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From John Mikton ES Information Technology Specialist

The vision, from my personal perspective, as facilitator of the program, and an assessment of the situation at the Elementary school is: the Gr.4 and Gr. 5  laptop  programs were born from a need for greater access to computers, a desire for a more immediate, and mobile tool to facilitate the integration of technology in the classroom. A developing belief by a group of teachers who at different levels, believe education technology as a critical part of their day and an essential tool in the students learning process. This tool available daily in integration with the classroom content, accessible at different levels/locations with multiple learning outcomes. Thus creating an environment which simulates an aspect of the reality of the digital  world for our students.

Advantages a personal view:

I think when one thinks of laptops there are a few immediate advantages that come to mind. From my readings and personal experience these revolve around some of the following points:

The flexibility and mobility of laptops increases access time
They tend to be lightweight-thus mobile
Can easily be moved around the classroom
Give you the option of being wireless
Being able to have them in class away from a lab setting- time management factor
Portable on field trips
One can get instant access to information (wireless or internet connected laptops)
Access in class to multiple online resources, search engines, encyclopedias and discussion groups
Participate in virtual communities
Ability to communicate and research at multiple levels
File sharing and ease of transferring information from one machine to another
Ability to do group work and collaborative projects on multiple tasks
Digital brainstorming, outlining and presentations can be generated within classroom walls
Note taking, webbing which then can be shared immediately
Data processing, analysis; incorporating online databases and spreadsheets
Student with data processing can immediately check their results and develop immediate in class analysis

The most important for me  is the factor that students develop through this process greater ownership and responsibility in their learning which results in greater self confidence in their academic capabilities!

As an educator an important set of factors come into play with laptops use in my opinion, some of these are..

greater ability to share, communicate and access students files or vice versa teacher assignments
ability to display and demonstrate learning using a TV monitor or projector in class accessing
internet, live feeds , news events or geographic location
ability to quickly use real world simulations or live captions for modeling lesson content
Flexibility to move machine to and from school

Caring.......

This is to me a wonderful opportunity and challenge to instill in students a sense of personal responsibility, care for machinery and a chance to develop some excellent management skills. A fact is laptops break, especially when knocked off desks, in a split drink on a desk, left under reading center cushions, or between the pillows of the sofa.
This whole process of care becomes a critical learning process for each student and teacher, as new set of behaviors, movement, expectations, and storage issues become part of the classroom day.

On the issue of security, as we will be using a lockable cart...I feel many of the main concerns are addressed by the use of this. There is the issue of during the day, especially at recess and lunch making sure kids fall into a routine of putting the laptops away in the cart and locking this, and maybe through a rotation system, one student becomes responsible to manage this process.

Facilitating good habits in desktop management ( folder, files, saving, finding, organizing and managing) becomes crucial especially as these will be shared between 115 students. The time spent coaching and modeling and reviewing these skills are a great opportunity to have students become proficient in an important skill which needs to be reinforced continually.

Communication... with the laptops a whole new host of communication opportunities become available. E-mail, moving homework and assignment back and forth from home to school, ask an expert, pen pals, inter-class communications to name a few.

In conclusion:

The common goal (a series of case studies attest to this http/www.microsoft.com/education/aal/default.asp and http://horizon.unc.edu/TS/default.asp?show=article&id=39 )is is to developed seamless integration within the classroom day where the laptop is just a tool in the learning process and not a means to itself. An important aspect for me is the need for students through the process of learning how to use these laptops ( maintenance, desktop management, application integration into work and research skills)  to be engaged in the thinking process of these different learning's, to be able to problem-solve and support  their peers, work independently or in groups and develop a high level of self sufficiency. All keys to surviving in our digital age.

June 13, 2004
Contact:G.Ward
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Program Created and Designed by John Mikton