Week 12 Readings

"Kansas 1:1 Macbook Program"
What a great idea to get all kids Macs. Of course the studies show clearly that technology used appropriately in the classroom helps students perform better. But this program took it the next step and incorporated technology in to the whole school. The realized there would be several difficult issues to address, especially the financial involvement. But the payoffs have been huge. First, it has given kids the tools they need to get ready for college and careers. Second, the Mac software has encouraged a level of creativity in the students that exceeded expectations. Finally, the emotional impact of the school trusting all students to have a Mac meant believing in them.

"Measuring Success- 3 Programs that work"
Like Kansas, other districts have brought laptops into schools with great success. This article was specifically about the problems and solutions each school had to deal with. The problems ranged from financial concerns to on site support, and intensive faculty training. But the rewards have been substantial. The three schools reported that it pushes the school to become student centered. Teachers learned to create classes that were forward thinking and research based. Another benefit is that individual laptops allowed for differentiation. Of course, individual laptops can't work for all districts until significant cultural and pedagogical changes are made. But after reading these 3 case studies, I would love to see my school try.