Lesson plan

AlphaSmart

AlphaSmart, Inc., formerly Intelligent Peripheral Devices, Inc., was an education technology company founded in 1992 by Apple Computer engineers Joe Barrus and Ketan Kothari, and Kothari's brother, Manish Kothari. At the time of their initial release in 1993, the first AlphaSmart models were marketed as smart keyboards designed to promote writing in the classroom as an alternative to expensive computer labs. The units' durability, long battery life, and limited functionality made them ideal for K-12 classrooms. Later models expanded functionality to spell-checking, running applications, and accessing wireless printers. After their initial public offering in 2004, AlphaSmart, Inc. was quickly acquired by Renaissance Learning, Inc., in 2005. The last AlphaSmart branded device, named the Neo 2, was released by Renaissance Learning in 2007. 6 years later in late September 2013, production of all AlphaSmart branded devices was discontinued. While AlphaSmart no longer exists as a brand, they have developed a cult following among writers as distraction-free writing devices, supporting a strong secondhand market.

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Article summary

AlphaSmart, Inc., formerly Intelligent Peripheral Devices, Inc., was an education technology company founded in 1992 by Apple Computer engineers Joe Barrus and Ketan Kothari, and Kothari's brother, Manish Kothari. At the time of their initial release in 1993, the first AlphaSmart models were marketed as smart keyboards designed to promote writing in the classroom as an alternative to expensive computer labs. The units' durability, long battery life, and limited functionality made them ideal for K-12 classrooms. Later models expanded functionality to spell-checking, running applications, and accessing wireless printers. After their initial public offering in 2004, AlphaSmart, Inc. was quickly acquired by Renaissance Learning, Inc., in 2005. The last AlphaSmart branded device, named the Neo 2, was released by Renaissance Learning in 2007. 6 years later in late September 2013, production of all AlphaSmart branded devices was discontinued. While AlphaSmart no longer exists as a brand, they have developed a cult following among writers as distraction-free writing devices, supporting a strong secondhand market.

Key claims

  1. date of foundation: 1992 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
  2. date of foundation: 1992 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
  3. release date: 2007 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95

Discussion questions

  1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
  2. The record states that the date of foundation is "1992". What evidence would count against this claim?
  3. The record states that the date of foundation is "1992". What evidence would count against this claim?
  4. The record states that the release date is "2007". What evidence would count against this claim?
  5. Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
  6. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

Bibliography

  1. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1354415413

Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.