One-to-One Computing

Rick Kojis, Technology Coordinator of Wheatland School District, led this session.  He spoke on behalf of a district that just completed its first year implementing a 1 to 1 computing program.

Pros:

Although they experienced some bumps along the way, the initiative benefited the district.  With the combination of relatively low cost netbooks, open source technologies, ongoing professional development, and a strict re-imaging policy,* the 1 to 1 computing initiative posed few logistical or technical problems, and greatly increased student engagement.

Cons:

Teachers had to provide alternative assignments to students that lost their computing privileges.

Important Lessons:

  • Instead of providing each teacher with extra netbooks, students that forgot theirs at home had to check one out from a central location like the library.
  • Students were responsible for backing up their files (USB or online storage).
  • Not every child had Internet access at home, resources had to be downloadable at school.

*If a student complained of any software issue, and it was determined that it would take more than 10 minutes to fix, the computer was wiped clean and returned to the student with a fresh install.  Rick said students quickly learned to resolve their own issues.

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