Why+One+to+One?

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 * Why 1-to-1?**

As U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spelling noted in a December 2006 speech to business leaders, “Technology can provide a platform to transform education to meet the demands of the 21st century. With education so crucial to our country's future, we must focus … energy, effort and investment into transforming this critical sector.” (U.S. Department of Education Press Release, December 12, 2006)

· One-to-One helps students stay organized and on track with their schoolwork. o Anytime access to all learning materials and assignments helps students stay organized and study more efficiently. These benefits go beyond preventing lost homework and keeping track of grades: students can use their computers to customize their personal learning environment, making connections and organizing the parts and processes in a way that makes the most sense to them. This is one of the most powerful educational benefits a lone-to-one: everything is easily accessible, personally organized, and instantly available—anytime and anywhere. In their study of laptop programs, Rockman et al (2000, p. 61) found that laptop-using students almost universally felt that they were more organized and kept track of their schoolwork better with the help of laptops: § Laptop students felt that computers helped them keep their work organized they felt they didn’t lose their work when it was all on their own computers. Source: 1-to-1 Learning: Laptop Programs that Work – Pamela Livingston (2006, p. 60)
 * Using my computer makes me more organized – 85% agree**

According to a 2006 survey cited by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills organization, nearly 70 percent of human resources executives said that high school graduates fall short in critical thinking skills. Eighty-one percent believe high school graduates are deficient in written communications. · Laptops are valuable tools for helping students improve writing. · The writing process is more collaborative, iterative, and social in computer classrooms as compared with paper-and-pencil environments. For educational leaders questioning whether computers should be used to help students develop writing skills, the results of the meta-analyses suggest that, on average, students who use computers when learning to write are not only more engaged and motivated in their writing, but they produce written work that is of greater length and higher quality. · When students write with computers, they engage in the revising of their work throughout the writing process, more frequently share and receive feedback from their peers, and benefit from teacher input earlier in the writing process.
 * I write more when I use my computer – 68% agree**

Source: Amie Goldberg, Michael Russell & Abigail Cook - The Journal of Technology, Learning, and Assessment - Volume 2, Number 1 · February 2003

· Nearly half of dropouts said the main reason they dropped out was because classes were not interesting. They reported being bored and disengaged from school. · More than 80 percent said their chances of staying in school would have increased if classes were more interesting and provided opportunities for real-world learning. Source: **The Silent Epidemic:** **//Perspectives of High School Dropouts//** A report by Civic Enterprises in association with Peter D. Hart Research Associates for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation By: John M. Bridgeland John J. DiIulio, Jr. Karen Burke Morison March 2006
 * I am more interested in my schoolwork when I use my school computer – 78% of agree**

· Perhaps the most frequently mentioned goal for implementing any teaching and learning strategy is student engagement. One of the most consistent findings related to student achievement over the past 50 years is that student engagement—often described as a mix of involvement, perseverance, effort, and attitude—is one of the most powerful factors affecting achievement. Source: Newmann, Fred, ed. (1992) Student Engagement and Achievement in American Secondary Schools. Teachers College Press. New York. · The impact of engagement on achievement has also been demonstrated to be the same for students at every ability level. An increase in student engagement is the most frequently documented outcome in qualitative studies completed on 1 to 1 programs. Source: **1 to 1 learning: A review and analysis by the Metiri Group**
 * Teachers who believe that students are more engaged in their work when technology is involved - 70%**


 * Teachers that reported feeling that, at least to some extent, students are better behaved in class now that they have their laptops. - 52%**

· Displays of behavior problems and poor academic progress by children with severe behavior disorders, as well as difficult interactions with parents can place a tremendous demand on teachers. For instance, loss of control and time taken away from instruction to deal with behavior problems have a dramatic impact on a teacher’s job, self-esteem and job satisfaction (Jenson, Reavis & Rhode, 1998). Student behavior problems and teacher frustration particularly in the middle schools are such that Tobin & Sugai (1996) suggest that more resources are needed to determine which students need additional services and what type of services.

Given the seriousness of these behaviors, teachers are spending disproportionately more time on behavior problems that take away from instructions, compromising learning for both the student with behavior difficulties and the rest of the class.

Source: The Challenges of Managing Student Behavior Problems in the Classroom (**Authors:** [|Abebe, Solomon]; [|Hailemariam, Assegedech]) Date: 2007-02-10


 * Several researchers have focused on the link between technology access and use and student behavior. Barron, Hogarty, Kromery, and Lenkway (1999) examined the impact of the number of computers in use per student on student conduct in schools throughout Florida. As the number of computers increased, middle schools experienced fewer conduct violations and disciplinary actions. Aeby, Powell, and Carpenter-Aeby (1999-2000) examined the effects of a computerized curriculum upon the psychosocial and academic outcomes of students identified as chronically disruptive. Students’ selfesteem improved through use of the curriculum. An evaluation of the North Carolina Laptop Notebook Project revealed a strong correlation between computer use and improved attendance. Students participating in the laptop program had fewer absences and late arrivals as compared to nonparticipants (Stevenson, 1998). In Henrico County Public Schools in Virginia, the research team uncovered preliminary evidence showing increased student motivation, engagement, interest, and selfdirected learning (Zucker & McGee, 2005). Other notable studies have also demonstrated a decrease in discipline problems linked to one-to-one computing (Baldwin, 1999; MEPRI, 2003).

· Success nourishes motivation and motivation makes further success more likely…The neurodevelopmental systems require constant exercise if they are to stay in good shape. Such persistent use in partly dependent upon motivation to learn, that is, a willingness to absorb and endure the risks that go with new and ever more demanding brain challenges. Source: A Mind at a Time – Mel Levine (2002, p. 263)
 * I do better work when I use my computer at school – 78% agree**
 * I understand my schoolwork better when I use my computer – 71% agree**

· With 1-to-1 real time is available for students to go beyond teacher- or textbook-generated lessons and activities and seek out their own sources of information and learning. Laptops are a great enabling tool for project-based learning and other constructivist practices.

Teachers know what a difference student motivation can make in the classroom. 1-to-1 empowers students and gives them a more active role in choosing what and how they study, resulting in better study behavior and improved learning outcomes. Source: 1-to-1 Learning: Laptop Programs that Work – Pamela Livingston (2006, P. 60)