11/27/07 Meeting: Enhancing Student Learning

During today's meeting we watched video clips authored by schools and districts that have implemented 1:1 initiatives. In these videos, students, teachers, and administrators shared their thoughts on how their 1:1 laptop environments have enhanced and transformed student learning. Here are some of the recurring ideas we encountered about how 1:1 laptop environments enhance student learning:

• student-centered classrooms;
• teacher as coach/facilitator;
• students engaged in producing knowledge; ownership of knowledge -- not just the information;
• real learning, real-world connections;
• enables differentiated instruction;
• immediate exploration and development of understanding result in deeper understanding;
• students have pride of ownership of laptops;
• students have their own workspace, studios;
• empowering for students

Do you want to share more information about one of these ideas based on the video clip you watched? Does one of these ideas strike you as most important for enhancing student learning? Other? What are your thoughts?

Why a 1:1 Laptop Program @ Pollard?

One of the things that I have learned so far in my study of 1:1 is that schools must first have a clear idea of the rationale and goals of a 1:1 program. With that in mind, I would really like us to focus on WHY we want a 1:1 program. What do we want and hope students will gain from a 1:1 program?

Think about the articles we have read so far as well as the discussions we have had and then post an entry of what you think is important for Pollard students to gain. Start your entry with the statement:

A 1:1 laptop program is important for Pollard students because....

Our thinking around this issue will continue to develop and evolve over the course of the year. I look forward to your comments.

Readings for November 8th Meeting

After reading the introduction to Pamela Livingston's book 1-TO-1 Learning: Laptop Programs That Work, these are some ideas/statements that stood out as "jumping off points" for comment.

• Digital assistants (computers, PDAs) are different than "tools". Tools typically support one activity whereas digital assistants support broader thinking and learning.
• Digital assistants have more functionality than a Swiss Army knife.
• The world requires flexible, adaptable synthesizers of information to solve problems, connect ideas, make decisions, etc.
• Today's students are innately multi-taskers ("Millenials" - born between 1982 and 2000) and teachers are unitaskers. Should we hold students back and make them learn as we did?
• If we recognize and accept that students learn at their own pace, why are we asking them to wait for/share computers when we wouldn't think of asking them to share other resources/tools such as pencils, paper, books, etc.?
• Does genuine technology integration require 1:1 access?
• The two examples of "getting to thinking" faster mentioned by using digital assistants: Maine students studying the ships used by Christopher Columbus on his voyage to America and gathering and charting temperature data and getting to the "what ifs" of an increased temperature change.