LeslieWalbert

ArticleCritique1
FRIT7237
September14,2014

Grant,M.M.,Ross,S.M.,Wang,W.,&Potter,A.(2005).Computersonwheels(COWS):An
alternativetoeachonehasone.
BritishJournalofEducationalTechnology,36
(6),10171034.
http://www.jaidpub.org/wpcontent/uploads/2011/01/Grantetal.pdf
TheauthorsofComputersonwheels:analternativetoeachonehasoneconductastudy
oftechnologyintegrationinelementaryeducation.Thisstudyfocusesonafifthgradelaptop
programinaschoolinthesoutheastoftheUnitedStates.Aseriesofevaluationswereconducted
tohelpidentifycomputeruseamongstudentsandstudentcenteredactivitiesbeingused.There
wasalsoateachertechnologyquestionnaireandatechnologyskillsassessmentdatasummary
(forteachers).Thedesignoftheevaluationswasbasedondatacollectedfromclassroom
observations,surveys,andfocusgroupswithteachersandstudents.Thisseriesofevaluations
helpsustounderstandiftheschoolhadteacherswhofeelconfidentaboutusingtechnologyand
ifstudentswereengagedinpurposefultechnologysupportedactivities.
ThefourfifthgradeclassroomsatGreenRiverElementarysharetwoApplewireless
laptopcartsandeachteacherhadapersonalApplePowerBooklaptop.Theteachersfeltlikethe
programpositivelyimpactedtheirclassroominstructionandtheirstudents.Thedatashowsthat
teachersincorporatedmorestudentcenteredactivitiesandprojectbasedlearning.The
projectbasedlearningandstudentcenteredactivitiesallowedformorecollaborationamong
studentswhichallowedteacherstobemorelikecoaches.Theresultsalsoemphasizedthree
factorsasindicatorsforchangeininfluencingtechnologyintegration.Thesefactorsinclude
teachertechnologicalknowledgeandefficacy,pedagogicalknowledge,andasupportive
community.

Theauthorsbeginthisarticlebyremindingusofthecontroversialtopicoftechnology
beingbeneficialtosomeanddetrimentaltoothersintheclassroom.Itiscontroversialbecauseso
manypeoplehaveanopinionabouttechnologytakingoverandthefearthatstudentswillno
longerknowhowtofunctionwithoutacomputer.Thisarticlealsoprovidesthereaderwiththe
ideaofprovidingtechnologyinelementaryclassroomswithoutnecessarilyhavingtospendthe
moneyononetoonelaptopprograms.Thiscontroversyalsoincludesopinionsaboutthecostof
technologyandIthinktheauthorsdoasufficientjobinprovingthatthereisawayto
purposefullyandeffectivelyintegratetechnologywithouthavingtospendthefortuneon
onetoone.Theyprovethroughdatacollectionandobservationthatsharedlaptopcartsisgreat
alternativeforschoolswhohavebudgetconstraints.
Thereisenoughevidencetoprovethatthismethodworksinprovidingstudentsan
opportunitytocollaborateonstudentcenteredactivitiesandthattheteachershadapositive
attitudeontechnologyuse.Thedatanotonlyincludedwhattheteachershadtosayaboutthe
programbutitalsoincludedinputfromstudents.Ithoughtitwasveryclearandinterestingtosee
thatthestudentsfeltthatusinglaptopcomputersmadeworkeasier,fun,andfaster.Ofcourse
therearealwaystechnicalissuessuchasfreezingandotherglitchesthatcausedelayin
instruction.However,therewasdefinitelyapositiveattitudethatalsocamefromstudents.Itis
importanttoincludeteachersandstudentswhenitcomestocollectingdataonthebenefitsof
anythingthatisbeingimplementedintoeducation.Ithinkitwouldhavebeenalsointerestingto
hearfromtheparentstoseeiftheynoticedanyimprovementsoftheirchildslearning.There
wasonlyatinyportionofthisarticlethattalkedabouttheparentsandadministrators.Asidefrom
that,thisarticleandthedatapresentedreallyhelpedmetoseewhatitislikeforschoolswhodo

nothavealargebudgetfortechnologyandhowtheyareabletofindaneffectivealternativeto
theonetooneapproach.