Michigan’s economic plight illustrates the challenges of a global economy. The state must shift its citizens’ skills from those that were once needed for industrial success to the 21 st skills needed for today’s and tomorrow’s workplace. The education system has a crucial role to play in bringing about such change. In the midst of these challenges, the Freedom to Learn (FTL) one-to-one laptop program is a success story that is stirring hope and excitement. In a number of schools around the state, laptops are the catalyst for changing how teachers teach and students learn.

Qualifying districts apply to FTL, which administers the state funding, for a four-year package that includes:

Hardware: HP wireless laptop computers, cases and more; Software: Microsoft XP and Office and more; Content & Curriculum: via a learning management system; Wireless infrastructure and security; Content filtering, protection and Internet safety; Help desk access (24/7); Online assessment tools: Scantron and Class Server; Ongoing professional development for teachers, administrators and technology personnel; Onsite coaching and mentoring.

Evaluations and Evidence of Academic Achievement

“There is clear evidence that Freedom to Learn students have developed key skills, knowledge and tools needed for the 21 st Century workforce,” says program director Leslie Wilson. “That’s critical to Michigan considering our struggling economy and the need to retool this industrial state.”

As the research comes in, legislators are paying attention. Conclusions from a recent evaluation by the Center for Research in Education Policy (CREP) at the University of Memphis show:

• There is clear evidence that FTL students have developed key skills, knowledge and tools needed for the 21st Century workforce.

• There is clear evidence of instances where FTL students are achieving at higher rates than non-FTL students using MEAP as a measure.

• On student problem solving tasks FTL students exhibited the highest ability in demonstrating understanding of the problem and identifying what needed to be known to solve the problem.

• On student technology tasks FTL students showed significant advantages overall with regard to completing the presentation and Internet tasks.

In the evaluation, Dr. Steven Ross, Project Director for CREP, remarked on the “ high level of proficiency in which Michigan students, at all socioeconomic levels, were using state-of-the-art technology to solve meaningful and authentic learning tasks which are essential for today’s workforce and economic development.…These Michigan students are being very well prepared with the skills, information and tools demanded by today’s workforce.”

Lessons Learned

According to Leslie Wilson -- who, in addition to directing the FTL program, heads the One-to-One Institute, a national non-profit organization that helps emerging markets, states and districts improve student achievement and engagement through one-to-one teaching and learning -- the vital elements of a successful laptop program include:

• Effective leadership for technology enabled environments;

• Shared vision among stakeholders;

• Well honed plans – from design, development to implementation;

• Comprehensive professional development for teachers/administrators/technology staff/parents and caregivers;

• Strong public relations and communications;

• Formative and summative evaluations;

• Productive vendor/customer relationships;

• Appropriate infrastructure/hardware/software standards and performance capacity;

• Plans for sustainability and replicability.

Perhaps the two hardest elements to maintain are the first and the last listed above. While applicants are asked to show that they have a vision shared by leaders and other stakeholders as well as a plan for sustainability, Wilson explains that delivering on the promise is sometime harder than expected.

From the state to the school level, having leaders who share the vision is crucial. As has happened in other states, the entire program was threatened when the governor who established the program was replaced with a governor from the opposing party. Although the goals appeared to be well aligned to the new governor’s platform, Wilson and her colleagues had to work closely with the new administration to explain and justify the program and its goals while delivering results through a robust evaluation process. Similarly, at the school level, programs sometimes flounder if leadership changes or if there are differences of opinion about the importance of laptop learning -- for example, between the grant-writing technology director and the principal.

Financial sustainability has also emerged as a challenge for many districts and schools. Wilson has learned the hard lesson that many grantees knew they wanted the devices but had no real plans for sustainability. Surprised by the revolution in learning, they now need money to continue it. In response, FTL has developed a software program to help identify opportunities to cost avoid, reallocate funds and identify new funding sources.

Permission to Let Go

Professional development is a key element of the Freedom to Learn program. Through the years, one lesson has emerged as a wonderful surprise, says Wilson: the importance of giving teachers the permission to make mistakes and learn with their students. “We needed to teach teachers to let go and become vulnerable in the learning environment, to become students again themselves. We gave them permission out loud, and ended up asking, ‘Can it really be as simple as just saying that?’ In a recent survey, these teachers overwhelmingly thought it was one of the best pieces of advices they got.”

In general, training sessions focus less on telling teachers how to do things and more on helping them explore possibilities, learn and do within the context of their instructional programs. For example, in addressing inappropriate use, teachers might be asked to anticipate which situations they are likely to encounter and how they might react, say, if a room full of students go to unwanted places on the web. Teachers bring their own lessons to the training sessions for practical use in finding meaningful ways to incorporate technology. The simple advice to accept vulnerability is incorporated into planning for solutions.

The Laptop Lesson Plan

What does a laptop classroom lesson plan look like? When teachers enter this new realm, Wilson is careful not to answer that question or provide pre-made lesson plans. Instead, FTL has used NTeQ, a methodology to help teachers create their own lesson plans. Once that statewide framework was established, FTL teachers created an offshoot of that process adapted to Michigan’s Grade Level Content Expectations. Creating the laptop lesson plan requires that teachers have a good handle on the curriculum and standards. “From there,” says Wilson, “teachers identify where those goals best intersect with technology tools. Technology should have a comfortable entry point rather than being jammed in.” Additionally, the program has teachers aim for differentiated instruction that recognizes students’ various learning styles. Teachers also develop rubrics to evaluate new kinds of student work.

For example, a unit on magnets might fit comfortably with technology if students want to create a videotape on magnets, work with simulations of extremely powerful magnets, or trace patterns of magnets they recorded in a spread sheet. Individual students might find certain facets of these projects more compelling than others for group work. Students would also want to experiment with real magnets, which, of course, should be kept as far from the laptop as possible.

When teachers are comfortable with the new approach, they are encouraged to share lesson plans and their newly acquired bag of tricks. In fact, a group of teachers asked to rework the NTeQ lesson plan methodology so that it is more applicable to their needs. This year they are moving their redesigned methodology to the Web 2.0 world, thus inviting others to serve as co-creators.

Web 2.0 and 21 st century schools require giving up some control. In return, you empower others -- especially students. The teachers in Michigan’s FTL program got that briefing early on.