Lessons Learned About Providing Laptops for All Students - By Alejandra Bonifaz and Andrew Zucker
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Lessons Learned About Providing
Laptops for All Students
By Alejandra Bonifaz and Andrew Zucker
This paper is a product of the Northeast and the Islands Regional Technology in Education Consortium.
Lessons Learned About Providing Laptops for All Students was developed by Education
Development Center, Inc. (EDC), a partner in the Northeast and the Islands Regional Technology
in Education Consortium (NEIRTEC), with funding from the U.S. Department of Education.
Additional funding was provided by National Science Foundation grant #REC-0231147. Any
opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this paper are those of the authors
and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsoring organizations.
NEIRTEC is a collaboration of Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC), TERC, Learning
Innovations at WestEd, and the Education Alliance at Brown University. NEIRTEC is one of the ten
Regional Technology in Education Consortia funded by the U.S. Department of Education.
© Copyright 2004 Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC). All rights reserved. Permission to
copy is granted for educational use.INTRODUCTION former Governor of Maine, Angus King,
said about the laptop initiative he initiated:
A growing number of states are
supporting one-to-one student-to- “For more than 100 years, Maine
computer ratios by purchasing laptop has always been in the bottom third
computers for all students and teachers in of states—in prosperity, income,
particular schools or at particular grades. education, and opportunity for our
Maine has been a pioneer in the ubiquitous kids. In my 30 years of working on
computing movement, providing Maine economic issues, no idea has
computers and wireless Internet access to had as much potential for leapfrogging
all students in grades 7 and 8. About one- the other states and putting Maine
third of Maine’s high schools will also be in a position of national leadership
providing laptops to their students in the as this one—giving our students
2004–2005 school year. Indiana supported portable, Internet-ready computers
one of the earliest one-to-one initiatives. as a basic tool for learning” (Curtis,
Michigan, New Hampshire, New Mexico, 2004a).
Texas, and Vermont are also experimenting
Bette Manchester, director of special
with state-supported laptop initiatives,
projects for the Maine Department of
as are many individual school districts
Education, including the Maine Learning
throughout the United States, including
Technology Initiative, adds that, “if people
Henrico County, Virginia, the largest
are really serious about school reform and
district-funded laptop program.
leveling the playing field, raising the bar
Ubiquitous or one-to-one computing for all kids, these are tools that can really
environments are different from what support change” (Curtis, 2004b).
one traditionally finds in most school
Although one-to-one programs
settings because they offer all students
vary from one another, they have each
and teachers continuous access to a wide
demonstrated that a comprehensive,
range of software, electronic documents,
systemic approach is needed if the initiative
the Internet, and other digital resources
is to achieve the desired goals. No one
for teaching and learning. Policymakers’
component is sufficient for a successful
goals for laptop initiatives include
initiative, as represented in the illustration
3
increasing economic competitiveness,
on the cover page. “If it’s not going Lessons Learned About Providing Laptops for All Students
reducing inequities in access to computers
well,” says Bette Manchester, “it’s usually
and information between students from
about the leadership. There needs to be
wealthy and poor families, and raising
a leadership team that looks at things
student achievement through specific
through three different lenses: the lens of
interventions, such as improving students’
curriculum and content; the lens of the
understanding of algebra through the use
culture of the building; and the lens of
of education software. Other reasons cited
technical needs.”
for supporting laptop initiatives include
improving classroom culture, increasing As a way of helping states and districts
students’ engagement, making it easier interested in laptop initiatives, NEIRTEC
to differentiate instruction according to has reviewed lessons learned to date from
students’ needs, and solidifying home- many laptop initiatives around the country
school connections. For example, theand has prepared this guide. Drawn from guiding principles” (Manchester, 2004).
