If you told me in January that my district was going 1:1 (we aren’t) next school year I would be jumping up and down with pure joy and excitement. If you told me today that my district was going 1:1 (we aren’t) next school year I would be jumping up and down with pure joy and excitement.
Lately, we’ve been investigating ways that we can work on getting technology into schools, and I have to admit that I’m starting to think 1:1 programs are dead for those districts that don’t already have them. Don’t get me wrong, I would LOVE to be in a 1:1 district and no one, given the chance, should refuse such an opportunity.
Enter the possibility of the $100 laptop. If the $100 laptop becomes a reality, more kids will have their own technology to use. Districts will still have to invest in some purchases for those that are unable to afford such technology, but I would imagine the numbers would be relatively low.
What does this mean?
- Districts can spend more on infrastructure and upgrading bandwidth in hopes that students will be bringing in their own devices for 1:1 use.
- Students will become more comfortable with using technology because of the “personalized” feel.
- Students will bear witness to a more diverse grouping of technology since not everyone will have the same device.
- Teachers will need to develop even more flexibility and adaptability for the same reason above.
- Districts will focus more on their infrastructure and capability of having all students online all the time.
There are more positives and, like everything else, a number of negatives that come with this type of mentality. School districts will be transforming themselves into “Panera Bread” with a dominant focus on connectivity rather than providing hardware.
If kids have better technology at home than districts can afford to outfit them with on a yearly basis then we can’t afford to prevent them from bringing it into the learning experience. It’s also much easier to justify a budget to parents by telling them that the money is being invested into ensuring connectivity at school instead of providing them with an item the kids already have.
What say you?
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A corollary to your point: What about school districts where the super-majority of the students already have access at home and school? What if a school had a 1:3 computer to student ratio in the buildings and 90% of the kids had a laptop or computer of their own at home? Should a school district spend their money purchasing a laptop for every student given the fact that access *isn’t* a problem?
Good thoughts here, Aaron. We are embarking on a journey next year; our 7th graders will be permitted to bring their own personal device to school beginning January 2011. We’re pretty excited and, yes, a bit nervous but like most public schools, we realized the chances of affording a 1:1 were swiftly dwindling. You can take a look at our beginning work at the following website:
http://fhsdppl.wetpaint.com
David Truss and I also started a group for people considering BYOLaptop programs:
http://grou.ps/byolaptop/home
Please join us! (If you haven’t already!)
Two issues
1. Access. My students don’t have constant access to computers or the internet. They can go to the library but that might be all they have outside of school. $100 laptops will change that and truly affect learning. The other piece of this is opening up school networks to let students be using it after 3:00. I envision schools being open, not necessarily classrooms, but schools, into the evening. Or setting up picnic areas outside of school where students and community members can sit and work.
2. Web 2.0. If everyone brings their device, we can’t teach using operating specific software (Word, iMovie, etc). We MUST ingrate operating system independent software (Moodle, Voicethread, Blogger, etc.).
If students each have some sort of laptop/tablet computer constantly connected to a network and they know how to use Web 2.0 tools, education will change.
I think we will see inexpensive devices being brought into the school and less pressure on divisions/districts to provide them. We need to focus on leveling learning for those without capital. Interesting times.
I agree with Ben that schools that don’t provide makes it difficult to teach specific operating systems to all students. However, as cloud computing offers more and more for free, we may be able to overcome this.
I also believe technology will become more inexpensive as we move forward. I don’t believe a 1:1 is the only way to change education, but it provides a lever for students and admin to do things differently. Implementing a 1:1 is one of the best reform efforts I have seen to hold teachers accountable for change. Students almost demand for teaching to change to take advantage of technology when it is available.
Students are more engaged in the change process because they now expect the opportunities to exist that allow for more options in showing mastery.
What other reform effort, and I do think this will take hold as a teaching reform effort, actually enlisted the students in the change. Most of the time, we implement change without asking teachers or students.
