Abstract: A simple, non-network solution for portable computing devices such as calculators and PDAs that allows students to collaborate on a project stored as data on a “collaboration cube.” The collaboration cube is a stand-alone device with input ports to connect several portable computing devices with a wired interface connection. Software on each user's device would read and write to commonly accessible memory on the collaboration cube to share project data between the users.

Abstract: A software user interface and method for a computing device to allow a user to graph a function or data plot. The user can configure the graph paper and input data points with an input device such as a stylus. This methodology allows the user to create a plot as opposed to the device generating the plot more automatically. The user interface is pedagogically closer to a pencil and paper approach to learning. The student user is able to analyze the relationships of the plotted data using mathematics software after creating a plot in a more traditional manner. An embodiment of the present invention is an application program on a handheld calculator or other computer. Other embodiments of the invention are directed to a user interface for a calculator or other handheld computing device.