The lesson centers around the collection of the data and not the analysis of that data. By using the handheld computer, the students can do so much more. They can explain directly on the device what they see, display and manipulate the data in different ways, while still recording their thoughts and predictions. They can instantly perform another activity to prove their assumptions. This opens the door to true problem solving.
Many teachers are afraid of allowing a handheld computer into a classroom test.
I remember when the American Chemical Society made students memorize the periodic table on their year-end standardized tests. That no longer happens. No, a handheld won't be allowed into an AP test as of right now. But if you teach kids how to think about challenging questions, not just memorize answers, it doesn't matter how much information you have stored on a handheld. ML Let's look inside a kid's backpack.