Pilot Scheme Leverages Microsoft’s next-generation Tablet PCs; Full Deployment Planned for New City Campus when Opens

Singapore Management University (SMU) today launched its pilot scheme of incorporating Microsoft’s Tablet PCs to offer enhanced learning and teaching experiences for both students and faculty members.

Code-named ‘Virtual Canvas’, the pilot scheme is currently rolled out to second-year accountancy students. Virtual Canvas exploits the features of Tablet PC to emulate the function of writing on canvas instead of the traditional whiteboard using Microsoft’s ‘pen-computing’ functionality. To support this enhanced environment, the Tablet PC and wireless projector will replace the traditional PC and the LCD projector in a typical classroom.

“Technology is definitely one of our value drivers and it plays a key role in supporting SMU’s pedagogy,” said Dr Themin Suwardy, Associate Dean, School of Accountancy. “With the enhanced ‘Virtual Canvas’ environment, students will no longer need to move to the front of their class to present their arguments. Professors no longer need to constantly switch between the whiteboard, projector, and visualiser.”

The ‘Virtual Canvas’ environment enables the Professor to use the Tablet PC over a wireless projector when presenting his lecture notes. In addition, students who need to present their arguments can now do so by electronically requesting control over the projector which will subsequently project their presentations via their notebook. At the end of the lesson, notes together with any annotations made by the Professor, are conveniently uploaded onto the intranet for the students’ future reference, retrieval and retention.

“We have seen how the flexibility and functionality of Tablet PC applications have increased student-lecture interaction and enriched the learning experience at SMU,” said Ben Tan, Group Manager, Information Worker Business Group, Microsoft Singapore. “We applaud SMU for being one of the first Institutes of Higher Learning to use the Microsoft Office System and Tablet PCs on a broad scale and for being an early adopter in incorporating cutting-edge technologies into its pedagogy.”

The pilot scheme will serve as a prototype for a large-scale deployment in its upcoming city campus in the Bras Basah district, ready in 2005.