Group items tagged

Blog post on ZDNET on the One Laptop Per Child program in Peru, and how it is not achieving the results desired/expected. From the article: "Why such results? The IDB concluded that OLPC does not provide enough guidance for teachers to show students how to effectively use the computers in class - and so the next item on the agenda should be improving teacher training"

From Portland, ME - school-provided technology devices (in this case, laptops) will be filtered at home as well as at school.  This represents a policy shift for a state that pioneered 1:1.

interesting advent in the digital textbook market - Discovery's Techbooks. iBooks competitor? From the article: Discovery's Techbook series is cloud-based, meaning students can access the materials from wherever they have an internet connection; the company says that's because not all school districts have the funds to give every student his or her own device. The Techbooks are also platform-agnostic to work with whatever hardware a district or student might have-iPads, tablets, mobile devices, laptops, or desktops.

From the article: "Why not let kids use the tech tools they're already familiar with to enhance their learning? But as schools try to figure out the best way of transitioning to this new world, some thorny issues must first be sorted out. How do teachers and school systems prepare for all the different platforms, when some kids are bringing in tablets, others are bringing their parents' old laptops, and the remainder are on mobile phones? And what effect does this change have on the dynamics of a classroom?"

From the post: "One challenge teachers face is requiring and enabling every student an equal opportunity to ask and respond to questions during class. A new web-based classroom tool called GoSoapBox is one possible solution to this problem. With GoSoapBox, students can simultaneously interact with the class in real time as well as participating with any Internet connected device. I am currently accessing GoSoapBox with my classroom set of iPod Touches; however, the app will run on laptops, notebooks, iPads or other mobile devices."

A convertible ultrabook - like the Classmate PC, only a bit less rugged

From the article: South Forsyth High School in Georgia made the leap to BYOT in 2009 and saw the number of discipline referrals for technology abuse drop dramatically, principal Jason Branch said. In its first year of BYOT, the school had four discipline referrals for technology abuse, after amassing 400 over the previous two years. Instead of working to subvert tech barriers, students were protecting their privilege with what Branch called a "mutual respect and instructional understanding between teachers and students." Sion made its leap trusting students - and trusting teachers. "We have to change the way we teach," said Sion world history teacher Beth Ingram. "Our concept of what knowledge is is changing.

The following documentation is designed to help both parents and teachers to guide students with the appropriate use of their technology. Just click on each of the links in blue listed below to see more. All students must complete the Digital Driver's License requirements before taking their laptops home.

Fullerton School District receives letter from ACLU raising legal issues concerning the Laptops for Learning program

Please explore the resources compiled on this site, and join the discussion on changing instruction, empowering students and challenging our schools to explore new ways of teaching and learning. Check out our One-to-One Symposium Videos! View a Quality Example of Project Based Learning