articles and reports about current and
past programs (see references at the end • Focus on key goals for students’
of the paper), as well as conversations learning: Which goals for students are
with policymakers, this guide can be of most important—increased motivation,
practical help to emerging initiatives. But better writing skills, test preparation,
it is important that this information not be technology proficiency, broader access
perceived as a “recipe.” What is necessary to Advanced Placement courses, helping
or appropriate for a particular laptop students succeed in algebra, or any of many
initiative will depend on its specific goals, others? To meet the goals you establish,
circumstances, and needs. Nonetheless, you may need to license appropriate
these lessons are intended to increase software or websites, provide focused
information sharing across laptop programs teacher professional development, select
and help leaders and stakeholders build new curricula, implement new policies
on existing knowledge. Because large-scale for technology use, create new resources,
laptop initiatives are so new (Maine’s 7th develop new assessments, or engage the
graders received their laptops in 2002, for community in supporting your goals
example), there is still much to be learned. (Jeroski, 2003). For example, Maine,
in response to needs identified by the
The lessons are presented in five main state department of education, chose to
categories: Planning, Training & Professional implement a professional development
Development, Managing Change, and program to help rural middle schools
Monitoring & Evaluation. improve the teaching of mathematics using
the laptops.
PLANNING
• Align your technology policies
and supports with your goals: Is bridging
Align the laptop initiative with
the “digital divide” between wealthier
your goals and poorer families an important goal? If
so, home use is important. Home use is
As noted above, policymakers support
also important if teachers are expected to
laptop programs for different reasons,
give homework assignments that require
including: increasing the equity of students’
the use of the laptops. (Note that if the
access to technology and information,
laptops do go home, insurance needs
increasing economic competitiveness
4
to be considered.) Similarly, if students
(one of the reasons that former Governor
Lessons Learned About Providing Laptops for All Students
are expected to do homework using
Angus King supported Maine’s laptop
the Internet, or enroll in online courses
initiative), creating a more active learning
outside normal school hours, then it may
environment for students, and increasing
be important to help some families access
student achievement. The question is, what
the Internet from home. Henrico County,
are your primary goals and what will be
Virginia, for example, offers families the
needed to achieve them? Bette Manchester’s
option of signing up with an Internet
role, for instance, is to “make sure that we’re
Service Provider at low cost. In some
focusing all of the technology effort on the
initiatives, parents are trained and are also
work of the Maine schools as they attempt
beneficiaries of the initiative.
to meet the Maine Learning Results [the
state’s education standards] and our MaineBuild a strong leadership team at Successful programs use multiple sources
all levels of funding, including appropriate state and
federal programs.
Strong leadership is needed at
all levels, from the classroom and the • Use outside funds, when possible:
school to the district and the state. For Maine uses a variety of federal, state,
example, Indiana’s experience shows and local funds to support the laptop
that strong and visionary leadership program. Maine also used a grant
that encourages collaboration and risk- from the Gates Foundation to provide
taking is needed from teachers, as well professional development to principals and
as from administrators. According to superintendents involved in the laptop
preliminary results of an evaluation, initiative, as well as a U.S. Department
“the ongoing success of one-to-one in of Education award to support a rigorous
Indiana is dependent upon the support evaluation study.
and involvement of building-level leaders”
(Lemke & Martin, 2004). Similarly, Bette Develop solid partnerships both
Manchester believes that, “You really need inside and outside the school
to spread the leadership for a project. system
And giving teachers a lot of say and
responsibility for how this project is played Developing partners establishes a
out is really critical” (Manchester, 2004). foundation for the project.
• Meet on a regular basis: In Maine, • Take into account stakeholders’
school leadership teams (including the level of interest in the one-to-one
principal, a teacher leader, the technology initiative and demonstrate success early:
coordinator, and the librarian) meet on a Stakeholders’ initial perceptions of
regular basis to assure that all aspects of technology influence their predisposition
the laptop program are moving at a similar to carry out an initiative like one-to-one
pace, including the technical infrastructure, computing, and they can either facilitate
professional development, software needs, or hinder the implementation process.
etc. Technical needs alone ought not drive Therefore, in large systems it may be best
the initiative; instead, “the educators in the to begin with volunteer districts or schools,
5
building need to own the technology work” as many states are doing, rather than the
Lessons Learned About Providing Laptops for All Students
(Manchester, 2004). entire system. Maine, for example, began
its initiative in a small number of pilot
Think about funding for the long schools. Speaking of the first of the laptop
term schools in Maine, former Governor King
said, “[it] was critical because it gave us a
Ongoing training and technical test site that we could point to” (Curtis,
support are costly and require a long term 2004a).
commitment from the operating budget.
