of creating wireless portals so that the general public can search the catalog from PDA and even download some digitized library materials.

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