Virginia Tech, Fujitsu, and Microsoft recently announced an exciting new alliance to support Virginia Tech’s new Tablet PC computing initiative for incoming freshmen. The College of Engineering at Virginia Tech announced that it has formed an industry alliance with Fujitsu Computer Systems Corporation and Microsoft Corp. Fujitsu will offer the LifeBook® T4000 series convertible Tablet PC to students. 

The alliance will provide engineering students with high levels of hardware and software purchasing power and support, and will also provide students, faculty, and staff with training and assistance throughout the development and implementation of new teaching and learning models. 

In first-year engineering courses, students will use their Tablet PC’s to literally sketch their designs on their computers instead of using a mouse that links to drop down menus. Additionally, students will create an electronic lab book in which they will have the flexibility to include handwritten notes as well as collaborate with each other electronically. Beyond freshman year, students will use their Tablet PCs to actively participate in classroom presentations and exercises by drawing responses to queries and sending them to the instructor for public display and further discussion.

For additional information about the alliance see: http://www.vtnews.vt.edu/plainstory.php?relyear=2006&itemno=300