Just read an article about Microsoft Surface which at 21,000 is way more expensive than an ipad but could answer the critics of not having people interact personally face to face with ellearning technology. Microsoft surface is a touchscreen coffee table - kind of interesting as we are having a planning day tomorrow using the World Cafe concept. It is a physical/tactile way to work with objects on the screen, which is embedded into the table. It is compared with the movie Minority Report's screen used to determine participants in a "pre-crime".

One thing that is clearly different (and potentially a problem) is that unlike a translucent interactive whiteboard that responds to iphone like gestures, students nad teachers have to lean over the table somewhat. I am sure the ergonomic professionals will undoubtably scrutinise before we deploy these into the school environment.

I would, however, like to see a few of these deployed with useful PD content into selected staffrooms as a trial. More technically savvy teachers could introduce the gestures and searching paradigms to their colleagues who are grappling with the overload of computer "stuff" that they are expected to absorb.

What would teachers look at? ItunesU downloads, scootle content, general research using the web, checking the news, discussing topical subjects with a small group of colleagues...

So if you don't click on the article above, imagine a giant iPhone on 4 legs that you can sit around and view things on with a bunch of firends.

This entry was posted on February 11, 2010 at 6:47 AM and has received 346 views. There are currently 0 comments. Print this entry.