Most of the initiatives reviewed for this • Develop business partnerships:
document faced unexpected costs due to Business partners, including hardware and
technical difficulties (such as inadequate software vendors, can help reduce costs and
network bandwidth), and personnel often build a more effective team. In addition,
requiring more training than was planned. this type of partnership may help increasetechnical and training capabilities as well as Apple iBooks, because using iTunes was
decrease skepticism from some stakeholder a potential distraction. Similarly, one of
groups (Edwards, 2004). the lessons learned from Henrico County
is the importance of having a certain level
• Develop partnerships with of “control over the type of information
evaluators: Maine began at an early stage students use in the classroom and at home”
to use university-based teams of evaluators (Edwards, 2002). Henrico staff added
who could quickly provide the legislature controls to limit what students could access
with information it wanted about at school and reconfigured the laptops
implementation of the laptop program. to limit file sharing and downloading of
inappropriate materials (Edwards, 2003).
Plan logistical details carefully
• Design systems for distribution
Laptop initiatives are often delayed or and for daily management: Prior to
disrupted by small, logistical details rather distributing the laptops, inform students
than by major problems. The director and parents about the code of conduct
of the Buddy project in Indiana, Nancy through a seminar, workshop, or in other
Miller, provides the following advice to ways. Require students and teachers to sign
other educators, “Think long-term. Ensure the acceptable use policy for proper use
impact by ensuring that the mundane and care of laptops. Create an inventory;
aspects of the project (maintenance, Henrico for example, scans barcodes to
upgrades, insurance, replacement of ensure an accurate and efficient inventory.
equipment) are planned and supported” Collect insurance payments and forms.
(Lemke & Martin, 2004). Establish a Help Desk (telephone-based,
or other) for troubleshooting and technical
• Help protect the computers: Once questions, so students know where to turn
laptops arrive, they need to be stored in if they experience problems (Edwards,
a secure place that is accessible on a daily 2003). It is also essential to have a system
basis, especially in case students are not in place to manage the daily use and
allowed or choose not to take their laptops distribution of the laptops. If the laptops
home. To transport the computers safely, do not go home, who will collect and
a well-cushioned carrying case will help distribute them daily, and when? If they
prevent damage. Similarly, to reduce do go home, what is the process used to
students’ intentional or unintentional check them in and out? If a student does
6
misuse of laptops, it is important to not bring his or her laptop to school, what
Lessons Learned About Providing Laptops for All Students
develop and establish a code of conduct happens? Laptops need to be charged, and
that specifies the rights and responsibilities often re-charged, prior to and during the
of students with regard to the care and school day. Where will this occur? Is there
use of laptops (Apple, Profiles in Success: adequate power and/or space available?
Henrico). Will the laptops be collected and then
redistributed during recess, lunch, gym, and
• Set up filters and other control
extra-curricular activities?
mechanisms for laptops: In Maine, the
iTunes software (a “digital jukebox”) was
not provided on students’ computers,
although it is usually provided withTRAINING & PROFESSIONAL effective in addressing their needs (Lemke
& Martin, 2004). Offer training for both
DEVELOPMENT curriculum-specific and cross-curricular
applications. At the same time that teachers
Training and professional
are learning about technology integration,
development of staff at different levels are
technology coordinators need staff
fundamental components of a successful
development about school change processes
laptop program and should be part of the
that support the key goals of the laptop
initiative from the start.
program.
