The legislation is done. The debate is now how to implement. I know the question is loaded..this information is helping me form a survey that is going to be distributed in state. Your ideas are helping me form those questions and offering options and opinions of current tech that I might not have thought of otherwise. Here's the task:
www.studentscomefirst.org
The readings, minutes and directives of the task force are here:
http://studentscomefirst.org/technologytaskforce.htm
By my own math there are approximately 29-30k students in each grade state-wide. If they buy for 1 grade a year that's $300-$350 per device. This will need to include warranty and insurance. But remember, the buying power of a 29,000-30,000 unit purchase might come into play one might think. I have heard as high as $600 per unit, but I haven't seen hard numbers. Again, I'm not asking for a specific device, more the important features or useful features for learning. If it doesn't impact learning, it doesn't warrant consideration from my understanding.
IT support is supposed to largely come from the vendor with local controls being placed on the units.
This was not intended as a debate of the merits. If you are presently in or an alumni of a school with a 1:1 initiative I'd love to hear from you.
This is more about what features you'd like as a student or would have liked as a student for accessing online classes, hybrid or blended learning classes, multimedia, digital textbooks, etc. Again, I know this is an open ended and loaded question, but I ask it because people have a passionate opinion or experience that I can learn from.
As for theft and damages -- my suggestion so far is that if students want to take them home their family can make a small contribution to the insurance on that device. Otherwise they would check it out from the library or some similar system that already exists on a daily basis as needed. I don't know if that would happen, but that's my thought on it right now. It also helps with some buy-in on the student and family's part. There would of course be some agreements signed with the parents as well.
As a FIRST coach I'd love to load them up with portable workstations, CAD/CAM, LabVIEW, Wind-river, etc. But I don't see that happening, nor useful for the majority of the population.
So again...
Tablet vs PC vs Netbook vs ???
Google's Chrome devices look promising, but I wonder how many programs are 'married' to MS Office. I'd bet most Business courses include a Mouse or IC3 program directly tied to Microsoft...so we have to be cognizant of that fact in some way. That said, I'm not suggesting a windows based device, but just putting the ideas out there. I have an iPad...it has it's uses. I have a Kindle that I love...but lack of animations, video capability, or interaction make this a textbook substitute, but not a multimedia learning tool.
Thank you for your input. Did not intend to open a debate on the merits...it's happening...help me make it as best as I can!