IMPACTFUL STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES of one-to-one student laptop programs in low socioeconomic schools

Abstract

At present, a majority of one-to-one student laptop programs exist in schools that serve affluent communities, which denies low socioeconomic students the learning benefits of ubiquitous access to technology. Using a “Studying Up – Studying Down” paradigm, this multi-site case study collected mixed method data from program participants at five laptop programs to identify student learning outcomes of one-to-one student laptop programs, especially those with the greatest potential impact on low socioeconomic students. Findings showed that laptop programs affected all three levels of the Educational Digital Divide and that laptop students experienced transformed scholastic learning, changes to the learning environment, technology skills attainment, impacts on communication, and responsibility development. For low socioeconomic students, laptop programs impacted learning in the aforementioned areas to a higher degree than non-low socioeconomic students, while also improving career potential, expanding worldviews, and empowering communities through technology learning extended to students’ families. Implications suggest that one-to-one student laptop programs can be effective educational investments for low socioeconomic schools.