What makes one-to-one computing projects work: a longitudinal study
Summary: By the end of the presentation, the audiences will have gained an understanding of the complicated process of one-to-one computing, how it evolves over time, how it affects teaching and learning, and what conditions are needed to make a one-to-one computing project work. Audiences will also have learned a new perspective to study mobile learning in schools.
Description:
This longitudinal study took an ecological perspective to examine the evolution of the school dynamics in a middle school with a one-to-one computing project. An ecological perspective suggests that technology use in schools affects and is affected by the technology, users (mainly teachers and students), resources and the school culture, and the dynamics change overtime as these components interact with each other and co-evolve. Specifically, this study investigated as a one-to-one computing program developed from an innovative project to an integral component of every day teaching and learning, what changes had been observed in teachers, students, technology resources, school context, and what factors influenced the implementation of this one-to-one computing project.
Survey and interview data were collected at four time points through four academic years (2003-2007) in a middle school that had a one-to-one laptop project.
Results revealed significant changes in teachers, students, and the school context. Overall, compared with at the beginning of this one-to-one project, teachers’ beliefs and attitudes significantly increased, but they felt increasing pressure of using technology; Students also experienced significant changes. They spent more and more time on using laptops, and their technology proficiency significantly increased (t = 0.23, p< .05, ES = 0.34), but their excitement with having their own laptop decreased (t = 3.29, p< .0001, ES = 0.39). The technology resources in this school also experienced changes, including the wearing down of the laptops and some peripheral technologies, personnel change in technology support team, purchasing of new technologies and discarding of some old but more familiar technologies. The changes in the teachers, students, and the school context had significant impact on the implementation of this one-to-one computing project. Interview data not only confirmed the importance of the factors influencing technology integration, but also revealed that they were important in different ways at different stages. The school context was gradually evolving, changing the characteristics of teachers, students, and their technology uses, which further changed the challenges the school faced at different stages. These changes, consequently, required further changes in the conditions to facilitate the continuing implementation of the laptop project. The characteristics of different factors at the early and later stages of the implementation of this one-to-one computing project were summarized and interpreted in this study.
The implementation of a one-to-one computing project is situated in the school context. It affects and is affected by many components in the school system, and the dynamics change overtime. The successful implementation of a ubiquitous computing project depends on not only a working technological infrastructure which ensures that the technology can be used, but more importantly, an effective human infrastructure that supports and facilitates the meaningful use of technology. Specific suggestions for research and successful integration of one-to-one computing projects were provided. For example, to carefully balance long-term and short-term cost of one-to-one computing project; to provide ongoing technology planning; to make accommodations to use technology; and to Study technology use in its context.
Survey and interview data were collected at four time points through four academic years (2003-2007) in a middle school that had a one-to-one laptop project.
Results revealed significant changes in teachers, students, and the school context. Overall, compared with at the beginning of this one-to-one project, teachers’ beliefs and attitudes significantly increased, but they felt increasing pressure of using technology; Students also experienced significant changes. They spent more and more time on using laptops, and their technology proficiency significantly increased (t = 0.23, p< .05, ES = 0.34), but their excitement with having their own laptop decreased (t = 3.29, p< .0001, ES = 0.39). The technology resources in this school also experienced changes, including the wearing down of the laptops and some peripheral technologies, personnel change in technology support team, purchasing of new technologies and discarding of some old but more familiar technologies. The changes in the teachers, students, and the school context had significant impact on the implementation of this one-to-one computing project. Interview data not only confirmed the importance of the factors influencing technology integration, but also revealed that they were important in different ways at different stages. The school context was gradually evolving, changing the characteristics of teachers, students, and their technology uses, which further changed the challenges the school faced at different stages. These changes, consequently, required further changes in the conditions to facilitate the continuing implementation of the laptop project. The characteristics of different factors at the early and later stages of the implementation of this one-to-one computing project were summarized and interpreted in this study.
The implementation of a one-to-one computing project is situated in the school context. It affects and is affected by many components in the school system, and the dynamics change overtime. The successful implementation of a ubiquitous computing project depends on not only a working technological infrastructure which ensures that the technology can be used, but more importantly, an effective human infrastructure that supports and facilitates the meaningful use of technology. Specific suggestions for research and successful integration of one-to-one computing projects were provided. For example, to carefully balance long-term and short-term cost of one-to-one computing project; to provide ongoing technology planning; to make accommodations to use technology; and to Study technology use in its context.
Jing Lei
Assistant Professor
Syracuse University
Assistant Professor
Syracuse University
Dr. Jing Lei is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Design, Development and Evaluation in the School of Education at Syracuse University. Dr. Jing Lei’s scholarship focuses on how information and communication technology can help prepare a new generation of citizens for a globalizing and digitizing world. Specifically, her research interests include technology integration in schools, social-cultural and psychological impact of technology, technology in informal learning settings, emerging technologies for education, and technology supported subject learning. Her recent publications include The Digital Pencil: One-to-One Computing for Children (2008, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates publishers).