1 to 1 Computing–Are We There Yet?
I’ve been doing considerable reading about and “playing” with the XO laptop from OLPC (One Laptop Per Child) organization over the past summer and continue to be impressed with what this approx. $200 machine can do. I’ve also been researching some of the other “netbooks” (the term reintroduced in Feb. by Intel for low-cost, lightweight, subnotebook machines) that are either hitting (or about to be hitting) the marketplace.
I still think the XO has advantages over others being introduced. There’s an excellent chart of those currently on the market and some in the works/ready soon in Wikipedia’s “Comparison of Netbooks” entry. The XO has all necessary applications that any elementary student would want or need and can access the Internet in a wireless environment. The “mesh” network technology allows students to collaborate with each other on many of its “activities” (OLPC’s term for applications.) The battery lasts longer than any other netbook I’ve researched. The Wikipedia chart doesn’t include the battery life–not sure why, but perhaps it’s because there is an optional human-powered adaptor that can be pulled by a user to generate unlimited power.
One of the big disadvantages to the XO, and many other netbooks as well, is the keyboard size. The keyboards are definitely not made for adult-sized hands (or even young adult sized hands for that matter.) Asus’ Eee PC 1000 series comes closer (92% of full size; priced at $650,) but is that what today and tomorrow’s students will want? I don’t believe they will.
Kids are all about handhelds–from games to smartphones–and are so used to them that, in my humble adult opinion, is what they will be looking for when it comes to a computing device they will carry with them and use on a regular basis. And, until students have equal access–all the time–to that type of machine, I believe technology will not truly make an impact on teaching and learning. The machine our kids will “buy into” needs to be as ubiquitous as a pen or pencil and just as easy to have with you at all times. That’s more like an iPod Touch in my mind. Wifi enabled, onboard keypad that is more like a thumbboard and unlimited access to numerous inexpensive applications (waaaay beyond the music of the original iPod) is what kids want and will need in order to be competitive in our “flat” world.
What are your thoughts about the future of 1 to 1 computing in your district? Are you moving in that direction? What will it take to get your students there?
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