Little Computers: The Next Wave in Educational Technology

A new generation of computing devices is emerging. And with its arrival, an entirely new set of possibilities beckons teachers and students. These computers are suitable for little hands, sturdy enough for everyday classroom use and economical at around $400 each. Schools are making way for a device that is creating its own niche in the computing field and it's not even clear yet what to call them: mini-laptops? sub-notebooks?

Over the years schools have worked their way through a maze of computer deployment models, moving from one computer per classroom to computer labs to clusters -- small groups of computers in the classroom -- and on to mobile carts of wireless laptops, the current flavor of choice.

And as the idea catches on that more computers for more students is a good way to branch out learning activities, many schools perennially find themselves at the starting gate, hoping to establish or extend a "one-to-one" laptop program for which acquiring the financial funds is a dream.

Enter the new generation of laptop-like devices. They are all Internet connected, extending their usefulness beyond simple word processing and calculating functions offered by earlier versions of laptop alternatives. This new breed is designed to support 21st century students, including activities like Web-based research, e-mail and Web 2.0 publishing. They represent the very crux of what students must now do in order to learn meaningfully.

Made for kids

Any discussion of this emerging digital learning resource really ought to begin with the XO, a device developed and distributed by the One Laptop per Child Foundation (OLPC), the now famous effort started by Nicholas Negroponte at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's media lab.

This little computer has contributed tremendously to developing the concept of ultra low cost devices for students: The XO ships at below $200 in most instances.

When I recently asked Mr. Negroponte about how this type of device offers something different from the standard laptops used in schools, he pointed out:

"The Internet connected XO Laptop was conceived from scratch, from the bottom up for children, versus taking a cost-down approach to existing office and productivity equipment. We set the harshest goals possible: to reach the poorest and most remote children, without electricity or telecommunications, in families that earn less than $1 per day. Features like sunlight readability and hand cranking are critical."

After detailing its beginnings, Mr. Negroponte spoke to how the XO would fair in American schools.

"In achieving these (goals), as well as costs never seen before, a more general laptop has emerged, well suited for wider use in countries like the United States for children 5 or 6 to 10 or 12-years-old. Furthermore, it is a publishing medium, so kids can carry only one book, versus a knapsack filled to the brim. Even more importantly, the same laptop can be used for music, chat, video and games... seamlessly used in a child's life."

As if to underscore Negroponte's assertion that the device that has emerged from his project could be used by schools in the United States and similar nations, it was recently reported that Birmingham, Ala., has begun the process of acquiring 15,000 XO units; roughly one for every two students in the school district. With this announcement it's become clear that this approach to providing student technology, for which this device is emblematic, may prove to be what is needed to get the broad-based use of educational technology in gear in both developed and developing nations.

When numerous individuals come to the same conclusion simultaneously, clearly an idea has come of age. The XO may be known as a visionary of its breed, but it is not unique. Other groups have been working on similar items for several years and currently ship their products to schools in the United States and abroad. Other devices of significance are the Intel-powered Classmate PC, the One2OneMate, the NOVA 5000 and the ASUS Eee PC -- recently adopted by a number of schools in the United Kingdom. All of these devices are advancements over previous attempts many of which lacked e-mail or Internet capability.

"We have deliberately targeted our efforts on the K-8 portion of the K-12 student market," says Michael Spencer, CEO of One2OneMate. "As the majority of portable computing products available today are too heavy, too bulky, too fragile or too costly for students ages 5 to 12."

Mr. Spencer astutely pointed out that in understanding this new generation of computing devices for students, it is not useful to make a direct comparison with professional adult laptops, but to evaluate the student devices purely on their usefulness for learning.

Seen from this perspective, the concept of "less is more" rings true. Items like the One2OneMate, when viewed through an appropriate lens, come into focus not as stripped down approximations of the real thing, but as tools with true advantages for students.

Mr. Spencer cited the following items as key to the design process:

• An indestructible design
• An intuitive, easy-to-use suite of applications
• Long lasting battery life
• Open source (Linux) technology that is also compatible with Microsoft Word and Excel
• Below $400 for total cost of ownership

In understanding these devices, it is useful to see what they are specifically intended to do and which niche they are designed to satisfy, a point that becomes clear to educators who have purchased high-end devices and later realized that a great deal of what those computers are capable of never gets put to use in the classrooms.

Accordingly, a provider of note is Fourier Systems, producer of the NOVA 5000. This is a device for general student computing use, but it is particularly strong in supporting science and math activities. It also features an ample line of data probes and related software. When asked about the NOVA 5000, Fourier stated: "Access to information and the ability to research are critical 21st century skills. The Nova 5000 supports these skills by providing connectivity to the Internet, either wirelessly or via the Ethernet port.

"Students are able to participate in the entire spectrum of activities that are important in science and mathematics:

• Research (on the Web or outdoors)
• Design experiments
• Collect data
• Analyze data
• Communicate results
• Demonstrate learning"

Capacity to provide

The development of this type of device has been undertaken not solely by visionaries supported by universities and nonprofit organizations, or by small independent technology providers, but by giants with massive production and distribution capacity as well. Intel, through its World Ahead Program, has been offering the Classmate PC for several years now and continues to make improvements.

