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Hi T561- a bit old, but an international perspective on the inequality of technology access across the globe. This article links in with the TIE list discussions about the One Laptop Per Child effort as well. If we want to use technology to break down international barriers, like Dede's "Microsoft of the future" film, we have to address the issue of accessibility, both across the globe and within our own student population.

"Governments and OEM partners in many emerging markets have canceled orders for Intel-promoted Classmate PCs, or have asked to suspend shipments, according to Taiwan-based component makers." Classmate PCs = Ultra-small, ultra-cheap laptops intended for use in classrooms of developing nations.

Challenging the classic infrastructure of workstations, laptops, and wires with mobile wireless broadband devices

More than 70,000 school-age children wake up each morning for class and walk as far as the nearest Web-enabled gadget. If that's an iPad or laptop, they may not even need to leave their bed.

beyond laptops to other forms of mobile devices

Detroit public schools made its science curriculum digital this school year through a partnership with Discovery Education. They don't mention whether students have access to their own laptop or other mobile devices.

The distraction of technology, especially mobile phone and computer, has always been a concern to us. When I was in middle school, few students owned cellphones or laptops. So we have no chance to be immersed in the virtual world. But apparently we couldn't enjoy the benefits of the latest technology either at that time. If I were able to choose, I would definitely choose the colorful school life which is enriched by the various technologies.

A professor of logic and metaphysics suggests that IPods, BlackBerrys, and laptops can be seen as extensions of our minds -- "bio-external elements in an extended cognitive process."

Conflicting attitudes toward students who "multi-task" with mobile devices in classroom. "All the advances schools and colleges have made to supposedly enhance learning - supplying students with laptops, equipping computer labs, creating wireless networks - have instead enabled distraction. Perhaps attendance records should include a new category: present but otherwise engaged."

My Wife's friend is a principal in this district. I am still incredulous at the fact that schools can require students to use electronic textbooks without providing laptops or e-readers to each student. But then again, where would the money come from? On a related note, the federal government seems to be sinking an awful lot of money into solar energy, despite the fact that a lot of these companies are folding. Wouldn't education be a better investment?

Stephen, In my opinion, the government is not sinking enough money into renewable energy. I am sure we have 'sunk' much more money into education over the last few decades and continue to do so. I don't think it is an either/ or.

What is lost and gained when schools save money by purchasing netbooks rather than laptops?

Was just going to post this also. The Acer mentioned though is one of the absolute cheapest notebooks one can get. Not sure that it was the best comparison. There are some netbooks that have amazing battery life (8+ hours) in the sub $350 range. If the article's point is about resource intensive apps like video, it should also clearly point out that the acer's battery will die out well before a similarly priced netbook from samsung.

Another example of a one-to-one laptop program in schools. Interesting to think of this from the standpoints of the various stakeholders, and how awesome is it that we have so many representatives in our classroom alone - teachers, parents, siblings, caregivers, researchers, and of course, publishers :-) Sally Ryan for The New York Times MUNSTER, Ind. - Laura Norman used to ask her seventh-grade scientists to take out their and flip to Page Such-and-Such. Now, she tells them to take out their laptops.

There were two recent articles in NYTimes on use of technology with opposing view. While one article proposes replacing textbooks with laptops, the other school "doesn't compute." This article takes a middle path, a balanced used of technology in our schools. The author argues that computer cannot replace books, technology cannot replace a teacher, writing, or discussion. Technology is a tool to enrich the material and agument a curriculum.

Interesting topic! One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) founder Nicholas Negroponte plans to airdrop tablet computers in remote villages and then come back a year later to see how it worked. Remember the movie "The Gods Must be Crazy" or the story of "Hole in the wall" in India? Here is the link (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2_CjRbZ5EI)

A heads up for any one who is interested in EmTech, the premier conference focused on emerging technologies and their impact.

They also have a session on Emerging Technology in Education--second to last day, I think. edX, One-laptop-per-child, Institute of Play will be represented.

Other than equipping students with both iPads and laptops and teaching digital citizenship, it seems like the same old preservationist classrooms with new gadgets

A disappointing return from an investment in computing

Quick BBC audio segment about the experiences of 2 Ethiopian villages with OLPC's new tablets

This is a truly dumb set of definitions that of course are being widely publicized by the media (sigh)

"Social Learning: Using social media as part of class. Who said that Twitter was just for Justin Bieber?"

I have revisited this over and over - but each time I realize that no, I'm not hallucinating. They do indeed endorse 1:1 laptop/iPad, as they are "way cooler than stickers." Obviously, they don't have access to the right stickers.