Schools across Wisconsin are launching one-to-one technology programs that put an iPad, laptop or other device in the hands of every student.
In the Oconto Falls School District, seventh-grade students at Washington Middle School were the first to be issued laptops that are incorporated into daily lessons.
“It’s a great supplemental tool to help out the textbooks,” Principal Lou Hobyan said. “Kids can research the most current data for projects.”
The school purchased 140 Lenovo laptops for 123 students at a cost of $825 each. Parents pay $60 a year to cover warranty costs. The total cost for the project, including the carrying cases, was $119,000.
Students received their laptops and carrying cases at the start of the school year and are responsible for keeping track of their new learning tool.
Seventh-graders in the coming years will be issued new laptops as part of a leasing program with the district. When the students reach their sophomore year, they will receive new laptops to use until graduation.
At the end of each school year, the laptops will be returned to the school to be updated, refurbished or repaired before being checked out again at the beginning of the next school year.
“These are different from anything we’ve ever purchased before,” Superintendent Dave Polashek said. “They’re made more durable for school use.”
Hobyan said the one-to-one program was considered after the school began looking for alternatives to its existing computers.
“We were looking to replace what we had in the computer lab. Some (computers) were old and breaking,” he said.
Hobyan met with staff members to discuss possibilities, and they compared laptops to tablets before choosing laptops as the better choice for meeting the needs of students.
Students can take their laptops home, and while the school has filters in place for Internet use, school officials cannot monitor what students access at home.
“It’s very easy for parents to check the laptops to see what sites their student goes on,” Hobyan said.
Students are unable to download programs from the Internet to the laptop.
While parents or siblings are allowed to help the seventh-grade students with homework, they do not have permission to use the laptops themselves.
Students vary in their enthusiasm for the computers.
“I like it. It’s easier to use than the computers in the lab,” Jacob Watson said.
“I like typing more than writing. My hand doesn’t get as tired,” Shelby Salamonski added.
Aaron Gonnering said the laptops are nice to use for homework and playing games, but he wished they were full-sized laptops instead of smaller versions.
“I don’t like them,” Mathew Kutska said. “You have to make sure they’re charged every day. It’s an extra thing to carry around. Some of the websites you need to get on for school, at home you can’t get on.”
Teachers like the change, because it provides students with a way to write and submit assignments online.
“Students are improving typing skills,” said Cindy Cho, seventh-grade reading teacher. “I pair students up that sit across the room from each other, and they have to communicate to each other by typing.”
Seventh-grade English teacher Joann Peters said there are a few glitches, and teachers spend time teaching basic computer skills.
Hobyan said an added benefit is students can complete state-required testing in the classroom instead of the computer lab. This frees up time in the lab for other students.
Polashek said the district also saves on its electric bill.
“A small benefit to the district is that the students charge the laptops at home, which does save energy to some extent,” he said.
Ameresco, a Massachusetts-based consulting and construction managing firm, contracted with the district to pursue energy efficiency in the district. The district planned to replace approximately 500 aging computer monitors with flat screens, and Ameresco helped the district redirect money to the one-to-one laptop program.
With the progress in technology, students may soon bring their own devices, such as smart phones, to school. If this happens, money in the school budget for maintaining computer labs will be freed up for other programs, like laptop purchasing, school officials said.
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