The Netbook Fad in Education

I was recently asked my thoughts on netbooks as a possible solution for a 1 to 1 program. As I started to think through the issues I started jotting down some rough ideas that formed a discussion paper…. So below are my thoughts on netbooks as a device for a 1 to 1 program. I would be keen to hear your thoughts and feed back.

The Netbook and 1 to 1 Laptop Programs
Discussion Paper
Brett Moller
Head of Learning and Educational Technologies
Kings Christian College

A netbook or nettop is a small computing device that has been stripped down feature wise to fit into a small package and relatively small price point. They have seen great popularity in the corporate sector; especially amongst corporate travellers whose basic office administration does not require high-powered computing. These machines are great value for money for folk who simply need to write and view documents and communicate using email or other basic forms of online communication. They have the ability to go online and connect to wireless networks hence making them a handy device to connect to the online world and create basic level communication resources.

From this description it could easily be suggested that these devices create a wonderful opportunity for schools to get their student computer to student numbers to the magic 1 to 1 ratio. Many schools have decided to go in this direction, deciding that these devices fulfil the needs to students and teachers. However, the question must be asked if these devices can truly provide an improved teaching and learning experience?

If we are excited about the prospect of 1:1 then we must decide what it is we are aiming for in achieving this magic ratio of computing access. Why do we want 1:1 learning? Why is it important? What will students achieve in this learning environment that they can’t achieve now?

Spending a short period of time in any school that does not have a 1:1 computer ratio, you quickly realise the main frustration of teachers in the school when it comes to computer usage. Every school hears the call from teachers for more access to computers. Why then do they want access? My experience has been so that they can have their students doing assignment work. This often entails online research and typing of documents. For this reason the netbook is a wonderful choice for school laptop programs.

However, it could easily be argued that this is poor teaching and learning, resembling nothing of good sound educational practice and pedagogy. It resembles a slightly modernised version of education last century. This is not quality teaching and learning and fails to take into account that this generation of students is not satisfied with simply consuming information. This generation wants to and NEEDS to have the skills to create content. A consumer of information is not an innovative, creative thinker and certainly is not going to survive in a global economy desperate for problem solvers and creative thinkers. The jobs that require basic consumption and reproduction of simple content are quickly depleting today and will certainly not exist when our students graduate. Eight of the of the top ten jobs in five years time do not exist yet. These jobs don’t exist because the technology and the information based around the success of these markets are yet to be created. So who will create these markets? Hopefully our students! If not our students, the world that they will compete with – economic super powers such as China and India.

Our students must not be held back and must be given the opportunity to be creators of content and resource anywhere, anytime. They must construct and build their world in the way they have been conditioned to think. A word processor does not cut it for this generation. A spreadsheet, while possibly powerful, does not give students a sense of ownership over the information or the ability to present it in a meaningful and impacting manner.

The devices we supply for students must be devices capable of creating content that not only is a reproduction of what already exists, but a presentation of knowledge learnt – which is impacting and meaningful. Multimedia appeals to emotion and often impacts an audience in powerful ways, well beyond what this discussion paper or something equivalent ever could.

We are heading into an age where digital literacy and media literacy are just as important as traditional reading and writing. Students must be given the opportunity to create content in different format and genre, presenting and appealing to different learning styles and audiences. Most importantly, this needs to be something they can access anytime, anywhere. Today our primary students are performing tasks and creating content that is beyond the capabilities of a netbook. They demonstrate their learning in powerful ways that has meaning to them. Imagine the learner we could have at our school if they had this type of resource anytime, anywhere!

The netbooks functionality is already available in most modern mobile phones. The mobile phone is an even cheaper device than a netbook and is already in the hands of a large percentage of our students. Purchasing netbooks for a 1 to 1 program would simply be replicating technology already in existence for our students. What our students don’t have access to are tools that help them create content in a multiple range of media and presentation formats. The limitation of the netbook will hold our students back from reaching their potential.

It is important to remember that any portable device will always be behind the desktop device in power and high-end features. Therefore, a laptop program does not eliminate the need for high-powered desktop machines in specialist areas. However, relying on desktop machines in the school to fulfil all the functions a netbook cannot perform will place much higher demand on desktop resources. The true vision of 1 to 1 laptop programs is the anytime anywhere learning – limiting the number of boundaries and restrictions for our students must be a major goal.

While the netbook will quickly fill the gap that many teachers have in their desire to have students researching and typing, it will not extend, engage or see a return on investment in their learning outcomes. The statement in our organisation was clear at the beginning of this journey; Curriculum (quality teaching and learning) drive IT, not the other way around. Implementing netbooks for the financial factors brings a third criteria into play, which would in turn become the driving force. Are we saying that finance should drive teaching and learning? When we return to our starting goal of providing quality education for our students, we must ask ourselves is providing resource to a IT vision which is insufficient really worth doing? Would we not be better off investing the money in further teacher training or even typewriters in the library?

Growing up I remember some of my fathers advice to me… – “If a job is worth doing, it’s worth doing properly” Can’t help but think there is some wisdom in the old guy that relates to this Journey to 1:1 computing.