Children are energetic and full of motion. You might even say that they are, "ultra-mobile". In creating a PC that would be optimized for young learners, the hardware is only a portion of the battle. The Ultra-Mobile PC class is a good start at a light-weight, lower cost, fully functional computer that students can use no matter where they are. But software and teachers help to facilitate the learning process. How can help content, assignments, assesment, learning tools, and so many other aspects be pulled together so students and teachers can access what they need, when they need it?
Earlier this year, Microsoft demonstrated a future product (release Fall 2007), code-named Grava, and previewed the developer tools for Grava. Grava is intended to help teachers create and assemble materials. Features are:

• Grava Authoring - Create interactive projects
• Grava Player - View interactive content, which was created using Authoring tool
• Developer Tools - Software vendors will be able to extend the experience by using the "Grava" SDK. It is built on Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF).
• Services - Including assessment and log results

Here are some example screenshots of what "Grava" may look like:

Example of Grava player content

Example of what a Grava Element could be like
Using WPF could allow for an improved online / offline experience and better coordination between text book publishers and the needs of electronic file formats that schools today demand. I'm most interested, of course, in how software vendors can bring in their expertise in Tablet & Touch technologies to extend the experience even further. What possibilities do you see?
Below are the Microsoft press release, news, and blog posts about Microsoft "Grava".
Microsoft Education Introduces a New Set of Tools for the Education Community at BETT
Collaboration with publishers, software developers, educators, and learners drives development of new technology.
LONDON — Jan. 10, 2007 — As technology continues to evolve and change the way people learn and acquire information, the Education Products Group at Microsoft Corp. is committed to developing products that support discovery and lifelong learning. By using technology to impact education, the goal is to help people realize their potential. This commitment to technology is manifested in a new set of tools from Microsoft that will allow the education community to create and assemble materials that help increase discovery and will engage learners at their own pace and in their own learning style. This set of tools, which is currently code-named “Grava,” will be unveiled at this week’s British Education and Training Technology Conference (BETT) in London.
“Grava” is being developed to provide publishers, software developers, educators and learners with the tools they need to be more efficient and effective in building and using educational material. “Grava” will allow for rich content creation and will transform static educational content into engaging multimedia learning experiences that can be customized to the unique styles of every learner in the classroom. “Grava” is designed to help publishers build enhanced materials for less money and fewer resources, shortening the content creation life cycle, thereby increasing efficiency and reducing costs. In addition, educators have the power to modify their existing materials, providing them with maximum control over the instructional content creation process, which can result in time savings and the ability to provide personalized learning. Continue Reading >>
eSchoolNews
Microsoft previews new development tools
'Grava' aims to simplify the creation of educational software
Microsoft is developing a new suite of tools that will allow developers and publishers of educational software, as well as educators themselves, to create their own instructional programs easily and intuitively, the company says. Users would control these programs on their computer screens, using a media player that Microsoft expects will ship with all Windows-based computers in the near future. The entire software environment is code-named "Grava."
The Grava development tools, which Microsoft previewed at the British Education and Training Technology Conference in mid-January, are meant to stand alone as separate applications. A Grava SDK (Software Developer Kit) tool is designed for publishers and developers of educational software, while a different authoring tool will give those with less programming experience--such as many educators--the ability to create their own media-rich content to be viewed with the Grava player, Microsoft says. Continue reading >>
ebyblog writes, "There’s not much information on the site and I’m a little worried that there’s no mention of any of the standards such as IMS, common cartridge, etc."
Andy at Public Policy News & Research blog, links to the eSchoolNews article.
Technology-savvy teachers welcome the opportunity to develop their own educational programs, but time and cost are prohibitive. Microsoft hopes to rectify the matter with a software environment called "Grava." Missouri State Teachers Association >>
"Grava" is the code name for a new set of tools from Microsoft’s Education Product Group that is designed to allow the education community to create and assemble materials that will increase discovery and allow learners to go at their own pace and learning style. "Grava" tools are scheduled for release in fall 2007. Teaching & Developing Online
OhMyNews
Open Source Challenges Vista at U.K. Education Show
Adobe is also promoting Apollo, an interface based on Flash that is intended to be rich in graphics. At BETT , Microsoft launched Grava as authoring for educational material. This seems to be based on the Expression approach that may compete with Adobe software such as Dreamweaver. there could be competition between Apollo and whatever WPF/E is eventually called, something like "Windows everywhere". The new graphics environment assumes more expensive equipment than is currently available and there has yet to be a compelling educational case made for the budget required. Continue Reading >>
Share this post: email it! | bookmark it! | digg it! | reddit! | kick it! | live it!


What Is New in Tablet PCs and UMPCs.