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| Posted by: Dan Maas |
11/8/2007 7:29 PM |
The results are coming in. Maine's 1:1 laptop program is raising writing performance, even on paper and pencil tests. The study is showing that kids write more, write better and perform better on tests after having laptops for their use in every class every day.
http://www.usm.maine.edu/cepare/
http://www.usm.maine.edu/cepare/Impact_on_Student_Writing_Brief.pdf
In our research project last year, we stated that research was showing this trend. We also pointed out that raising writing tends to raise achivement results in all other categories. Perhaps a stronger argument for getting every student access to cyberspace in every classroom, every day cannot be made.
http://lps-technology.wikispaces.com/21st+Century+Technologies
So the evidence is building to support the idea that giving kids access to technology does indeed raise achievement. For me, these results speak to what I have long believed. The computer is the most powerful knowledge tool ever invented. Why giving such a tool to learners could possibly be anything but beneficial is really beyond me. It bears stating again: We must give every student access to cyberspace in every classroom every day. |
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Re: Maine's 1:1 laptop raises writing performance |
By Chris Moore on
11/9/2007 7:03 AM |
| I would love to learn more about what the PD for teachers looks like. |
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Re: Maine's 1:1 laptop raises writing performance |
By maddief on
11/9/2007 1:08 PM |
| Technology is an important part of students' education. It is emerging a lot more in today's world, and if students are not taught how to use it, then they will be left behind. As crucial as it is to have technology in classrooms, why is it that laptops improve writing skills? |
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Re: Maine's 1:1 laptop raises writing performance |
By beckyg on
11/9/2007 1:30 PM |
| This statistics about Maine increasing their test scores greatly is intriguing. My English class has laptops for use in class. I think this really expands our horizons of learning, because we can access so much more information. If we had laptops in every class, it would greatly improve our learning, and the students would greatly appreciate it. Today, technology and computers are becoming a major part of the world. By giving students laptops for school, it would be further educating them of future needs. |
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Re: Maine's 1:1 laptop raises writing performance |
By KatherineM on
11/9/2007 5:22 PM |
| I feel that having laptops in class each day has definitely improved my writing skills. Because of laptops, we have access to so much valuable information! Also, when writing a paper in Microsoft Word, I am able to easily look up synonyms, which are really helping to expand my vocabulary. Having laptops in class will better prepare us for life after high school. |
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Re: Maine's 1:1 laptop raises writing performance |
By LeslieL on
11/10/2007 8:38 AM |
| I have been one of those students who have been given a laptop in Ms. Smith's honors English class, and I must admit, I feel like I've been learning much more in quite a few areas. However, I have also been caught in a situation where I don't know what to do without it. Laptops can help student learning, but it can't be responsible for teaching and helping us with everything, because if students became too dependent on them and over time, they were taken away for some reason, would schools know or remember what to do without them? The point I'm trying to make is that yes, access to cyberspace may be beneficial, but the students must also have the "old way" of completing their work. I think there should be a mixture of technology and no technology for the students in their classes. |
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Re: Maine's 1:1 laptop raises writing performance |
By chelseas on
11/10/2007 12:52 PM |
I am currently in a laptop class. I have grown in that I am much faster at typing than I used to be. In our class, we do a lot more projects that need to be typed. Our class is expected to go above and beyond the expectations, as compared to other classes in the school. Also, we as a class don’t interact nearly as much as a regular class would. We blog pretty much everything in this class, anywhere from discussions of the books, to our tests, to our opinions of the book we are reading at the present time.
We are expected to have things done in a timelier manner, and they usually have to be computer-generated.
I like using the laptops because if you have a question, or don’t understand the meaning, you can go and look it up online. This enhances our learning. This is my experience from using the laptops in class.
I think that having laptops in classes has really improved our overall learning. If we had laptops in most classes, it would be highly beneficial!!
