2001-2002 Study Laptop Computers as a Tool for Authentic Instruction, Florida Title I Elementary School
Date: 2001-2002
Author: Kate Kemker
Affiliation: Florida Center for Instructional Technology
Keywords: authentic instruction, Title I, elementary
Summary:
The purpose of this study was to examine the use of the laptop computer as a tool in authentic instruction with students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds.The teachers involved in the study were given their own laptop computer and training on various application programs. They were also provided with access to a set of laptop computers for their classroom, along with other peripherals, such as scanners and digital cameras, for student use. The project was implemented in two second-grade classrooms and two fourth-grade classrooms and was enthusiastically endorsed by the principal.
Research Question:
Under what conditions do computers have the most benefit for students?
Key Findings:
Instructional conversation between the teachers and students:
- In two classrooms (one at each level), the teachers emphasized a vocabulary of "techie" terms with the students. Both teachers felt it was very important that the students were taught the application before it was used in the curriculum.
# In the other two classrooms, the instructional conversation was about the lesson and not the technology.
The classroom management of the teachers:
* In the two classrooms that emphasized the technology, the teachers posted the various rules on the classroom and instructions for using the computer on the walls around the classroom.
* In the other two classrooms, student work was posted on the walls rather than rules.
The observable behavior of the teacher during the use of the laptop computer in the classroom:
* In one of the technology-focused second grade classrooms, the teacher spent most of her time going from computer to computer touching the trackpad to solve problems for students. By the end of the year, the students would be sitting with their laptops, raising their hand, and waiting for the teacher to come solve a problem.
* When the same computers were used in the curriculum-focused second grade classroom, the teacher moved around the classroom observing student work. In many cases, the students took the initiative to solve their own computer problems and helped each other whenever possible.
Teacher Reflections:
* One teacher reflected on her expectations for the project by stating she "thought it was going to be a disaster." She went on to explain that she was having problems with the laptop computer and she could not imagine how her students who can barely hold a pencil would be able to use the laptop computer. "Handling a student a thousand dollar laptop was just one of the stupidest things you could think of." However, she was amazed to see the excitement of the students and how they all wanted to do well. In the end, she noted that the students did not have any problems with the laptops, and they were totally engaged in lessons.
- Other teachers reflected about how their experience caused them to think differently about lessons and projects for the classroom. After learning something new, they began to think about how they could teach it differently to engage the students in the lesson. One teacher reflected on how easy it was to integrate the technology into a lesson; she had not realized it was so simple. It has now become a "habit for her to think about using the technology in a lesson."
Source Article: https://center.uoregon.edu/conferences/ISTE/NECC2004/handout_files_live/KEY_253975/authentic.pdf
