Jonathan Boyle falls for Microsoft's Surface
I recently had a fantastic hi-tech experience. While it lasted only 30 minutes one day and 15 the next, I was mentally uplifted by the Microsoft Surface at BETT 2009. In simple terms, it's a computer inside a coffee table with a touch-screen on top, but this description does not do it justice. My interaction with the Microsoft Surface prompted a shift in thinking as I contemplated a complete immersion into a new mode of working with a computer.
I've thought about it ever since and the reason is simple. I can already see the potential impact for learning with the children that I teach and, indeed, for myself. And the prospects for the ways in which I work at home and at school are exciting too. When was the last time you heard someone say that?
Let me cut to the chase. Touch the screen. The image could be a water surface and the ripples clearly radiate from where you touch. It's a magical experience - your fingers stay dry too. And you can manipulate photographs and videos within multi-layer frames using one or both hands. The whole experience is intuitive and requires no lead-in time to use the interface.
RM has been working hard to develop learning and teaching software and Finguistics is a delightful program that maximises the Microsoft Surface. Simply place on the table a special card that recognises the child using it and a word will appear with appropriate graphics. The quality of presentation is breathtaking while beautifully simple.
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You and your guests, friends or peers identify the letters required to spell the word from a randomly placed set of computer-generated tiles scattered over the surface. The tiles scatter as if delicately tossed from a hand above. As each letter is touched and dragged with the finger tip, the word is spelled out on a master card in another part of the display. The audio is clear too. I especially liked the multi-lingual qualities. The experience was breathtaking and my day was all the better for it.
The already significant range of applications is impressive, and the placement of Surfaces in hotels, shops and now education demonstrates its flexibility. In testing, the group I worked with noted how the Surface had no problem registering all our different inputs with no sign of strain. I worked collaboratively with a group of adults unknown to me, and none of us were inhibited by this. That's a strange phenomenon indeed when, in our daily lives, we are often challenged when working out problems with persons we do not know.
In terms of design, the 30-inch display and table surface is robust and durable. And it needs to be - the rigours of public and education use require robust engineering qualities. The range of applications both in education and industry is set to explode, and there is plenty of evidence out there to suggest that the industry is already ramping up. This technology is evolving, and quickly.
More information
Visit www.microsoft.com/surface. This well developed site is rich in visuals and has had made my wireless keyboard and mouse feel old fashioned.
Jonathan Boyle is deputy headteacher at Madeley Academy, Telford
You can contact him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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I lead up the team that pulled together the proof of concept Surface application for BETT and am really pleased you liked it. A group of developers from RM and the Microsoft Technology Centre spend 3 weeks putting Finguistics together before Christmas. The idea was to highlight how Surface is different from other technology and show how it has the potential to change learning and teaching. Overall the concept went down extremely well; I manned the Surface device in the Future Learning Spaces for the 3 days and got a lot of positive feedback. Needless to say children loved it and it was difficult to prise them away at times. Teachers and Educators interesting were the strongest advocates and particularly like the collaboration aspect of Surface, both the physical working together side but more interestingly the communication and verbal collaboration that went on when the children were using it. Personally I hope Surface begins to get some real traction in Education as I think the device is really engaging for children and can help to make learning more interesting and exciting. Further details can be found at www.rm.com/surface or I can be contacted through surface@rm.com