Provide training and professional • Form a “Technology Leadership
development for teachers and Team”: From the onset, administrators
administrators mainly on at Gillispie School in La Jolla recognized
curriculum integration, not only on that “the laptop initiative would succeed
technical skills only if all teachers received ongoing
professional development” (Apple, Profiles
Teachers participating in one-to-one in Success: Gillispie). They therefore
projects agree that in order to make the formed a “Technology Leadership Team,”
transition to ubiquitous computing, they which trained teachers new to classroom
need assistance integrating technology into technology integration and provided
the curriculum, not only help developing ongoing training and mentoring to teachers
new technical skills. One piece of advice at all levels and specialties. Similarly, Dan
from Gunderson High School (San Jose, Evans, former State Superintendent of
California) to other schools considering Indiana advises new initiatives to “put
one-to-one computing is, “the success of together a team that brings together
your laptop program depends on having expertise in curriculum, learning, school
teachers who feel confident in the use of change, and technology. Focus on getting
technology” (Apple, Profiles in Success: teachers ready to use the tools in powerful
Gunderson). Similarly, Bette Manchester ways for learning” (Lemke & Martin,
told principals in Maine, “it was really 2004).
critical that we set up staff development
during the day and that we bring teachers • Use a variety of training and
7
together by content area” (Manchester, professional development formats:
2004). Maine provides staff development Teachers value both formal professional Lessons Learned About Providing Laptops for All Students
for technology integration in all subject development events, such as workshops
areas, including training teachers to use during the school year or summer, and
project-based learning. informal opportunities to learn from their
colleagues. Team meetings, department
• Assess the technical and meetings, and other ongoing events can
professional development needs of school become occasions to discuss technology
staff: Effective training builds upon existing integration. Co-teaching opportunities can
knowledge. Knowing at an early stage be useful, as well as demonstration lessons
the different technical proficiencies that taught by more expert teachers. Online
teachers and administrators have can help professional development is a viable option,
you develop a professional development especially because all the teachers have
plan that is sustained, rigorous, and laptops. Providing teachers with a “menu”of training opportunities is a good idea. Train parents on basic technical
skills and inform them about the
• Partner with local universities,
education organizations, and other code of conduct and rules involved
institutions: Explore whether local
• Establish a training requirement
universities and/or education organizations
for parents: From the outset, Maine has
have the expertise and capacity to assist
expected parents to attend a 90-minute
in training teachers, administrators, and
training before the laptops are allowed to
others. The one-to-one program in Indiana,
go home. Similarly, in Henrico County,
for example, formed collaborations with
parents of every middle school student
Indiana University, Purdue University
are now required to attend a 90-minute
Indianapolis and The Center for Interactive
training session before picking up the
Learning and Collaboration for teacher
laptops. These sessions provide technical
training on curriculum integration (Lemke
information about the machines as well
& Martin, 2004).
as an explanation of the code of conduct
• Provide administrator professional established for the use and care of laptops.
development: Training is often planned for In order to establish such a requirement,
teachers while leaving administrators aside. however, training sessions should be easily
However, administrators play a leading accessible to parents. Henrico offered the
role during implementation and they training several times throughout the day,
also need guidance, advice, and training. accommodating parents’ schedules (Apple,
Indiana, for instance, collaborated with Profiles in Success: Henrico).
Apple to organize seminars like “Problems
• Create parent resource centers:
Encountered with Teachers Integrating
Recognizing that a one-to-one computing
Technology” to help administrators improve
initiative can reach out to parents and
their leadership skills (Lemke & Martin,
families, Henrico used Parent Resource
2004), and Maine has also provided school
Centers to make training available for
administrators with substantial professional
parents interested in acquiring basic
development about the laptop program.
technical skills and conducting Internet
• Make professional development research. Former superintendent Edwards
flexible: As teachers and administrators (2004) says, “We work with parents to
receive training, their needs change. increase their capabilities and comfort level
with the laptops,” which contributes to
8
Therefore, it is critical to keep updating
the long-lasting impact of the one-to-one
Lessons Learned About Providing Laptops for All Students
professional development. “The key is to
plan as best you can but to remain flexible,” initiative.
