Although it’s not yet a reality in Michigan’s Perry Public Schools, one-to-one computing is a dream of superintendent John Spicko’s. As he advocates for this approach to bringing students into the 21st century he is being joined by an articulate team of supporters: seventh graders from Perry Middle School.

Language arts students from the classrooms of Amy Noell and Leanne Winkel have been looking into the advantages and challenges of one-to-one and sharing their expertise with district leaders. In February, after being given a choice of topics for a service learning project, the students chose one-to-one. A few weeks later, the district’s improvement bond, which allotted money for technology, passed and raised the student’s hopes of seeing their dream – and that of their superintendent – become a reality.

The middle schoolers formulated research questions about one-to-one as they embarked on the process of writing their research papers. Winkel says her students have completed a service learning project for each of the past three years, but this year’s class did an exceptionally good job, probably because of their enthusiasm for the topic.

Once their projects were completed, several class members presented their findings and recommendations to the district technology team and engaged in a discussion about pros and cons and models for one-to-one implementations. A number of students will be joining the district team for the coming year so they can continue to serve and have a part in the process of getting new technology.

“I thought they did an outstanding job of presenting the advantages and disadvantages of this type of learning,” said superintendent Spicko, who sat in on the presentation as a member of the district’s technology team. “To see the excitement in them in moving toward e-learning is amazing.”

Spicko says that the district is making a number of technology improvements this summer as a result of the school improvement bond passing. By next school year, each classroom at Perry Public Schools will have an interactive whiteboard and wireless Internet access will be available district-wide. The superintendent is hoping that one-to-one will follow. If seventh graders like Alexa Ross have their way, it definitely will. “Our class would like to become involved in one-to-one in every way we can,” she says.

Source: The Argus Press, Perry Middle Schools Advocate for Technology Improvements