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Re: Maine's 1:1 laptop raises writing performance |
By Kristinah on
11/10/2007 8:36 PM |
| I agree with what a couple of people have said in that access to cyberspace is a great thing to have and a very handy tool that can extend our learning, but we should have a mix between technology and nontechnology learning because even though technology is a growing thing in our world today and we are in a technological wave, we still have to learn through old ways for when we need them and dont have access to technology. I think that laptops may help improve test scores because we can extend out knowledge past the knowledge of our other classmates and past the knowledge of our teacher even if we aren't learning about that certain thing in class. We can personalize our learning at the drop of a hat. Anything that we want to learn more about, we can, right away. |
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Re: Maine's 1:1 laptop raises writing performance |
By Morgant on
11/10/2007 9:49 PM |
| I love using laptops in English class. I feel like I can get more done, or even go into more depth on certain things. On the other hand, when you manually write a paper, and make a mistake or want to go back and add more, you have to erase. Having a laptop in class does great things for me. However, doing things manually also is very beneficial. You most likely won't be using computers for everything you do later in life. So, like some others, I agree that it is better to have a mixture of both learning styles in class. |
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Re: Maine's 1:1 laptop raises writing performance |
By Ashle on
11/11/2007 9:50 AM |
| I like having laptops in class, but sometimes it gets too extream. Like when we are having discussions, some people get into a blog conversation. I just dotn like that computers are so destracting from real life. Computers are jsut another way to isolate ourselves. When people come to my house, i abdolutly refuse that they go on the computer because it will end up that they will spend hours on myspace and it's jsut stupid. And that's what happens in class during discussions, they jsut open up the laptop and dont engage. Im not saying that they are totally bad, it's nice when doign projects and you can jsut type up everything. Im just concerned that if laptops are used in all classes, it will all get out of hand. Also, like TV, computers are SO bad for your eyes and brain. My head can barely stand one hour in front of the conputer, let alone all day |
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Re: Maine's 1:1 laptop raises writing performance |
By Dan Maas on
11/11/2007 11:16 AM |
@ Student Commentators:
Thank you so much for your input! I am very interested to hear your perspectives and believe that the gist of what is being written here is that students generally want these tools, but that we also need to be careful that the technology does not interfere with relationships and learning. I agree:
Technology should extend and enhance human relationships, not replace them.
As with anything else, no technology is a silver bullet and anything done to excess is problematic.
Thank you for your good thinking!
-Dan Maas |
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Re: Maine's 1:1 laptop raises writing performance |
By mattf on
11/11/2007 1:05 PM |
| I am in a Language Arts class where we are supplied with laptops. We have access to so much stuff using laptops, we can conduct research to write papers, look up how to spell words and find synonyms of words. My writing has become noticeably better this year because of the laptops. I think Maine's 1:1 laptop policy is a very neat idea and if we were to do something similar in Littleton Public Schools, our writing would improve drastically. |
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Re: Maine's 1:1 laptop raises writing performance |
By AmandaH on
11/11/2007 1:34 PM |
| I am in a laptop class and I must say that having a laptop has increased my learning ability. Every now and then I find that I don't know what to do if I don't have my laptop. I think it is very nice to have laptops in class but when it comes to the point of being to dependent on them and forgeting how to do certain things without them then thats way to much technology. Being able to use technology and access cyberspace is useful in our learning but doing things manually is also beneficiary. There should be a balance of both to achieve the best learning technique. |
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Re: Maine's 1:1 laptop raises writing performance |
By MorganW on
11/11/2007 1:51 PM |
| At first when I heard that my English class was going to be an entirely laptop class I was excited. It was so different from anything I had ever had in my classes before and I was enthusiastic about trying it out. The more I got into the class, the more I got out of it. Laptops allowed me to not only do my English homework whenever I was near a computer, but they also allowed me to learn in many new styles. I have learned more in twelve weeks of my English class than I did in all three years of my middle school language arts classes. I can only imagine how much knowledge we, as students, could acquire if we had laptops in all of our classes. |
