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February 15, 2002
Let's Hear It for the Innovators
By Susan McLester, Editor in Chief
While exploring the uses and potential of handheld computers in schools, this month's cover article, "A Report Card on Handheld Computing," turns up some definite strengths, limitations, successes, and practical problems that need solving before this technology can come near to achieving the ubiquity of its weightier desktop and laptop counterparts. Nevertheless, the vision and energy of pioneering companies such as Mindsurf, with its nationwide piloting programs and bold, experimental drive to help shape the future of teaching and learning, are key to the central role that education should be playing in the digital world if it is to have a strong voice in its own future.
Going out on a limb-especially in today's climate of caution and new conservatism-is something to be applauded. For innovators, of course, risk comes with the territory. Not to mention a reliance on experience, timing, and, well, luck. We've seen plenty of smaller companies with great products lose out to major players who have the marketing machines to get better exposure. And then there's that other risk of being too far ahead of your time. For instance, whatever happened to the Kenbak-1, which according to the Computer Museum was introduced way back in 1971 as the first personal computer? Another case that leaps to mind is Broderbund's groundbreaking Logical Journey of the Zoombinis software program.
While that imaginative, open-ended math strategy game was garnering a top award from T&L back in 1996, it was simultaneously being "trashed" by Newsweek editors in their special technology issue. Faring better than some other innovations was a quirky, late-'60s invention called Logo. That programming language paved the way for kids to actually begin commanding the moves of robotic turtles by the mid-'80s. Oh, and coincidentally, both robots and Logo appear again in this month's software roundup by Charles Parham ("Robots, The Next Generation"), a healthy reminder that some good ideas can indeed be borne out in success over the course of many years.
It would be a sin of omission, of course, not to mention Apple in the context of innovation. This month's feature on handhelds reminds readers of the early appearance of the Newton, a precursor of today's palm technology, and in Trend Watch we report on the imaginative new flat-screen iMac just unveiled by Steve Jobs.
On another front, T&L's Awards of Excellence program celebrates its 20th anniversary of recognizing top educational software and Web products this year. If there is a new product you love and would like to be sure we don't overlook, please contact your vendor or rep and direct them to download an entry form. We want to continue our tradition of honoring the innovators who step up to the plate to model creativity and courage for us all.
Read other articles from the February Issue
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