A Computer for Every Child

JUSTIN SYMINGTON THINKS ONE-TO-ONE computing works. But that wasn’t always the case.

At first, having every child with a computer at his or her desk took some getting used to, but Symington, who teaches humanities at Miami’s Palmer Trinity School, adapted quickly and now incorporates technology into nearly all his lessons. Students surf the Web to conduct research. They build timelines using paint and word processing software. And, when they’re done with in-class assignments, they can turn them in via e-mail.

“We do plenty of traditional stuff, but the technology gives us the freedom to build a course that’s more interactive, dynamic and up-to-date,” Symington says. “When you give kids exercises where there’s creativity and control over their own work, the results are so much better.”

The concept of one computer per child, called one-to-one computing, is an educational experiment that’s becoming standard practice as schools adopt it throughout the nation. Proponents say one-to-one programs boost academic achievement by improving writing and reading test scores and get students more engaged in learning, which reduces tardiness and absenteeism and increases graduation rates.

This latest technology initiative moves beyond previous efforts in which schools built standalone computer labs or invested in mobile computer carts that teachers would borrow for class on occasion. With one-to-one computing, students are equipped with notebook computers, Tablet PCs or personal digital assistants, and they use them every school day. That approach encourages teachers to embrace technology and to overhaul their teaching methods.

Dealing With the Ripple Effect

Once schools commit to one-to-one computing, however, it creates a ripple effect that touches not only students and teachers, but also administrators and IT staff members, who must manage the program, provide professional development training to teachers and offer technical support to hundreds, sometimes thousands, of additional computers. Even parents aren’t immune. If their children attend private schools, they must buy or lease the computers.

But the benefits of the initiative far outweigh any drawbacks, school officials and IT staff members say, while admitting that it takes a lot of planning and hard work for it to succeed.

“There’s a huge learning curve,” explains Robert Lundgren, director of finance and operations at Palmer Trinity, a private school that requires middle school and high school students to own their own notebook PCs. “Every school that has started this program has had its bumps and bruises.

“The trick is to not reinvent the wheel. It’s important to talk to other schools and learn from their experiences.”

Palmer Trinity launched its one-to-one computer program about five years ago to ensure that its students developed the needed tech skills to succeed in their future careers.

Palmer Trinity students begin learning the basics of computers and Microsoft Office programs in sixth grade, so by the time they enter the eighth grade, they have mastered the fundamentals, Symington says. That allows teachers to take it to the next level by having students use certain applications, such as PowerPoint, to complete assignments. It’s no longer about learning the computer, but rather about building on their knowledge by incorporating various software applications to complete their assignments, he explains.

Palmer Trinity continues to be on the cutting edge and is considering whether to eliminate its print textbooks and have the students access them on their computers, either online or with CD-ROMs, Lundgren says. Online or CD versions of textbooks are updated frequently and offer students interactive features, such as video and audio.

And the movement is spreading. Three years ago, Maine spent about $37 million to equip 36,000 seventh-and eighth-grade students and teachers with notebook computers. So far, the program is successful: More than 80 percent of the teachers surveyed say that their students are more engaged in learning and produce better quality work, and more than 70 percent of the teachers say the computers have helped them meet curriculum requirements more effectively.

In the four years since Henrico County Public Schools in Virginia began giving notebook PCs to its 25,000 middle school and high school students, SAT scores have improved, dropout rates have plummeted and more graduates are attending college.

Last year, Texas began a pilot project in nearly two dozen middle schools. And this spring, Cobb County School District in Georgia is exploring whether to outfit 63,000 middle school and high school students and teachers with notebook computers.

In the future, handheld computers will be just another supply that children will bring to school, predicts Marcia Proctor, state technology planning coordinator for Texas’ Technology Planning and E-rate Support Center. “It will be no different than having a three-ring binder or a five-section spiral notebook,” Proctor says.

