Hands-On Education

A lot of the action at FETC this year concerned tablets and how to get them to work best in the classroom. Sometimes all you need is a small stand to hold a tablet so that kids and teachers can have a free hand while doing desk work. Felix has a pair of products to do just that. Both work with a variety of tablets and are made of durable materials that can stand up to classroom abuse, but are not as advanced as tablet docks that can charge the tablet while working.

The $25 Two Hands model looks like a large hair clip with a spring loaded lever at the center that opens a pair of long red hands. A set of flat silver fingers with small nubs on the back hold the slate in place. Just press it open and let the hands grab around the slate’s sides. It can open up to 10.5-inches, which makes it perfect for holding an iPad or 10.1-inch Android tablet. It works in horizontal or vertical orientation and can sturdily set the slate at a variety of different angles. Two Hands is made of aluminum, plastic and silicone, folds up flat when not in use and is available in a variety of colors. 

  Like Two Hands, the $20 MonkeyDo stand can open up to hold a variety of tablets horizontally or vertically. Made of plastic and rubber, Monkey Do doesn’t have a spring because it acts like a torsion bar to hold the slate in place. It can’t be folded up but can easily be stored in a drawer when it’s not being used. The slate rests on a small base made by the monkey’s feet that holds it securely in place, but you run the risk of tipping the whole thing over if you press too hard on the top of the screen. The big payoff is for smaller kids, because the smiling monkey face can make a tablet seem inviting and less intimidating.