WHY ONE-TO-ONE

COMPUTER INITIATIVES?
My education
Students within my own school
Improvements are needed within many one-to-one
computer initiatives to improve both student
engagement and motivation
Background
History of one to one computer initiatives
Computers are increasingly more available
Technology provides a venue for students to work as adults
on real-life problems, using the Internet to gather and
manipulate information and conduct extended investigations
through collaborations. Essentially, technology allows them to
find individual pathways to learning. (Johnston & Cooley,
2001)
Apple
Issues: Equity, cost, adequate infrasturcture, transferability to
every school district, age of students studied

Terms
One-to-one computer initiative: computers are given to
students via laptop where there will be one laptop per
student. Generally, these are initiatives mandated by the
school board or district.
Engagement theory: student activities involve active
cognitive processes such as creating, problem-solving,
reasoning, decision-making, and evaluation. In addition,
students are intrinsically motivated to learn due to the
meaningful nature of the learning environment and
activities. (Kearsley & Shneiderman, 1999)
Terms
Intrinsic motivation: types of motivation that involve
internal processes through which people can come
to identify with and internalize with the value of the
activity. (Story et al., 2009)
Extrinsic motivation: types of motivation that result
from external demands (Story et al., 2009)

INTRODUCTION: The Problem?
Are one-to-one computer initiatives improving
student engagement and motivation within the
classroom?
Are teachers noticing a difference in student
engagement and motivation?
Are students noticing a difference in student
engagement and motivation?
Methodology: Design
Using methodological trianglulation of three different qualitative
data recovery methods: interview, observations, and blogs
Triangulation background: Triangulation helps to build validity to
qualitative results and helps to better understand the results by
merging and analyzing mixed methods of data collection.
Triangulation provides a better background, in terms of validity
and reliability for the collaboration of the results. For instance,
the observations seen in the classroom will help to validate the
report given by the teacher and the student. (Ary et al., 2009).
Methodology: Participants
Schools using one-to-one computer initiatives
3 schools using these programs
High school (preferably grades 10-12)
Schools not using one-to-one computer initiatives
3 schools of similar economic, academic and
demographics to the schools using the computers
Methodology: Participants
Teachers
3-6 teachers from each school using full integration of one-to-
one computer programs and 3-6 teachers not using
integration of one-to-one computer programs
Students
6-8 students from the classes of the previous teachers using
one-to-one computer programs from each school and 6-8
students from the classes of the previous teachers not using
one-to-one computer programs
Students in grades 10-12
Methodology: Instruments
Interview (teacher and student)
Open ended questions but previously structured to
demonstrate perspectives on engagement and
motivation within the classroom
Once every 2 months during the school year. The first
one would be 2 months after the start of the school
year to allow for optimal program operation

Methodology: Instruments
Observations
Observations by the researcher based on a
predetermined scale looking for engagement and
motivation demonstrated by the students based on
predetermined cues for what signifies engagement and
motivation.
Observations will be recorded by the researcher using
a digital camcorder

Methodology: Instruments
Teacher and Student Blogs of learning process
Teachers and students will be required to complete bi-
weekly blogs recording their observations of
engagement and motivation within the classroom using
the computers.
Students and teachers will be guided in what to look for
as clues for engagement and motivation within the
classroom.
Methodology: Procedure
Students and teachers will be interviewed 4 times
during the school year.
The observations will be done 4 times during the
school year over several (approx. 3) days within one
school.
The students logs will be required to be posted
approximately once a month during the school year.
Methodology: Analysis of
Results
Triangulation will be done to analyze the results, using the
student/teacher blogs, the interviews and the
observations, the researcher will be looking for similar
issues and themes that will be demonstrated.
For example: all three of the data collection may show a
theme of increasing leadership roles by the students
using the computers in group projects.

Hypothesis
If technology is adequately used within the
classroom through a one-to-one computer based
initiative, then students will become more engaged
and motivated to succeed within the classroom
because of the use of a practical means of
information acquisition and process.