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Study: Laptop Learning Improving

Two years into a comprehensive three-year study of the laptop initiative in Henrico County Public Schools , findings show that students are engaging in more technology-based problem solving, research, teamwork and communication-based projects that reflect 21st century learning skills, according to the study's chief researcher.



The second-year findings show marked improvement from the previous year of the study in the quality of learning that is occurring in county high schools, Interactive, Inc. CEO Dale Mann told the School Board during a June 12 work session.



"This is a record of accomplishment," he said.



Mann was particularly impressed by the manner in which more high school teachers had implemented the use of technology into their classrooms – beyond simply using laptops as glorified projection machines. He complimented the school system and the "teachers who've paid attention and changed their instruction," he said.



His initial second-year findings showed that students who used their laptops more than their classmates had higher test scores in history, biology, reading and chemistry but lower scores in writing and algebra I and II. The findings were statistically significant, Mann said.



He theorized that the lower algebra scores could have resulted from the fact that students already were using graphing calculators and may have suffered while transitioning to laptops. He attributed the lower writing scores to the fact that SOL tests require students to write on paper, so spell-checking and grammar-checking programs available on the laptops served no benefit during the tests.



The three-year study was commissioned as part of the school system's four-year lease agreement with Dell Computers in 2005 and is expected to be the most comprehensive examination of the widespread use of laptops in a public school environment. Henrico will own the study's data at its conclusion. Mann will present his final report to the School Board in the fall.



Following the first year of the study, which examined data from the 2005-06 school year, Mann's findings showed that the implementation of 21st century learning skills in the county's high school classrooms was "notably absent."



But during the second year, he found that teachers and students reported that the way classes were taught had changed to include less teacher-to-class instruction and more direct interaction between teachers and their students, working either in groups or individually.



"Students say that teachers are talking less and walking around [interacting with students] more," Mann said. "[Students] understand the device that has been made available to them by this district, and they appreciate it."



During the work session, School Board members heard from several Henrico teachers at the elementary, middle and high school levels about how they've incorporated laptops and other technology into their daily lessons.



Ward Elementary School teacher Judy Christopher raved about her classroom's interactive whiteboard, which employs touch-screen technology to allow students to circle, drag and label objects.



"It's constantly interactive," she said, joking that she can't imagine teaching without it. "If the board leaves the room, I'm outta here."



Varina High School math teacher Skip Tyler described how he and other teachers had designed a website that serves as an online textbook for students, complete with sections for warm-up drills, journals, homework exercises and SOL reviews. Using laptops and other technology every day for every assignment is not practical, he said, but implementing both at times when they can be most useful for students is vital.



"The key is how teachers use [technology] in the classroom," he said.



At Moody Middle School , students can interact with each other and their teachers at any time through blogs about class topics, administrative intern Jon Morris said. Most students tend to write more and be more thoughtful in what they write when posting to a blog, he said, since their comments will be visible to others and often are graded by their teachers. Students at other middle schools have created podcasts for book review assignments, he said.



Elementary Science Specialist Mike Dussault created a site anchored by "Disco Stu, the Science Guru," who guides visitors on a tour of all things science, including podcasts, video clips, interactive quizzes and more.



"You can reach all learning styles" through such technology, he said.



Director of Staff Development Chris Corallo told the board that his department had been working diligently to teach teachers how to use their technology to help students learn. Mann predicted that their efforts would continue to pay off.



"In two years, a much larger fraction of all teachers in Henrico County will be closer to those who presented today," he told the board.



Mann suggested that the school system continue its professional development efforts to ensure that all teachers are able to make the best and most appropriate use of technology in their classrooms.



"Our challenge needs to be, 'How do we continue to learn and get better as we do this?'" Superintendent Fred Morton told the board.



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The board also voted to end the elementary school program at New Bridge School in eastern Henrico and replace it with a five-pronged approach to educating students in grades 3, 4 and 5 who have behavior issues. The board will move the four teacher positions from New Bridge's elementary program to two existing programs, the elementary school intervention program and the conduct academy. Officials also will develop plans to close the middle school.

For in-depth coverage of Henrico County, pick up a copy of Henrico's hometown newspaper - the Henrico Citizen - at Ukrop's, Kroger, Wawa or any Henrico public library, or call (804) 262-1700 to subscribe.