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Re: Maine's 1:1 laptop raises writing performance |
By catem on
11/11/2007 3:05 PM |
| I too, am a student in Ms. Smith’s ninth grade honors English class. The availability of information from computers is incredible. With this ability to access information, it makes learning easier inside and outside of the classroom. My writing and reading skills have exponentially grown since I first entered this class. With help from the computer, it has never been easier to annotate, and peer edit papers. However there are some downsides to this enhancement in technology. The computer can sometimes become a replacement for real experiences. If we aren’t careful, we may not be able to function without technology. So, I think that the laptops are a wonderful learning tool, but must not become the ONLY tool for learning. |
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Re: Maine's 1:1 laptop raises writing performance |
By katyj on
11/11/2007 3:47 PM |
| I defiantly think that having access to a computer every day in the classroom is beneficial to all aspects of learning. Not only are we getting greater practice in typing, using search engines and other things taught in business classes, we are also able to have all the information in the world at our fingertips if we need clarification on any subject. I am also a student in Ms. Smith's 9th grade honors English class, and because of our access to laptops it is my favorite class of the day, I always await it with anticipation. I know that my writing has gotten better because of the grammatical correction and the spelling correction features on Microsoft Word, and I can now pronounce words better as well. I really can't understand why anyone would think that technology in the classroom is a bad thing. |
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Re: Maine's 1:1 laptop raises writing performance |
By alexf on
11/11/2007 3:52 PM |
| As a student in Ms. Smith's ninth grade honors English class, I think that having laptops really extends our availability of information. Instead of relying on asking others' questions, we can figure out the answer for ourselves. My vocabulary has really developed since I’ve been a part of this class. I do, however, think that using laptops too much can be harmful. Our class has been reading books where technology takes over the characters lives, and I think we must be careful about that. We don't have as much time to build relationships with one another, yet we can enhance our learning. So the question is: Laptops or no laptops? |
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Re: Maine's 1:1 laptop raises writing performance |
By MaddieH on
11/11/2007 3:59 PM |
| I find it interesting that research is proving that laptops help you learn. I find it so much easier to do task with a computer than the archaic methods some classes still use. I personally think it is a matter of convience having a laptop. Instead of looking through a dictionary, for example, with a laptop, the answer is quite literally at a push of a button. That drastically cuts down on time we spend away from learning. It doesn't surprise me at all that students learn better with laptops. Society needs to step into the twentieth century. We have this technology at our disposal so why not use it? |
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Re: Maine's 1:1 laptop raises writing performance |
By RyaD on
11/11/2007 4:16 PM |
| As a student who is currently using a laptop in English class I feel that it has greatly increased my ability to learn and write during class. I understand that people are afraid that it will simply provide distractions but I feel that the benifits greatly outnumber the drawbacks. Everything I could possibly want for my learning enviornment is right at the tip of my fingers. I couldnt' ask for more in a school setting. People say that children are the future. So is technology. |
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Re: Maine's 1:1 laptop raises writing performance |
By Maddisonm on
11/11/2007 4:19 PM |
| I am also a student in Ms. Smith’s ninth grade Honors English class and I feel that being able to use laptops in the class has definitely helped me develop as a writer, and all around student. With laptops a student can write more in the time they are given. With this you can develop your ideas more and spend more time editing your work. Also, with typing, it is much easier to go back and edit your work, without it being such a time constraining hassle. You do not have to erase or cross out, rather then just delete and re-type, this allows for more professional writing style. Finally, with a laptop you have all the resources you need right at your fingertips. You can do research on the topic, you can look in a thesaurus, anything you need. I have found myself remembering what I have looked up on the laptop, and using it in other classes. Plus, it is a practical tool for the future. In the business world, barley anything is hand written, it is all typed, and most all information is found on a computer. Even now, it would be nice if all writing assessment tests could be typed!! I think that every student should have a laptop for school. This I believe would greatly improve the student, because I know that by just being provided a laptop in one class, I have benefited in many ways. |
