Fourth Grade Laptop Initiative

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Fourth Grade Laptop Initiative
Fluency and skill building through technology
integration!
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The Benefits of a One-to-One
Technology-integrated instruction can be
naturally and immediately implemented to enhance
curriculum.
Students become more fluent and competent with
technology.
Technology improves quality of work and
increased efficiency.
Students engage in self-motivated inquiry and
collaboration.
Teachers can improve their ability to
individualize instruction.
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Primary Programs Employed
Type to Learn (Keyboarding)
Microsoft Office
Microsoft Power Point
Microsoft Excel
Kidspiration
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Type to Learn SampleLesson Progress Report
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Microsoft Word SampleNarrative Writing and
Revision
We waded into the water. My legs were shaking
from the cold. The sun glittered against the
waves as they rolled lazily toward us. My mind
was buzzing with fear and excitement. I was going
to raft down the Colorado River. We climbed into
the rafts. All the while the instructor was
telling us to keep our hands in the boat and to
watch out for trees and rocks. Oh fun trees and
rocks. Just my kind of fun. The instructor
started telling us stories and explaining why the
trees and rocks were so dangerous. Let me think.
She told us that the trees could shred us to
bits. The rocks can suck us under them and
keeping our hands in is also important because
they can be ripped of with rocks and things like
that. What a bundle of laughs. Our instructor
was a funny person who yelled Yippee and
Wahoo as we went around corners that were
faster than others. My whole family was all
yelling and asking questions too. Our instructor
looked at me and told me to go to the front. I
walked up to the front and held on to the rope
there. The boat started rocking back and forth
more and the rope started to dig into my skin.
Whats going on? I asked. The instructor just
answered by saying, Welcome to Widow Maker
folks. Then I saw it. The four-foot drop. There
was a big rock right in the middle of it too. I
watched as the boat stretched out over the
drop-off like a boy about to fall out of bed. The
craggy rocks above us went out of focus as the
water splashed into my eyes. We went zooming
through the rapids until finally we burst out
onto smooth water.
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PowerPoint Samples
State Reports
Cinquain Poetry
Literacy Tableaux
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Excel Samples
Plant Growth Line Graph
Regional States Temperature Comparison Tables
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Kidspiration Sample
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Knowledge Skills Gained

• Technological fluency and competency
• - keyboarding speed and accuracy
• - operation know-how of programs used
• - Internet navigation
• - file management, saving, and trouble shooting

• Some subject Specific Content/Skills
• - creating and interpreting graphs, charts,
  tables
• - designing timelines, webs, and graphic
  organizers across the curriculum
• - practice of math concepts, grammar. science/
  social studies on teacher-chosen learning sites

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Knowledge and Skills Gained Continued

• Writing Skills
• - planning and organizing writing
• - research
• - revision, editing, publishing

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Perks for the Teacher
Individualized Instruction
Teachable Moments
Intrinsic Motivation of Students
Condenses Assessment
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Computer Lab and Classroom LaptopsSo, whats the
difference?
Possibility for daily, in-depth technology
integration
Opportunity for spontaneity in instruction
Increased personal ownership and responsibility
for technological tools
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Our Laptop Experience From a Research Perspective

• Originally designed as a 1-to-1 model
• Outgrowth of Five Year Plan Goal
• 5.10 Significant new research (Barrios, 2004,
  Rockman, 2004 Mara, 2005) indicates that when
  students have daily access to technology in a
  ubiquitous 1-to-1 model, they can benefit greatly
  in a variety of content areas. We would like to
  pilot a 1-to-1 laptop model for all fourth
  graders at Memorial School, and if successful,
  expand that to grades four-six over a three-year
  time window.
• Conscious decision not to develop a structured
  research design for this project
• New team
• New math program (EveryDay Math)
• New Balanced Literacy reading initiative to be
  developed
• New science units to learn and pilot
• Evaluate new social studies program for pilot
• Unfair to team to add a research expectation
  on top of everything else However, . . .

