Enhancing the educational experience.

A New Science Class in Lebanon

In an economically challenged area of southern Lebanon, teachers are using classmate PCs to enhance middle school instruction. As part of the science curriculum at the school, students engage in the study of physical forces such as magnetism. This year, with technology assisting, the science teacher was able to find applicable lesson plans online (at www.skoool.com). Additionally, when the teacher demonstrated the effect of a magnet on the magnetic field of a compass, the students didn’t have to huddle around a lab table. They were able to see the experiment clearly on their classmate PC screens and enter results directly into their computers. As a result, the experiment was conducted more efficiently, and the students had more time to engage in analysis.

The Storekeeper in Malinalco, Mexico

When an 11-year-old boy in Malinalco, Mexico, was allowed to take his classmate PC home, he not only used it to do his homework, but he also began to manage his parents’ small business. As owners of a small market, the boy’s parents were frequently asked about the availability of particular items. But because they had no method for keeping track of stock, they often went digging, not knowing whether their search would yield the item in question. Having learned the basics of a mathematical computing software program, the boy took the initiative of starting a computer inventory for the store. He also used the program to manage the store’s cash intake. As a result of these improvements, the parents say they now see the value of technology, not just for their business, but for their son’s future as well. They are currently saving for their own computer.

“Lifesaving” in Faridabad, India

When an unfamiliar species of insect began decimating farmers’ crops in Faridabad, India, a fifth grader came to the rescue. As a participant in the classmate PC program at her school, she knew exactly where to turn to identify the insect and seek out an appropriate response: the Internet. Using her classmate PC, the student successfully identified both bug and necessary insecticide, and her father put this new knowledge to quick use. As a result, the family’s crops were saved. Additionally, the family shared the information with other farmers in the area, saving their crops as well, which explains why the student now describes her classmate PC as, literally, “lifesaving.”

Math Improvement in Rancho Cordova, California

For a group of third graders in Rancho Cordova, California, math was a struggle. Though their teacher gave the students direction, time, and opportunity to master the material in class, they just weren’t getting it. Until the school got classmate PCs, that is. Once the students had access to a cool math program called “Go Solve,” they not only practiced solving math problems in class on their classmate PCs, they also practiced them at home — and they found it fun. Within weeks, they were no longer trailing other third graders in the district in math scores; they were ahead.

Animal Reports in Sacramento, California

When a Sacramento teacher asked her third graders to prepare small group reports on animals, the students got creative. Not only did they use their classmate PCs to conduct research on the Internet, they also utilized other applications to create multimedia presentations. This included using a Web cam for “field reports,” where the students went out into the field to observe animal subjects and capture images to incorporate into their presentations. The task even included a bit of drama as students acted as on-the-spot reporters observing, in one case, sunning sea lions at San Francisco’s Pier 49. The end result: informative — and entertaining — reports, as well as a very memorable learning experience.

A New Classroom Dynamic in Guadalajara

In Guadalajara’s Acueducto School, the teacher of an all-girl class reports that classmate PCs have transformed student attitudes and motivation for learning. As soon as the classmate PCs arrived, students were more attentive and participative, says their teacher. Whereas they were quiet before, they are now offering answers and asking questions in class. The teacher believes this change stems from the students’ ability to try out new things on the computer with minimum risk. As a result, she says, they have become more comfortable with making mistakes, an integral part of the learning process, and are willing to risk more. “Girls are no longer afraid of making mistakes,” says the teacher, “so they are participating more.”

Balanced Relationships in Campinas, Brazil

In a classmate PC-equipped classroom at the Bradesco Foundation, Campinas, Brazil, one of the school’s teachers employed a computer application in a Portuguese lesson that allowed students to create animations to represent the text they were reading. One of the students was then asked to share her animation with the class via a linked SmartBoard. When technical difficulties ensued, the teacher asked if one of the other students could help. A boy who had become the resident “classmate PC expert” volunteered and fixed the problem in less than a minute.

In traditional classrooms, there is usually an uneven relationship between teacher and students. Classmate PC classrooms often experience a shift toward a more balanced relationship between the two as students take more responsibility for their own learning.

Making a Difference in Campinas, Brazil

When a teacher from the Bradesco Foundation, Campinas, Brazil, was invited to talk at a conference in Brazil about her students’ experience with classmate PCs, the presentation started with a video of her students using their classmate PCs. The teacher was so moved by the images that she broke into tears. When she composed herself, she explained that she was overcome by the notion that children like hers who were born in a remote location with “limited access to everything,” suddenly had access to such important technology.