For this reason, schools that say they can’t afford a 1:1, may soon instead be forced to implement a 1:1. Whether we allow students to bring their own devices or we provide devices for them, the teaching learning shift is upon us. Either model will work, but I prefer to be in control and level the playing field right out of the gate.
i think our new standard should be 1:1, but i don’t think it should be in the form of buying one-size fits all devises for students.
i agree… so many kids already have what is needed.. if we just let them use them at school.
then we do have more money for kids who don’t have anything. (not to mention the savings from textbooks alone.)
i also believe that students should be able to pick say – an ipod over a laptop. most of my students would prefer taking an ipod touch from class to class… having access to their computer at home.. or one in the lab or library at school when needed.
of course… the most important piece to any of this.. are we giving them ample time in the day to access the web? if not… then why all the fuss over the tools. students should have ample bandwidth and unfiltered access to skype and twitter and youtube… if we really want them to take care of business during school hours.
great post.. vital conversation.
a great idea my kids had – ask the community to recycle old cells – use them just for internet access.. not phones.. a bunch of savings – and kids with access right there…
I disagree that 1:1 is done, though in reading your post what you’re saying is that rather than being done it may be morphing which I do agree with. Great title to grab attention though
The Alberta (Canada) ministry of Education has funded pilot projects across our 64 school jurisdictions investigating 1:1 computing, and where it all seems to be heading is student-owned devices. Even in my school jurisdiction (Edmonton Catholic) one of our high schools has the infrastructure set up to authenticate students to the school network using their own devices, and will soon be putting a student-owned laptop as a requirement on the supply list. I’m not sure whether they will have OS or application minimum requirements or not.
Anyhow, as more jurisdictions in our province are moving toward student-owned devices, a class set of netbooks, and wireless infrastructure, bandwidth seems to be the biggest issue they all need to overcome. This aligns with your statement that jurisdictions will be able to focus on wireless/bandwidth if students bring their own devices.
BTW, Alberta is hosting a great conference this August celebrating the 1:1 laptop initiatives as well as other emerging technologies. Come and join us in Banff! http://emerge2010.galileonetwork.ca/
Cheers,
Danny Maas
@dannymaas
Interesting conversation.
I just left a teaching position where I had a cart of 24 laptops in my classroom that I could use for grades 5-8 (I was teaching science). For a few classes this allowed every student to have their own laptop. And let me tell you, the lessons I could do with those laptops- especially if every student could have one. Students were more engaged with laptop lessons than any other lesson format I tried- including labs and games.
I taught at a Title 1 school where very few students had their own computers at home. We had 6 laptop carts for the upper three grades. As technology comes down in price it seems to me that more and more Title 1 schools will invest in laptops since they are such amazing tools in the classroom. At least I hope so.
Kari Dalane
I think we’re getting to the point where schools either start up a 1:1 or see their students start the program for them.
Schools who get this last leg up might be able to retain some consistency over platform and software, but it’s only a matter of time before platform is irrelevant (if you don’t think so, please tell me what operating system your car uses – we don’t care as long as it works) and all software is located in the cloud.
I agree that many students have better technology either at home or in their pockets than most schools can offer, but a school that starts now with laying the groundwork for a 1:1 will have a more successful structure than a school that allows the structure to form organically.
Nice post.
For those of you who don’t have the funds or resources for 1:1 computing, there are other options available.
I’d like to suggest that you try moving the computers to the kids, and then having them work in cooperative groups to complete tasks based on problem-solving and critical thinking using technology. It is based on the Inspired Classroom model, which came out of Irving, Texas in 2000, and uses the resources my county provides (3 desktop computers and Internet access). My students have to collaborate to complete the assigned tasks, and then have to present their work in some way. By working in groups, they can support each other and challenge each other. It helps me differentiate instruction and provide highly-engaging lessons.
If you’d like to learn more about the model, feel free to see my website: http://sites.google.com/site/inteched/
I am from a very small school where there are maybe 2 computer labs on the whole campus. Even though that our school didn’t have the equipment need for 1:1 interaction, I would bet that 75% of the students at that school had a computer or laptop they could bring to class. I think the parents would jump at the opportunity to get their children these needs for class if it was required. Parents want their children to well in school, and if technology gets more affordable then I think the majority of parents would buy a laptop for their children.