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Re: Maine's 1:1 laptop raises writing performance |
By MacM on
11/11/2007 5:08 PM |
| As, a student using laptops in class, I fell like me and my classmates are the most qualified to answer this question of whether they are helpful or not. Personally, I find using laptops a fantastic way to instantly get information. In class if we have free time I can check grades, start researching a certain topic, etc. I also love that fact that if I forgat to print out a lab or a rubrics for class, I can print it from my laptop and not lose points. Recently, we had to write an in-class-essay without our laptops, and it was horrible. It's eaiser for me to process my thoughts when I'm writing on the computer, I don't exactly know why. Also, not for me, but for some kids spell check is a great tool to be able to use. Unfortunately, SATs and whatnot have not yet been computerized, which puts kids who have laptops at a disadvantage. Despite that, I feel that using them in class is fantastic and has really improved my writing. Just hope we don't end up like Fahrenheit 451... |
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Re: Maine's 1:1 laptop raises writing performance |
By AlyssaS on
11/11/2007 5:24 PM |
| The statistics about using technology in the classroom don't really surprise me. After having used laptops in a classroom (even only for a short time), I have noticed a large improvement in my own writing. Sure, my writing improved when I wasn't using laptops, but after using them, the difference seems so much larger and more significant to me now more than ever before. I also noticed the same thing that Mac M. did. Last week when we wrote an in-class essay, it was harder for me to think through what I was writing and to actually compose my writing using pencil and paper than using a laptop. I don't really understand why this happens, maybe it is because our generation is basically all technology. It's what we grew up with, it's what we use everyday, it's what we understand and relate to the most. Technology is increasing at such a great rate that if we don't incororate technology in our education now, later in life we will be behind everybody else who did use it. |
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Re: Maine's 1:1 laptop raises writing performance |
By Hannahl on
11/11/2007 5:55 PM |
| I, like most of the above bloggers, am a student in a laptop classroom at Arapahoe. I have always been connected to computers, since my father works with them for a living. They are so powerful in every way. Not only can information be instantly accessed, such as breaking news, but it helps students to organize. Also, I strongly agree that writing improves with the use of laptops. Before having a computer, if I wanted to write a story or a poem, I would have to hand write it. This is not my favorite thing to do since it always looks sloppy to me and I therefore get discouraged and stop altogether. Also, writing by hand is so slow, and my thoughts come out so fast, that I oftentimes find myself with an essay full of incomplete ideas that have not been carried out to their full potential. With the ability to type, however, comes the ability to carry out my thoughts as I am doing on this very blog. My hands can match the pace of my thoughts (or... almost!). Without this tool to aid me in English, my learning would be stunted along with my thinking. Not only can we write using applications like word, but we can peer edit and blog. Peer editing is such a help, but who really wants a paper covered in red ink? With the reviewing toolbar on word, revisions are organized and easy to understand. I cannot even put into words how amazing this is and how helpful to my writing! If administrators do not think that having computers available in every classroom to every student is beneficial to the learning in that classroom, then all they have to do is sit in on a class where they are being used and see the learning that is taking place. I assure you that it is not your average English 9! |
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Re: Maine's 1:1 laptop raises writing performance |
By Nicolek on
11/11/2007 6:25 PM |
| I am a student and Arapahoe as well and in one of my classes we get to use laptops daily. I agree with the statistics and I think that laptops have improved my writing a great deal already. There is so much more you can do on a computer than with a simple pen and paper. It also makes learning more fun. Using powerpoint or other programs you can get more creative and broaden your horizons. With computers it isn't just about memorizing facts, its about learning how to use your resources to answer questions which in the long run, will be more helpful in life. I think that using computers in class is a great idea and benifets the students greatly |
