Study demonstrates Value of Maine iBook/MacBook Program

The Maine Education Policy Research Institute (MEPRI) at the University of Southern Maine recently released the results of the first in a series of studies, Maine's Middle School Laptop Program: Creating Better Writers. The study demonstrates that the Maine Learning Technology Initiative' notebook program has had a clear and significantly positive impact on student writing achievement. In fact, twice as many students met proficiency standards in writing in the highest-laptop-use group as compared to the lowest-use group.

"Since the implementation of the laptops initiative, we have all wanted to know what kind of impact they would have on student learning and achievement," said Maine Governor John Baldacci. "Until now, we have had only anecdotal evidence of success. For the first time we have proof that laptops make a difference in learning, and we also have quantifiable support for students' and teachers' belief that laptops make a difference in teaching and learning."

Maine leads the nation in bringing computing technology to K-12 students by making Apple iBooks and MacBooks available to each seventh and eighth grader and their teachers in the entire state. Many high schools in Maine followed suit and earlier this year Maine made MacBooks available to all of Maine's high school and technical school teachers. AirPort wireless networking, training and repair support are also provided under contract to Apple. [Dana Baggett]