Laptop Initiative Research Paper

The Laptop Initiative!

Alex Dantzler & Megan Bresnahan
Introduction to Sociology 1301
Professor Murray Fortner
November 18, 2014

I. Introduction The 21st century has so much to offer with all of the technological advances that have happened in the last decade. Everything from iPods to iPhones to iPads to MacBooks have taken over today’s society. Not to mention the ton of other products available in any electronics store. Technology is everywhere, and it is being used in so many more ways than was even imaginable ten years ago. With this rails increase in the use of technology, it is important to keep everyone updated and informed on how to properly use it. It is challenging for adults to go into a work place and try to learn
Megan went to school in New Hampshire at Windham High School, while Alex went to Trinity High School right up the freeway from our college. It was obvious, when Alex brought his new MacBook to class, but really didn’t know how to use it. Meagan helped him with taking notes on the MacBook, only because she had so much experience with the hardware. Meagan had been a part of the second wave of classmates that were able to go all 4 years of high school with an assigned MacBook, provided by the high school. They also provided hands on training that made navigating through your MacBook feels very much natural. Again, to express the importance of this issue in our society is very important for our future generations. Technology is not going in a backwards direction and to not experience certain tools at an early age may damper your skills later on in life. There are a multitude of schools all around the country that are just now starting to acquire MacBooks and iPads for use in the classroom. There have been some issues associated with the program at some schools, but just as any new program, the small issues are worked out at first and the outcome will be a more comprehensive system of
Like any situation, there are pros and cons to both sides of the argument. According to Barshay (2014), “We had the money to buy them, but maybe not the best implementation. It became unsustainable” (p 1). Barshay is referring to a school in New Jersey that was able to acquire technology; however, they did not know how to properly use it in the classrooms. Not knowing how to integrate modern technology into a classroom setting is not a good enough reason to say giving students laptops is a bad idea. According to Hertz (2007), “The first step in successful tech integration is recognizing the change that may need to happen inside of yourself and in your approach to teaching” (p 1). Hertz argues that it is in fact possible to integrate technology into the classroom if the teachers are open to learning new ways to teach while incorporating technology. Another concern is addressed by Winnie Hu in an article about laptops in the classroom. Hu (2007) says, “The students at Liverpool High have used their school-issued laptops to exchange answers on tests, download pornography and hack into local businesses” (p 1). This article addresses some concerns that parents and teachers have about how much access their children are receiving. While it is possible to get distracted in class and find it tempting to share answers or look at inappropriate things such as pornography, it is