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Re: Maine's 1:1 laptop raises writing performance |
By nilec on
11/11/2007 9:41 PM |
| I most definitely see the benefit of using laptops in class. I am a student at Arapahoe and have a class in which laptops are used everyday. I enjoy using the laptops in class. It not only gives me a sense of freedom but it allows me to transfer work from home to school easily. I also believe that with spell checks on the computer it helps students become better writers because it is constantly pointing out errors. And of coarse everyone loves those hand cramps you get from writing by hand.....................(not). The laptops can also help with creativity because of the programs and online access provided. The world is becoming more dependent on technology as we speak so why shouldn't we have laptops in school? I think its a perfectly logical idea. |
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Re: Maine's 1:1 laptop raises writing performance |
By JoseD on
11/11/2007 9:50 PM |
| As an Arapahoe High School Student in a laptop class, I can say laptop writing has given me a few things: it boosted my self confidence in writing, it has made me write more, I can review my classmate's writing ideas, and it has given a purpose to many of my writings through directed blogging. Electronic messages are neater and more organized thatn normal letters, and so our blogging classes go fast. Truly, those kids in Maine are in for a treat in their adulthood... |
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Re: Maine's 1:1 laptop raises writing performance |
By DawnielleN on
11/11/2007 9:59 PM |
| This is the first year I have used laptops in a language arts class and I feel that my eyes have been opened to a whole new method of learning. Laptops have taught me how to multi-task, how to be more organized, and how to be an all around better learner. The use of paper and pen for every assignment can keep a student from truly showing what they can do. When I write a paper I like to be able to add things in, take things out, and switch ideas around. The laptops give us the tools to perfect our writing. Laptops have provided me with a whole new way to connect with my piers using blogs during class discussions. Not everyone is the same kind of learner and some people can get their point across better by typing a message. If that is what it takes to help somebody learn then why not have a laptop? Technology is changing constantly in our world and I think that as responsible learners we need to keep up with the new changes. All around I have benefited so much from using a laptop in my Language arts class. |
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Re: Maine's 1:1 laptop raises writing performance |
By AlexD on
11/12/2007 6:01 AM |
| I love using laptops in class. I think that laptops are a great learning device and using them helps kids learn about current technology. The laptops help me to use my time responsibly and they also teach me organization and creativity. The only problem with the laptops is that i feel like i have become a little bit attached to it. But we continue to do writing things as well in my class, so i am not too dependent on it. Laptops are a very useful tool in the classroom. |
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Re: Maine's 1:1 laptop raises writing performance |
By whitneys on
11/13/2007 9:20 AM |
| I am currently in an English class where we each have our own laptops and we are able to use them everyday. This has facilitates my learning and I have become more efficient in using technology. Having a laptop provides the opportunity for me to take learning into my own hands rather then be completely dependent on my teacher. If I have a question, I can simply get on my laptop and find the answer. With the laptop, I am instantly connected to a whole database of information! Also as far as writing, laptops have allowed me to get my thoughts onto paper more quickly and to see them more clearly. Thus, when I have to write on paper, I have been more efficient in my writing. Having a lap top has help improve my writing and opened the doors for me to further my knowledge. |
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Re: Maine's 1:1 laptop raises writing performance |
By Renee Howell on
11/14/2007 7:47 AM |
| Any chance to get comments from students who aren't in a laptop class? As a member of the Littleton School Board, I'd be interested in hearing from those who don't have access to district laptops in their classes. Thanks for all the posts! You all have provided some good points to think about. |
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Re: Renee's request for more input |
By Karl Fisch on
11/16/2007 11:28 AM |
@Renee – here are two discussions from a year ago you might be interested in. I’ll see if I can encourage some more students to comment on this post.
