Laptop Computers in the K-12 Classroom

Author:  Yvonne Belanager

By MaryAnn Avelar-Flores

 

In the past decade, many schools K-12 have looked into the benefits of using laptop computers in the classroom.  The concern by many schools over the equity to access to technology (The Digital Divide) have make laptop programs increasingly more attraction.  The newer user-friendly laptop computers are now more durable, easier to use programs and some also include theft-deterrent technology to the possibilities of theft, vandalism, and accidental damage. 

 

Emergence of Laptops in Schools

The technology corporations are promoting the use of laptops in K-12 education, by providing hardware packages for schools, and in some cases, software and technical support.  One of the most high-profile programs began by Microsoft Corporation and Toshiba is known as Anytime Anywhere Learning (ALL) Program.

 

Transition of Laptops

The ALL program published a report known as the Rockman Report where they identified five different models used in school K-12 where laptops were used their school through Microsoft’s ALL program.  The five programs identified were:

• Concentrated:  Where each student has his or her own laptop for use at home or in school.  Advantage is that teachers are free to integrate technology fully into instruction as well as assignments because students have access to computers for homework, study and projects.
• Class set laptops:  School purchased classroom sets and was shared among classroom teachers.  Advantage is teachers are free to integrate laptops during the school day; however, some students within the same class will still lack access to a computer at home.
• Dispersed laptops in any given classroom:  There are students with and without laptops.  Advantage and disadvantage are the same as those with the class-set laptops.

·        Desktop laptops in classroom.  Each classroom is permanently assigned a few laptops for students to share.  Advantages are that students working on a computer-based project during the school day may be allowed to take the laptop home to complete the class assignment and also teachers are better able to reconfigure their classroom setup to suit their technology integration needs

• Mixed:  Which means a combination of any of the above models.  The advantages would be as mentioned above.

 

Potentials of any of the above models has instructional benefits not otherwise available including the ease of implementation of technology school curriculum; however the primary advantage of laptop computers over desktop computers is the opportunity for all student to have access to a computer both during and outside of the school day.

 

Classroom Experience

The advantages of working with laptops are numerous.  Research was shown:

• Students using laptops use them to facilitate group work, analyze data immediately during a lab exercise, or to conduct scientific investigation in the field rather than in the classroom.
• Students use it for writing activities, student projects and presentations.
• Create spreadsheets to solve math homework problems
• Create book reports that inspire creativity with presentation software
• Students turn in assignment via floppy disks or connected to school network, and save their work to a central file server for the teacher to review, add comments, and leave for student to retrieve later.

 

Does Research Support the Use of Laptops?

Several studies indicate the use of laptops benefit students.  Some of the benefits noted include:

• Increased student motivation
• Shift toward more student-centered classroom environment
• Better school attendance
• Sustained level of academic achievement
• Increase in both cooperative learning and project-based instruction
• Academic benefits were most significant with the at-risk student population

Research into the educational use of laptop has only just begun. Very few K-12 schools have had laptops long enough to really measure the long-term effect of the impact of laptops on student achievement.

 

Summary

Laptops may not ever be as common as the calculator in the classroom because of cost, technical support needs, security and equitable access, however, many schools remain positive and enthusiastic about the benefits that their students can derive from access to portable computers.  Research has shown that the use of laptops in education increase student motivation and created more student-centered classroom, which encourages higher student achievement.

 

Opinion on Article

This article shows how technology in education helps students’ motivation and student achievement in all levels of education.  However, despite the creative educational possibilities and promises that the laptop computer may bring the greatest obstical to computer access is the added cost of hardware, network costs, technical support considerations, and faculty training.  Even with the partnerships between schools and nonprofit organizations and corporations to help offset the cost, ultimately the parents share the expense with the schools.  For this reason the use of laptops in schools may worsen technology inequities among students families who are unable to assume the cost placed upon them.  Consequently, the gap between the most high risk students and the general population will increase instead of decrease.

 

Article Reference:

Belanger, Yvonne.  “Laptop Computers in the K-12 Classroom.”  ERIC Clearinghouse on Information and Technology.  Syracuse, NY. Publication Date: 2000-05-00. ERIC Identifier: ED440644.  http://www.ed.gov/databases/ERIC_Digests/ed440644.html