Issue Review
images taken from http://www.state.me.us/mlte/
ISSUE SUMMARY
Governor King and the entire state of Maine is working on a project
that is probably the largest educational technology project in
history. The Maine department of education has signed a four-year,
#37.2 million dollar contract with Apple Computers to supply the
technology, training, and support in which will equip all 7th
and 8th grade students and teachers with one-to-one access to
Apple’s portable iBook computers and the internet. The state
of Maine has a total of 239 middle schools with a total of 33,000
seventh and eighth grader students in those schools. There are
also 3,000 teachers that are included. Maine’s Learning
Technology Initiative (MLTI) will make Maine the first state in
the nation to deploy universal personal access of learning technology
for all seventh and eight graders.
The first shipment of Apple iBook notebook computers began shipping
on March 7, 2002. The first shipment will be an exploration stage
in which 9 middle-schools will explore the effects of this initiative.
All of the 7th and 8th grade students in Maine should be equipped
with an iBook by Fall 2004.
IT CONNECTION
Instructional Technology will have an enormous impact
from this project. Instructions will now be more available online,
students will be able to learn through a variety of mediums instead
of just lecture and notes, and students will be more educated
and tech savvy towards computer technology. “The vision behind
MLTI is very simple: to provide the tools and training necessary
to ensure that Maine’s students become the most technologically
savvy students in the world” (MLTI 2002). Students will now be
able to keep up with the world of information and technology.
STAKEHOLDERS
Maine’s 7th and 8th grade Teachers This project will
have a big effect on those teachers. They will have to change
their style of teacher and somehow fit it in with the use of computers.
Those teachers will also have to come up with new and innovative
ways of instructing and leading class. Obviously, they will have
to tie in projects, assignments, and activities with the use of
computers.
Maine’s 7th and 8th grade Students Students will be
affected the most because they are the ones that the project is
targeting. Students will need to change their regular ways of
learning and tie it in with the new ways (computer technology).
Maine’s board of education Maine’s board of educations
is holding a lot of stakes. For one thing, they have to make sure
that this project is actually a success or failure. Depending
on how successful this project turns out, the board might consider
setting up more computers to different grade levels or not at
all.
Apple Computers Apple is very fortunate to have a contract
with the State of Maine. With Apple’s price on computers, they
were thinking of other alternatives. But since Apple already made
the deal, they must now live up to their words. They must provide
ongoing training and technical support for the next few years.
Governor Angus King Governor Angus King is battling
with other legislatures about the state’s budget. The governor,
a big factor in the MLTI project, is fully supportive in the MLTI
project and feels the purpose is “to produce the most digitally
literate society in the world”.
RESOURSES
Most of the resources on the MLTI project are available
on the Internet. The most creditable site is on the official MLTI
website (http://www.state.me.us/mlte/). This site basically
lets readers know what is currently happening, how students are
using the technology, student projects, the people behind MLTI,
and also a copy of the original proposal that was presented for
the grant.
There are some sites in which authors give their opinions about
the project. In the article entitled “The
Trouble With Maine” by Jerry Crystal, he talks about
the lack of funding to cover all the costs of the laptop and how
more trainer are needed to train the faculty members. In another
article entitled “The Maine iBook Initiative:
A Battle Between Lemmings and Learning” by Robert Paul
Leitao , the author discusses the battle between the Governor
of Maine and two legislative in which disputes the state’s
budget and the budget for the MLTI initiative.
IMPACT AND POTENTIAL OUTCOMES
At a national level, this project does impact other
middle schools. If this project becomes a success, then other
states will have a higher desire to equip their middle schools
with laptop computers as well. If students see how much Maine’s
students are learning, then they will want the same treatment
as well. They would naturally want to be at the same level as
other students in their class rank.
At a state level, students from different grade levels might
desire the same treatment as the 7th and 8th graders get from
computers. This could trigger more grant money to build computers
for different grade levels.
Whether the MLTI project gets implemented or not, it will still
have a big impact on education as a whole. A lot of faculty member
will argue that students are not equipped enough with computer
skills to get a career in the information world. Students will
be lesson computer literate than if they were equipped with computers
in classroom. Whether people realize it or not, computers literacy
will be a part of every career field.
AREAS OF CONCERN
Training is a huge concern for the MLTI project. If faculty members
are not familiar with computers and there is no one to teach them,
it will be useless to have computers at all. Although there are
241 technology specialists, it still isn’t efficient enough for
33,000 students. Computers naturally malfunction one time or another,
and there must be people that are there to help fix those problems.
Another concern is additional costs. Although the $37 million
does cover the costs of the iBook, wireless servers, routers,
repair, and technical support, there are also other things that
are not covered by these funds. Jerry Crystal pointed out the
“resources to connect the wireless networks to existing networks,
computers for administration, curriculum specialists, and on-site
technology personnel to allow for true integration of the technology
into the framework of the school” are all items that are not covered
by the $37 million dollar fund.
SOURCES
Crystal, Jerry. (2002, Sept. 15). The Trouble with
Maine. Technology & Learning. This site was viewed on November
6, 2002: http://www.techlearning.com/db_area/acrchives/TL/2002/09/viewpoint.html
Leitao, Robert P.(2002, July 17). The Maine iBook Initiative:
A Battle Between Lemmings And Learning. The Mac Observer. This
site was viewed on November 6, 2002: http://www.macobserver.com/editorial/2002/07/16.1.shml
Maine Learning Technology Initiative website. (2002). This site
was viewed on November 7, 2002: http://www.state.mc.us/mlte/pressroom/index.html
Sellars, Dennis. (2002, Feb. 19). MacCentral. “Maine School System
has seen Great Success with iBooks”. This site was viewed on November
6, 2002: http://www.maccentral.macworld.com/news/0202/19.maine.php