the past superintendent of Henrico points
out. “Technology changes at the speed HARDWARE & SOFTWARE
of light and so do the training needs of
teachers” (Edwards, 2003). Connect Provide the necessary digital
teachers’ professional development to content and tools
other key initiatives in the state or district
that affect them, as Maine is doing to try The effective use of laptops depends in
to increase achievement in middle school part on the availability of digital resources.
mathematics.• Purchase or license digital implementation of one-to-one computing
materials: In order for teachers to integrate is the existence and maintenance of a high-
technology in the curriculum, and for quality network infrastructure.
students to use technology, they need access
to the necessary software, online databases, • Assess the infrastructure and
and proprietary websites. Schools and wiring needs within the school: The
districts should not only take care of school may require network infrastructure
licensing procedures to make the necessary modifications, which are costly and take
tools available to teachers but should also time. If these issues are addressed at the
provide sufficient guidance or training on onset, significant time and trouble may be
how to use the tools. saved later. Lloyd Brown, assistant director
of technology for Henrico County Public
• Create e-learning curriculum Schools, gives the following advice: “look at
writing teams: Many laptop initiatives your buildings; look at where the wireless
provide opportunities for their teachers, connections will be set up; look at where
often working in teams, to develop lesson and how the kids will use the computers;
plans, websites, online courses, electronic and then model what they will and will not
documents, and other curriculum do with them. Then, do your homework;
resources. In Henrico County, teams talk to your technology suppliers; and
consisting of district curriculum specialists, figure out what it will take to bring that
teachers, and technology trainers worked many people online at once” (Apple,
together to develop units that incorporate Profiles in Success: Henrico).
digitized content and activities. As one
teacher said, “Since I helped develop • Support and maintain networks:
electronic lessons, I understand them from Setting up the necessary infrastructure
the inside out, and I can provide insights is not sufficient, it is also necessary to
for my colleagues back at school” (Edwards, maintain it. The experience in Indiana
2003). showed that infrastructure needs to be
“well supported by onsite technical support
• Identify software needs and personnel” in order to keep network
restrictions: Prior to purchasing laptops, capabilities in good condition and up-to-
determine the key productivity tools date (Lemke & Martin, 2004).
9
needed and establish a standard software
package to be used for word processing, • Consider purchasing display Lessons Learned About Providing Laptops for All Students
spreadsheets, presentations, and so on. devices: Students and teachers will
Standardization will reduce compatibility sometimes want to be able to look at
and training issues as well as reduce costs. a single screen as a group. In Henrico
Determine whether email and chat features County, each classroom has a display
will be available to students and, if so, how device. Alternatively, classrooms may share
they will be managed. display devices.
Build and maintain the necessary Make technology support
network infrastructure available onsite as well as offsite
According to Indiana’s experience, • Have onsite technical assistance
a critical factor for the effective available: Teachers across programs oftenmention the lack of sufficient onsite learn about and become comfortable with
technical support. “If teachers new to new technology, but also to understand the
computers cannot get the help they need change process and its implications for their
when problems arise in the middle of a daily activities.
lesson, they will become soured to future
technology use” (Apple, Profiles in Success: • Allow time for teachers to become
Gillispie School, La Jolla, CA). Some comfortable with technology before
schools contract a full-time onsite technical expecting them to use it for instruction: In
assistant, if not more than one. Maine uses Maine, it proved essential to allow teachers
student technology support teams (iTeams), sufficient time to become familiar with
which consist of technology-savvy students, the laptops before expecting them to be
who help teachers and classmates with used in classrooms. Similarly, after rapidly
troubleshooting and technical questions implementing the one-to-one program
during the school day (Silvernail, 2004). at the high school level, Henrico realized
that allowing teachers, administrators, and
• Establish clear procedures to other stakeholders sufficient time between
address major technical needs offsite: the planning stage and the distribution
Some technical needs and repairs require of laptops to students is important for
specialized offsite services. Developing successful implementation. Thus, middle
clear procedures for shipping and repairing schools teachers received their laptops a
laptops offsite as well as maintaining a full year before the students, and that time
strong partnership with offsite institutions provided the teachers with a high degree of
can help reduce delays and make this confidence in their ability to use the laptops
process more efficient. (Edwards, 2004).
