Electronic TPRI Assessment
Update: Read this follow-up blog entry.
There have been some discussions on some Texas education technology email lists. I thought I’d share the concerns expressed with you. It centers around one question: What would happen if the Palms used for Wireless Generation based assessments could no longer be purchased or replaced?
Here is one report from a Texas school district:
We have great concerns of Palms decision to discontinue its OS and Palms as we know them. Our Wireless Generation TPRI systems run on E2s. We need to replace about 8 of them but the E2’s are getting hard to find and even if we do, TPRI program may change to run on a different OS. We are looking have purchased the ASUS EEE-PC for our principals and kids at library for checkout and they have become an underground hit. At 300 each for a laptop with 160 gig drives, seems crazy to buy a E2 if we may have to change anyway. Looking for alternate software the runs on windows laptop for TPRI. Wireless Generation has been no help in answering my questions. Do you know of a different TPRI solution or do you know what Wireless generation will do for new OS roll-out.
And another:
Just curious if anyone else is having a hard time finding Palm handhelds (specifically the Tungsten E2). We use them quite a bit for TPRI and PDAS (using Eduphoria), but it seems like none of our vendors can get them for us. And after reading/hearing the following (http://www.palminfocenter.com/news/9654/colligan-no-new-palm-handhelds/) I don’t have a very good feeling about finding them anytime soon. I emailed a friend who works for Wireless Generation, the company that makes our TPRI software, and she said, “Wireless Generation is currently developing and investigating the development of mCLASS for use with other devices” but didn’t give me any details.
In response to the first request for help, another district responded:
We currently use Wireless Generation (W.G.) & PALMS but are investigating using istation’s online program as an alternative to TPRI & W. G. (see attachment for the news release on TEA approving istation for TPRI). If your district has experience using this program, I’d love to hear your opinion.
Right now, several school districts appear to be dependent on Wireless Generation for numerous assessments that impact quite a few students and teachers. Wireless Generation’s products are dependent on the Palm handheld device, which according to rumor and discussion is on its way out.
When asked, Wireless Generation has said they are working on another solution but no specifics. One large North-side district in San Antonio, Tx shared they had raised the issue with WGen.net representatives without satisfactory response.
Some questions that come to mind:
- What happens to a Texas school district’s reading and early childhood assessment programs when the Palm handheld goes away and can no longer be purchased?
- What has Wireless Generation done to transition their product to a new handheld platform (e.g. iPod Touch)?
- Are there alternatives to data collection done on Palms now for TPRI? How about other initiatives?
- What plans have school districts made to consider and implement these options…
- Keep Wireless Generation as their product of choice but on a different platform other than Palm?;
- Find funding for a different platform (e.g. desktop computer, laptop, netbook, iPod Touch handheld) since new platforms are expensive?; or
- Drop Wireless Generation for an alternate way, less expensive approach?
If Palms go away, what is YOUR school district’s plan?
Be sure to read Netbooks Go Viral.
Update: Read this follow-up blog entry.
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