On the Classmate PC, Intel shared the following information:

"The Classmate PC comes with an integrated educational feature set that allows teacher-student, student-student and student-parent collaboration. For example, teachers can monitor what is happening on students' Classmate PCs from their own standard desktop or laptop, they can share content from their PC with the students, highlight the work of a student to other students, administer tests and homework and even silence usage of PCs so that students pay attention to lectures. This approach empowers the teachers, providing them control over the use of the PC and enables interaction between students and teachers.

"The Classmate PC also includes unique functions such as a water-proof keyboard and an advanced hardware-based theft-deterrent feature via a network-issued digital certification... "

In addition to these device capabilities, it is also important to be mindful of what they cannot do. Intel adds:

"The Classmate PC is a fully-functional laptop that has features commonly found in today's mainstream PCs (such as storage and built-in wireless), and is capable of running mainstream applications such as browsing the Internet, video streaming and educational software. As the Classmate PC is designed for students, it will not be able to support processing intensive applications such as video editing, but handles static content creation well."

This is an important distinction of this type of device. These new student notebooks will not preclude or eliminate the use of high-end machines: Schools will continue to have use for more expensive and robust computers. However, their use will be more clarified and focused as part of a continuum of more intelligent decisions from technology using educators.

And while Intel began their response by stating that the Classmate PCs are designed specifically for children in emerging markets, they also pointed out:

"We have been working with selective established markets in testing these units and are expecting to afford a version of the Classmate PC in the first half of this year that will fit the needs of students in mature markets. For example, there will be options for more performance, a camera, full mesh networking support, and larger screen sizes for students in mature markets who have a lot of prior experience with technology."

What does it all mean?

Whether any of these particular devices proves to be the perfect one for school use is not the point. What has emerged here is an alternative approach to handling the very serious issue of getting enough technology into the hands of young learners when they need it.

Furthermore, acknowledging the emergence and significance of these new devices should not be construed as an assertion that one-to-one laptop programs are the definitive way for technology to contribute to the experience of students.

On the contrary, the flexibility to opt for other deployment schemes, like a single, powerful computer working in tandem with an LCD projector and interactive whiteboard, is essential. Only when educators can choose technology deployment solely on the basis of pedagogical advantage -- not because they must make do with a paltry amount, affordable at the moment -- will these decisions have true meaning and will technology be able to make its full contribution to education.

Emerging from this shift in access and availability will be the beginnings of the true transformation education technology enthusiasts have long awaited. For one, we can expect a more casual and informal attitude toward the use of technology. Without making a big deal of the presence of computers in the classroom, an attitude lamentably common due to their scarcity and fragility, students and teachers will be able to focus their attention on learning and not the machines.

New habits, like spontaneous research, will take root as a result of the ready availability of quick booting devices that students can grab and use on the fly as learning dictates. Turning to the Web to research an idea that has come up in the course of working on a project, they'll return to their primary activity in the sort of seamless transition between real and virtual learning spaces that will be the hallmark of 21st century education. Such freedom of use will help re-ignite the spark in the educational technology revolution, a flame that no longer burns as bright as it should.

Investing in the future

Why get involved now? Beyond the benefits of initial savings on purchase price and more fruitful attitudes around the issue of technology use in classrooms, there is another, perhaps more compelling reason for schools and districts to acquire working quantities of the new devices: This is an investment in the future of education. As a result, better devices and broader communities of users will certainly result. It is crucial that this particular vehicle for educational technology gain traction so that it may carry the world's learners the full distance into the 21st century.

While educators in developed nations have yet to direct their attention to these low-cost, student-centric devices, their counterparts in emerging countries are receiving a first wave influx of such technologies and are positioned to soon put these devices into the hands of their youngsters. Doing so will provide students from developing nations the opportunities necessary to compete in the global marketplace.

While U.S. educators say they are mindful of being globally competitive, here is an issue by which they can demonstrate their concern. It would be wise to comprehend the emergence of these devices and appropriately embrace them to stay competitive. Yet, we stumble our way through the implementation stage, asking "Will these devices improve student performance?"

Impassioned Words

It is indisputable that technology has profoundly changed our world. However, we now must turn the spotlight on the rate of this change, which has escalated significantly and will continue to do so. New student computing devices are a prime example of this. They represent an opportunity that is here now and that cannot be understood as a "wait and see" curiosity.

Speaking about providing laptops to the world's children, Nicholas Negroponte stated:

"This is not something you have to test; the days of pilot projects are over. When people say, 'Well, we'd like to do three or four thousand to see how it works'... Screw you! Go to the back of the line and someone else will do it. And then, when you figure out that this works, you can join as well."

These are rough, impassioned words from the front of a crucial battle for the future of education. Rather than robbing students of many learning opportunities, we would be wise to take a serious look at the new shape of educational technology.

*This story is from Converge magazine's Winter 2008 issue.