Laptop Computers: School Utilization and Student Achievement :: essays papers

laptop Computers School Utilization and Student AchievementIt has become all in like manner evident in todays society that there is a need for a quality, successful education system. The need for skills in engineering argon also obvious. Schools crosswise the nation are now attempt to achieve both of these goals by providing a laptop computer to distri exactlyively student. Principal John Kozusko, an administrator at one such(prenominal) school claims, Its like a world apart. Its changed the way learners teachthe way they think about kids. (Chute, 2000 4) According to Speaker Rick Johnson of the bread House of Representatives, Students shake progressed from learning about computers to learning from them. (Johnson, 2003,18) This paper allow examine how laptops are being utilized in schools and the effect that they have on student achievement.ParticipationThe movement to use laptop computers to give up a first-rate education to all students has quickly been spreading across the nation. Throughout the United States, Microsoft has counted more than 125,000 students and teachers at 800 schools participating in such courses. (Chute, 2000) In researching this topic, I have found documentation of programs in dim-witted schools, middle schools, and high schools in a number of different states. These states overwhelm, but are not limited to, New York, Maine, Pennsylvania, California, Michigan, and Texas.Some schools fund the program on their own, often starting with a pilot program and expanding as funds become available. (Seeing is, nd) Others collaborate with corporations such as Microsoft and Netschools. (Chute, 2000) Additional supporting has come from sources such as business donations, personal monies, federal funds, and mystify money. (Corcoran, 2002)Laptop UsageThe cases described throughout this paper all include schools that provided laptops for students and/or teachers so that the student to computer ratio was 11. As stated ab ove, for some schools this was done with a pilot group, while other schools provided computers to all students. Students are then required to bring their laptop to class, piss to use, just as they must bring their textbooks, pencils, and other necessary materials. (Chute, 2000) They are also responsible for charging the battery for their computer and transporting their computer to and from school on a daily basis. How the computer is equipped varies depending on the make of the computer and the operating system and firewalls set up by the schools.