PALATINE, Illinois—Located about 30 miles north of Chicago, the village of Palatine features historic homes built during the 1800s. Against this backdrop, third-graders attending Quest Academy are using handheld computers to help chart their own learning.

Quest, an independent day school for gifted children, participated in a grant to bring handheld computers into the classroom. Students began by talking with teacher Cathy Risberg about the history of technology in education "and how the PC and handhelds are alike and different," she explains. Students displayed a high level of understanding going into the project, Risberg notes. "Because many of our students had seen and used handhelds at home, they had a basic knowledge about this new technology."

Risberg shared her learning goals with the class of third-graders. She wanted them to learn:

• The definition of technology
• What a database is
• What rubrics are and how they're used in the math program
• The purpose of goal setting and self-assessment
• How to properly care for a handheld
• What a researcher does
• How teachers and students can be researchers

The ambitious goals didn't deter students. "They weren't confused at all by the rather abstract concept of a database," Risberg recalls, "and they were fascinated by the discussion of how writing down goals helps you achieve them." Most students also inherently understood the importance of respect and good listening skills to learn how to take care of the equipment. Risberg says, "I could see the wonder, amazement, and anticipation in their eyes."

Once trained in the fundamentals, students were ready to use the handhelds for self-assessment to track their understanding of math concepts. Risberg set up differentiated groups for instruction, based on students' readiness, learning styles, and interests.

The portability of the handhelds quickly emerged as a benefit for students and teacher alike. Students could sit where they were most comfortable, including the floor. "They could also walk around to take pictures or bring their handhelds to the teacher to discuss their work," Risberg notes. Meanwhile, she could sit with a student on the classroom couch or use her own handheld to take notes while she talked with students. "I remember how much the students enjoyed the chance to just chat about math. They liked the idea that I was taking notes. It reinforced the fact that I was listening to them by putting their comments into a cool technology tool."

Before this project began, she had access to just a few computers in her classroom, and until last year, neither Internet access nor email. Occasionally, she would take the class to the school computer lab to finish projects that they'd begun with pencil and paper.

Better access to technology has advanced Risberg's goal of being "the guide on the side." She likes to see her students "being hands-on problem solvers who construct their own knowledge and learn from discovery."

Risberg also knows that third-graders are nearing the end of early childhood. She takes care to celebrate small moments, even the silly ones. "In math, we often spend the first five minutes sitting in a semicircle reading jokes," she says. "Humor relaxes my students and promotes creative thinking and problem solving." The joke sessions are all part of her child-centered teaching philosophy, which comes back to the question: "What's best for this child?"