• Create a “student-run” help desk: • Provide students with keyboarding
Henrico was a pioneer in establishing a help skills: Technology integration may become
desk composed of tech savvy students who, “much more seamless” when students
under the supervision of a faculty member, are given sufficient time pre-launch to
provide help to students and teachers who become familiar with basic computer
encounter technical problems during the skills, like keyboarding, as highlighted by
school day. Students take turns working the experience at Gillispie School (Apple,
at the help desk and earn community Profiles in Success: Gillispie).
service points for their efforts. According
10
to Henrico County’s Director of Public • Expect change to be gradual:
Lessons Learned About Providing Laptops for All Students
Relations, this initiative proved to be very In large laptop initiatives, like Maine’s,
efficient for addressing minor technical students at different grade levels usually
problems (Apple, Profiles in Success: receive laptops in different years. Over the
Henrico). long term, as computers are used more
routinely, changes may take place not
MANAGING CHANGE only in instruction but also in assessment
systems (e.g., online testing), instructional
materials (e.g., closer ties between textbooks
Allow sufficient time for change
and digital materials, including software),
and make it gradual management systems (including data-driven
decision-making), and communications
Stakeholders need time not only towith parents (e.g., the use of password- program, students help local senior citizens
protected websites, such as K12Planet, increase their digital literacy (Lemke
where parents can view their students’ & Martin, 2004). They also organize
grades and assignments). annual presentations at which students
use technology tools (PowerPoint and
Foster and maintain stakeholder iMovie) to share their concerns and
participation and ongoing propose solutions to problems that they
communication have identified (Lemke & Martin, 2004).
Henrico involved students from the onset.
When all stakeholders (teachers, They created “leadership teams,” which
administrators, students, parents, included students, teachers, and parents
technicians, etc.) are well-informed about from the high schools, to discuss the laptop
the project and collaborate with one program prior to its implementation
another, emerging problems are more easily (Apple, Profiles in Success: Henrico).
identified and can be addressed at an early
stage. MONITORING & EVALUATION
• Use various approaches to reach To meet the challenges of
out to the broad community: All Maine implementing a laptop initiative, to learn
schools held parent nights at an early stage more about its impacts, and to inform
of the laptop program, and most continue ongoing debates about the value of these
to hold annual parent nights. Henrico initiatives, ongoing monitoring and
County created a “key communicator evaluation are called for.
network” through which 400 stakeholders
communicate via e-mail to learn about Make monitoring ongoing
accomplishments and address challenges.
Newsletters, community gatherings, Some challenges may be foreseen and
formal/informal presentations, and addressed during the planning stage but
consultations with community leaders can others emerge as implementation takes
all be helpful (Apple, Profiles in Success: place. Ongoing monitoring helps identify
Henrico). The Manatee County, Florida obstacles at an early stage. For example,
school district advises other programs Henrico County found it helpful to use
11
to foster ongoing communication with focus groups of teachers and students on a
Lessons Learned About Providing Laptops for All Students
parents. They did so through continuous regular basis to identify and systematically
“parent night” gatherings and broadcasts address unforeseen problems that occurred
of “Tech Time,” a TV show that gives during implementation of their one-to-one
information about the program and initiative (Edwards, 2002).
generates discussions via call-ins (Apple,
Profiles in Success: Manatee). Meeting Conduct research or evaluation
with PTA presidents and creating parent studies
newsletters can also help.