Investing in Training

For one-to-one computing to work, schools first need to sell the idea to teachers and to parents whose children attend private school because these two groups will feel the biggest impact: teachers from changes to classroom instruction methods and parents through their wallets, says Stewart Crais, the director of technology and media services for Lausanne Collegiate School. At this private school in Memphis, Tenn., parents are required to purchase notebook computers for their children.

“You have to prepare them and do a lot of public relations,” he cautions.

Schools also need to invest in ample professional development training for teachers, or else the effort will fail, Crais adds. His school provides in-house training for teachers, and also sends them to educational conferences.

At Palmer Trinity School, Symington understands that teachers initially may be hesitant about using computers as a teaching tool. But he says they need to keep an open mind and remember that one-to-one computing results in a better education for students.

“As teachers, we should not be afraid to try different teaching techniques,” Symington says. “We tell kids, ‘Don’t be afraid of failing, experimenting and going out on a limb.’ Teachers need to do the same thing.”

His advice to teachers is, “Don’t be afraid to jump in and do an Internet lesson. You might not have a great lesson the first time, but you can do it better the next time.”

Palmer Trinity, which offers teacher training several times a year, adds another incentive for faculty to integrate computers into their classes. Use of computers is now a part of teachers’ performance reviews, says Gus Sabogal, Palmer Trinity’s network administrator. “You can’t have a teacher who’s not willing to push the program, or else it won’t be effective,” he explains.

Participation Is Critical

IT departments must take part in the planning and decision-making process, Sabogal points out. When Palmer Trinity decided to implement its one-to-one project, the IT staff had to scramble in order to get the school’s technology infrastructure ready.

To handle the extra workload, the IT department increased the number of servers from three to 11 and built wireless networks throughout the school. Sabogal and his staff created user names and passwords for every student, along with e-mail addresses and network folders, so students can store their documents.

The school’s electrician even had to redesign classrooms because there weren’t enough electrical outlets in each room to handle the number of notebook computers, he recalls.

It’s important to make the computer program hassle-free for parents, adds Lundgren. To achieve that goal, Palmer Trinity manages the entire program, from selling and leasing the notebooks to repairing them when they break.

Before every school year, the school chooses a notebook to standardize on and negotiates the best deal available from the PC manufacturer. The school then buys the notebooks and resells or leases them to parents. A two-year lease costs about $1,800, including insurance for theft or damage, Lundgren says.

The IT staff sets up each computer before handing it over to a student, so everyone has the same package of software installed. The school also increased its IT staff from two to five people to handle repairs and provide help desk support.

“You need to provide a means to repair the computers,” Sabogal advises. “You can’t expect parents to take them to a repair shop on their own.”

Few Drawbacks, Many Gains

Palmer Trinity’s Symington does see a few drawbacks to having computers on every child’s desk. He’s developed a keen eye for catching kids who Web surf or instant message during class. And the wireless network sometimes goes down, forcing him to revamp his lesson to exclude Internet research.

“When the network is having issues, it slows everything up, but the headaches created by the system don’t come close to all the benefits you gain from it,” he says.

Fifth-grade teacher Jennifer Jones agrees. Her students at Liberty Magnet School in Sebastian, Fla., are on their notebook PCs every day, using Microsoft Office for in-class assignments and taking computer-based reading tests after they finish reading books.

“It has broadened everything as far as research and teaching them at an early age how to use spreadsheet and presentation software,” Jones says. “I really believe they’re getting a head start on everything.”

The biggest benefit, Palmer Trinity’s Sabogal says, is that students can take the computers home—making them a learning tool that’s always available.

“They can reach the entire world without restrictions,” Sabogal says. “They’re not limited by the hours of the school day or the four walls of the school building.”

This capability is vital to students, teachers and the school itself. “It's critical for us to be on the cutting edge of technology,” says Sean Murphy, head of Palmer Trinity School. “We prepare graduates to succeed at the university level and contribute positively to an ever-changing—and increasingly wired—world.”