http://learningandlaptops.blogspot.com/2006/09/becoming-one-with-text.html
http://learningandlaptops.blogspot.com/2006/09/conversation-continues.html
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Re: Maine's 1:1 laptop raises writing performance |
By Jake on
11/16/2007 1:32 PM |
| I definitely think that more laptops in classes would be beneficial in most, if not all classes. When we use computers in class we are opened up to so many more resources -- encyclopedias, dictionaries, atlases, pictures, and so much more. I don't understand how it might make writing better, but it would definitely help students who struggle following a teacher's lecture to do better with taking notes. |
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Re: Maine's 1:1 laptop raises writing performance |
By JakeB on
11/16/2007 2:53 PM |
| I think more laptops in more classes would be beneficial, and I definitely believe that I would be far more interested in writing papers etc. if it was via typing instead of handwriting. Also, I believe that using things such as an online book would be cheaper to the school district, and we wouldn't have to drag around 30 lb. backpacks all the time. I had the opportunity to be in a class with district laptops last year, and I found it very enjoyable (even though we only used them 5-10 times in the semester). So, overall, I think that Maine's 1:1 laptop is a great idea, and I'm sure that it would raise writing performance among many people. Lastly, I am fairly certain that someday, laptops may be a required tool at the high school level (as it already is at almost all colleges and universities). |
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Re: Maine's 1:1 laptop raises writing performance |
By Renee Howell on
11/16/2007 6:39 PM |
| Karl, thanks for the links! And yes, I read it all. An impressive discussion by high school students. I'll carry their comments with me as we wade further into the 21st C. |
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Re: Maine's 1:1 laptop raises writing performance |
By Peter Mullen on
11/18/2007 7:45 AM |
| As a person directly involved with Maine's 1-1 laptop program, I was pleased to see solid, concrete evidence that they make a difference. We have known it for years but with only anecdotal evidence, we were constantly told to "prove it". From State legislatures, to local school boards, there was skepticism. I am no longer a classroom teacher and I now run the program in my school from the technical side, I see what goes on in the classroom with these devices and I am impressed. Things to work on: better classroom management of the devices (for some reason a person writing an old fashioned note in class is handled like it has been handled for 100 years) but the same idea done with the laptop is met with "how do i handle this?". We also need to do better (IMHO) with evaluating online research (we are expanding our use of NetTrekker), and in cutting down on paper. Teachers still feel the need to feel a hard copy in their hands. Maine is not resting on their laurels. The State expanded the program to include high school teachers this fall (I just distributed 100 MacBooks to our staff last week) and it is hoped that student machines at the high school level will come next fall. For me that is 1000 laptops. The DOE will tell anyone that will listen that Maine is officially 1-1 (law, policy, decree, whatever) for grades 7-12. It's all about funding it. I have been involved with the Maine program from it's inception in 2002. The kiddos amaze me every day. I can't wait to see what they will do next. |
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Re: Maine's 1:1 laptop raises writing performance |
By MelanieR on
11/18/2007 12:13 PM |
| As a senior at Arapahoe, I have never used a laptop in class. In fact, I don't know any seniors with laptops in their classrooms. However, many juniors, sophomores, and freshmen use laptops often. This difference between the seniors and the rest of the school has created a "generation gap." Yes, I use my computer often at home, but I know nothing about podcasts or wiki spaces: two things I hear Freshman discussing frequently. Knowledge of this recent technology would be extremely beneficial for the future, since the internet and computer use is constantly growing. However, I don't think using laptops in class to write essays will help improve test scores, or improve students' writing. The ability to check spelling and grammar with the click of a button doesn't teach us how to fix our own mistakes. Why should we learn correct our spelling if the computer will tell us if it is wrong? Why should we expand our vocabulary if we can easily right click on a word for synonyms? I love computers, and feel like they are extremely beneficial in other ways, but they do inhibit many of the skills we learn by hand-writing and hand-editing essays. |
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Re: Maine's 1:1 laptop raises writing performance |
By Dan Maas on
11/18/2007 4:16 PM |
@Peter
Thanks for chiming in! It's great to hear from the front lines. I don't believe that 1:1 is any kind of silver bullet, but I can't help but notice that the only knowlege workers in our society who do NOT use computers daily as part of their jobs are K-12 students.
For those who worry about writing skills, the research is quite clear. Students write more, better and more often (especially boys who often don't like to write) when they have access to a computer. Further, the research also shows that as writing scores go up, so do the other scores. Maine's 1:1 shows that this is true even when measured by paper-and-pencil testing. I'd expect even bigger gains if the testing were on the computer too.
But the computer is just the beginning. It takes skillful teachers to leverage this greatest of knowledge tools to maximize learning. I believe in our teaching staff and if we can just get ourselves in the game, I think our faculty will take it to the next level. |
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Re: Maine's 1:1 laptop raises writing performance |
By MIchael Richards on
11/19/2007 3:02 PM |
Another Maine voice on the topic.
From the beginning one thing that became clear the laptops can not make up for poor teaching methods but laptops can make good teaching methods even better. It is great to hear others are using 1:1 to increase student achievement. |
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