Because laptop initiatives are new,
• Involve students: Indiana organizes and technologies are changing, there is
events where students act as mentors still much to be learned. Some useful
to parents, siblings, and the broader evaluative studies of laptop initiatives have
community. Through the “Tech Days” been done (see http://ubiqcomputing.orgfor references). However, there is still a proficiency.
paucity of information about cost issues,
impacts on student learning in many • Look for ways to evaluate the long-
subject areas, and other important topics. term costs and benefits of the technology
(Zucker [2004] provides an evaluation infrastructure: Both costs and benefits are
framework and an agenda for studying one- difficult to quantify, but understanding
to-one programs.) Some needed studies are them is important. Little has been written
inexpensive and could be done in-house about the costs of laptop programs, and
(for example, it would be valuable to have about the relationship of those costs to the
more descriptions of creative teachers’ uses benefits.
of laptops during a semester or a year). In
other cases, external grants from federal, • Let the research question drive
state, or private sources may be available for the choice of method: There are too
research. Maine, for example, is conducting many interesting questions to ask about
a randomized experimental trial of its laptop programs for you to study them all.
professional development intervention in Depending on the research questions you
middle school mathematics, using research choose, surveys, case studies, experiments,
funds from the U.S. Department of or other methods may be appropriate. No
Education. one methodology is best for answering all
questions.
Authors of a new book about
evaluating educational technology in CONCLUSIONS
schools (Means & Haertel, 2004) suggest
that there are a small number of important As computers and wireless networks
evaluation principles that will help guide become more capable and less expensive
future work: each year, more states and districts are
providing all students with a computing
• Look for critical influences at device. These initiatives are complex and
multiple levels of the education system: challenging. States and districts that are
There are many influences on teachers’ now beginning to implement one-to-one
and students’ uses of technology. Study computing should try to benefit from
those influences that are most important the many lessons that others have learned
in your context (state or district policies, through experience. Among the most
school leadership, demographics of schools, important of those lessons is to focus
12
teachers’ training and expertise, etc.). Don’t on the desired goals. According to Bette
Lessons Learned About Providing Laptops for All Students
try to do it all. Manchester, the laptop initiative in Maine
“is not about the technology; it is about
• Figure out what you’re especially the students’ learning and about capacity
trying to teach, and measure that: If you building in the schools” (Manchester,
study student achievement, focus on 2004).
areas that are high priorities in the laptop
program. Even then, the evaluation field is NEIRTEC’s review of lessons learned
likely to require the development of more about laptop programs shows that they fall
good assessments of student learning—for into five key areas. Policymakers must pay
example, to measure students’ higher order careful attention to planning, training and
thinking, problem solving, and technology professional development, hardware andsoftware, managing change, and program //www.apple.com/education/profiles/
monitoring and evaluation. Thinking about gillispie, and http://www.apple.com/
these issues from the outset will help you education/profiles/gillispie/index2.html
achieve the laptop program’s goals while
minimizing unexpected problems. Bartels, F. (2002). Reflections on the
RCDS [Rye County Day School] Laptop
The Internet makes it easy to share Program After Three Years. Rye, NY.
information about implementing laptop Retrieved October 21st, 2004 from http:
computing initiatives. Using online //www.learningwithlaptops.org/files/3rd%2
discussion boards, your own website, or 0Year%20Laptop%20Prog.pdf
in other ways, please share your “lessons
learned” so that others can benefit from Bartels, F. (2000). Reflections on the
your experiences. RCDS [Rye County Day School] Laptop
Program After One Year. Rye, NY. Retrieved
October 21st, 2004 from http://www.learn
ingwithlaptops.org/files/Laptop%20Progra
BIBLIOGRAPHY m%20Reflections.pdf
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High School – Beating the Odds. for every lap. Edutopia Online. Retrieved
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//www.apple.com/education/profiles/ article.php?id=Art_1032
gunderson/index3.html
Curtis, D. (2004b). The Maine
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Edwards, M. (2002, July). Lessons
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