1:1 Laptop Initiative

The 1:1 laptop initiative is a classroom technology that I readily support. I am very fortunate to have a 1:1 laptop initiative in my school; therefore, all of my students bring a school issued laptop to class with them every day. As a classroom teacher, I am constantly looking for ways to keep my students motivated and engaged in each lesson. Laptops for individual students have proven to do just that. Using laptops for every day learning keeps students more involved with their individual learning and also helps keep parents involved.

“One to One Computing: A Summary of the Quantitative Results from the Berkshire Wireless Learning Initiative,” the article I read written by Damian Bebell and Rachel Kay, presents several research points and conclusions on 1:1 laptop initiatives that have proven to be true in my classroom. The article states that it is “reported that students’ academic use of computers at home occurred more frequently when students were provided with their own laptops” (Bebell & Kay, 2010, p.6). My students have told me first-hand that they enjoy assignments (even homework assignments) much more on the laptop in comparison to traditional pen and paper. My students responded extremely well to their laptop assignments this year. It also helped me out a great deal because my students’ literature book is accessible through their laptops, so I could assign reading without students having to carry an extra literature book home. They really liked that!

The article I read for this week states, “the overall aim of the pilot program (discussed in the article) was to determine the efficacy of a one-to-one laptop initiative in transforming teaching and learning” (Bebell & Kay, 2010, p.7). The article proved just that. I can speak from experience that the 1:1 laptop initiative transformed my methods of preparing and implementing lessons, and it also created a form of motivation and engagement for students in their daily learning. However, both the article and the course text make it clear that the success of these initiatives has several factors. The course text states, “schools that provided peripherals such as projection systems, offered continuing technical support and in-depth professional development, and had teachers who were willing to try using teaching methods” saw greater success in the implementation of these initiatives (Roblyer & Doering, 2010, p. 24). Of course, schools must first have the technology, but just as importantly schools must have teachers that are willing to do what it takes in order to use the technology to the fullest advantage of students, teachers, as well as parents.

The course text also discusses how “one study found that students who used devices more outside the classroom also reflected significantly greater impact” when 1:1 initiatives were put in place (Roblyer & Doering, 2010, p. 24). As I thought about this, it really made sense. Students that are more familiar with technology are going to be more confident and proficient with the use of laptops when they are first implemented. However, I have seen in my classroom that it does not take students who are unfamiliar with technology long to catch up once they have been issued their own technology device.

Roblyer and Doering also discuss how “Overall, schools with one-to-one computing programs had fewer discipline problems, lower dropout rates, and higher rates of college attendance than schools with a higher ratio of students to computers” (Roblyer & Doering, 2010, p. 24-25). I have no doubt that this is due to the higher levels of student motivation and engagement in their learning that these initiatives bring. 1:1 initiatives allow students to be more involved in their learning every time they step in the classroom and also offer methods of motivation. Reading this article, as well as our course text, solidifies my thoughts on the benefits of 1:1 initiatives.

Article Critique

1.) Provide the complete article title and author.

The complete title of the article is “One to One Computing: A Summary of the Quantitative Results from the Berkshire Wireless Learning Initiative”. The authors of this article are Damian Bebell and Rachel Kay.

2.) State the intended audience. (What is empirical research and how does it help the classroom?)

The intended audience is any educator or education system that is interested in the benefits of 1:1 laptop initiatives. This article would be great for educators or education systems that are considering moving to a 1:1 laptop initiative. Empirical research is research based on proven facts, not opinions. This type of research is found in professional journals. Empirical research would be useful for educators looking into 1:1 initiatives because it gives facts based on 1:1 initiatives that are currently in place.

3.) What is/are the research question/questions or hypothesis/hypotheses?

There are several research questions presented by this article. This research wants to prove if 1:1 laptop initiatives enhance student achievement, improve student engagement, and demonstrate fundamental changes in teaching strategies. Curriculum delivery, classroom management, and enhanced capabilities among students to collaborate with peers and to conduct independent research were also research questions presented in the article.

4.) Describe the subject (participants) and the procedures (methods) used by the researcher(s).

The Berkshire Wireless Learning Initiative is a three-year pilot program. The program was implemented in five Massachusetts middle schools where every student and teacher was provided a laptop in 2005. All classrooms were equipped with Wireless Internet networks. Some classrooms were also given DLP/LCD projectors. There were also different forms of professional development provided to teachers in order to offer support when implementing this new technology into their classrooms and curriculum.

5.) What were the conclusions of the researchers? Do you agree or disagree with the conclusions? Support your position.

The conclusions of the researchers were that teacher and students use of technology increased. Teachers started implementing things such as new novel approaches, which in turn led to student motivation and engagement. Teachers also found many professional uses for the new technology such as electronic record keeping, communication with co-workers and parents, and teacher webpages that included lesson plans and homework assignments. Students’ ability to conduct independent research and to collaborate with peers improved, along with the quality of work. I agree with the conclusions of the researchers because I have seen all of theses things proven first-hand in my own classroom. My school has a 1:1 laptop initiative, and we have seen the same conclusions. The laptops encourage student motivation and engagement, while providing many helpful resources for teachers and parents as well. The benefits of having the 1:1 laptop initiative have proven to be an instrumental tool in my classroom and in classrooms across the country.

6.) What suggestions for further research do the authors suggest? What other suggestions for future research would you suggest?

The article poses the question of “What comes next?”. How will technology change in the coming years? It suggests that we begin researching different methods to be used in order to meet the educational needs of future students. I agree with the idea of researching what is next. We need to know what to expect from the world of technology, so we can better understand how to equip students in years to come.

This is a link to a website that features an article that helps prepare teachers for the implementation of 1:1 laptop initiatives.

http://thejournal.com/articles/2010/07/21/prepping-teachers-for-a-1-to-1-laptop-initiative.aspx

The 1:1 laptop initiative is a great resource for students, teachers, and parents! It is an irreplaceable tool in my classroom! #ED505UWARAY
— Kristen Walker (@kristenwalker81) June 18, 2013