Each year the National School Board Association's Technology Leadership Network (TLN) honors twenty educators who are improving classroom education with technology ideas that expand what can be done in the classroom and outside the classroom. "We recognize these innovative educators as role models who can inspire their colleagues to embrace tools that help make learning more relevant for their students and more transparent for parents and community members." said Ann Flynn, Director of Education Technology at NSBA.

Five of the twenty 2010 honorees were involved in laptop programs. Here's a quick glimpse at some of their accomplishments:

Paul Andersen, teacher, Bozeman Public Schools, Bozeman, Montana
Paul Anderson created biology podcasts that have been viewed 280,000 times, and weekly Tech Junkies broadcasts for students and teachers who want to learn more about technology. He recently was named the 2011 Montana Teacher of the Year.

Dr. Debra Howe, superintendent, Rochester Community Schools, Rochester, Indiana
Debra Howe helped with the creation of the first New Tech High in rural Indiana. High school students are learning in a 1:1 technology environment, and all K- 12 classrooms have interactive white boards, SMART document cameras, laptop computers and digital cameras.

Ryan Hurley, English teacher, Warren County Schools, Warrenton, North Carolina
Ryan Hurley has specialized in finding free online resources to help lower the cost of running his classroom and providing technology opportunities for his students. 80% of his students do not have Internet access at home so he teaches them how to use their classroom access.

Jeffrey McMahon, academic technology officer, Indianapolis Public Schools, Indianapolis, Indiana
Jeffrey McMahon led the development of a 1:1 laptop model, which put laptops into the hands of more than 2500 students. He also is using project-based learning as the model for curriculum.

Terri Simpson, teacher, Calcasieu Parish Public Schools, Sulphur, Louisiana
Terri Simpson has led efforts to incorporate GoogleDocs, iPods, Palm hand-helds, digital cameras, iPads, student-response systems and one-to-one computing at Maplewood Middle School, and has secured grants and other funding to help bring this technology to the school.

Source: NSBA Honors "20 to Watch" for Education Technology Leadership