Laptops for All: Using Technology to Go Beyond Traditional Curriculum

Furger, R. (2001). Laptops for All: Using Technology to Go Beyond Traditional
       Curriculum. Edutopia. Retrieved from:http://www.edutopia.org/laptops-all

Summary:

This article focuses on Mott Hill, a math, science, and technology academy in New York Community School District Six.  Mott Hill has grades 4 though 8, and primarily serves Hispanic Students.  What makes Mott HIll unique? It has an experimental technology program where every student is outfitted with a laptop!  The program started in 1996, when a class of 5th graders received laptops.  The program was so successful, that by 1999, every kid in the school had their own school computer. Teachers have integrated the laptops into their lessons-- students use them to conduct science experiments, to construct spreadsheets in Excel for math class, and to create digital photo albums to use as portfolios. While skeptical at first, teachers quickly saw how useful laptops could be as an educational tool.  Laptops also allow educators more freedom-- for example, an English class was reading a story about a kite and the teacher spontaneously decided that she wanted to do a unit on kites.  So, she simply had her students research how to build a kite on the internet, and away they went.  Laptops truly are a powerful educational tool.

Reaction:

Overall, the article was informative, but dated.  While it was interesting to read about how laptops could shape education, I have already experienced this.  During my senior year of high school, my school adopted a program similar to the one mentioned in the article.  While there was a lot of potential for lessons, our teachers never did anything more inventive than "Google ______". Additionally, the laptops were mainly used by students to surf and play games.  Perhaps at a school like Mott Hill, where most children do not already have access to computers, this program could be really effective.  In a wealthy suburban district? Maybe not as much.