Recent years have seen increased interest in the use of handheld computers for K-12 education. At this time, however, schools that are adopting handheld computers are doing so without the benefit of systematic research on the effective uses of handheld computers in the classroom. The PalmTM Education Pioneer (PEP) program was created to remedy this situation. The goals of the PEP program were (1) to determine whether classroom teachers find handheld computers a useful educational tool, and (2) to aggregate the knowledge base of a large set of teachers using handheld computers in their classroom. This, the final report on the PEP program, is intended to provide information to those interested in the benefits and drawbacks of handheld computers in the classroom.
This report is based on data collected from the 102 Classroom Teacher Awards during the 2001-2002 academic year. All PEP awards were granted as part of a competitiveprogram. PEP awardees are talented, innovative teachers who collectively have integrated handheld technology into a wide range of instructional activities.

The primary aim of this report is to provide a research base that can be used by educators, researchers, and others interested in educational uses of handheld computers to make informed decisions about adoption and strategies for implementation. As 25 years of research on desktop computers has demonstrated, under the right conditions, technology can have a beneficial impact on teaching and learning. These conditions include appropriate resources, support, training, and time for teachers to experiment and plan. But in addition, to teach with technology creatively and effectively across the curriculum, teachers need a vision of the possibilities a technology offers. This report also aims to help educators understand the possibilities of handheld technology to transform teaching and learning. We offer a view into some of the PEP classrooms of 2001-2002, as well as a glimpse into the possible future of handheld technology in schools. Finally, this report draws on over 100 PEP teachers' full year of experience using handheld computers in the classroom to offer teachers specific strategies and pragmatic information that can guide adoption and classroom implementation of handheld technology.