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• If We Had Done a Pre and Post Assessment

Skill Levels Before and After Laptop Use
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What Does the Research Say About 1-to-1 and
Laptop Programs?

• Doctoral research meta-analysis of dozens of
  laptop programs at the elementary, middle, and
  high school

Research (Russell, 2002 Jeroski, 2003 Barrios,
2004 Rockman, 2004) indicates that access to
laptop technology is particularly effective in
the improvement of student writing. This was also
supported by the research conclusions from a
eighteen-month pilot project, known as the
Wireless Writing Program (WWP), involved 1150
students and 37 teachers from 17 schools in
British Columbia. 1. Participating students
improved their writing (92 of students met the
BC Performance Standards writing expectation vs.
70 on the pretest). 2. The WWP had a positive
impact on teaching practice, allowing teachers to
take a more facilitative role in the
instructional process. 3. Parents increased their
involvement in their childrens writing (47 of
parents indicating that they looked at their
childrens writing extensively or a great deal)
(Jeroski, 2003, p.22).
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What Does the Research Say About 1-to-1 and
Laptop Programs?

• Doctoral research meta-analysis of dozens of
  laptop program at the elementary, middle and high
  school

• In a study of ninth graders using laptops in
  three Maine, Mara (2005) found that teachers also
  reported many significant benefits for themselves
  and for their students. Among those findings, a
  significant majority (two-thirds or more) of
  teachers agreed or strongly agreed that the
  laptops had helped them to become better teachers
  (64), provided a valuable advantage for their
  students (91), helped their students learn more
  effectively than by traditional methods alone
  (73), and helped their students to write more
  frequently and do a better job editing (66).
• The parents in this study provided perhaps the
  strongest endorsement for ubiquitous computing.
  When asked whether the laptop initiative had a
  positive impact on their son or daughter, 97 of
  parents either agreed or strongly agreed and 3
  were not sure. Parents in this group also cited a
  number of benefits the laptops provided for their
  children including improved motivation, a better
  attitude toward school, better quality work, and
  an eagerness to do their homework.

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• Impact from a Data Perspective MCAS ELA Scores
• Grade 4 over the last 3 years

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Impact from a Data PerspectiveMCAS Comparison
(Pre to Post Laptop)

• 270 shift from Proficient to Advanced

Percent of Students
2005
2006
2007
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Impact from a Data PerspectiveMCAS Comparison

• 20 Decrease in Needs Improvement

Percent of Students
2005
2006
2007
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• Impact from a Data Perspective
• - a quick data snapshot

Shift in Percentage of Students on Warning
Percent of Students
2005
2006
2007
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Impact from a Data PerspectiveA Look at the MCAS
Writing PromptNote - Students were not allowed
to use computers on the MCAS Long Composition
test as they were in the Jeroski study
Composition Topic Development Mean
Score (idea development, supporting details,
sentence variety, organization)
2007
7 Increase
2006
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Impact from a Data PerspectiveA Look at the MCAS
Writing PromptNote - Students were not allowed
to use computers on the MCAS Long Composition
test as they were in the Jeroski study
Composition Standard English Conventions Mean
Score (sentence structure, grammar, usage, and
mechanics)
7 Increase
3 increase
2007
2006
2006
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Concluding Thoughtson our Laptop Initiative

• Given the limitations of time and money we were
  pleased with the results
• Our findings parallel those of most research
  studies - that laptops can have a positive impact
  on student writing, esp. motivation to edit
  writing
• It is an excellent tool to extend and enrich
  learning opportunities for all types of learners
• It fortifies and extends opportunities for all
  students to use a variety of software
  applications, which they will need for lifelong
  learning
• Its a start. This was not a be all and end all
  program, but rather a place to begin . . . Just
  another chapter in the education process

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Most Importantlya Thank You Goes Out to . . .

• Three great teachers -
• Katryn Baker
• Becky Baun
• Laurie Colpoys
• The Spaulding Trust for helping to support this
  project and for all they do