Blending Computers into Classroom

By BARBARA MARTINEZ At P.S. 100 in the Bronx, fourth-graders look intently at their laptop computers, watching a cartoon character wearing big sneakers explain prime factors. Wearing headphones, the students listen to and see the multiplechoice questions on their screens and tap in their answers. Suddenly, an instant message from their teacher pops up: "5 more minutes and then we'll review." David Turnley for The Wall Street Journal At P.S. 100, laptop computers are used for instruction about two hours a day. These children get two hours a day of instruction with the aid of laptopspart of one of the largest experiments in the country to fundamentally change the way students learn in school. In the case of P.S. 100, the "blended learning" approach uses a

learning programs involving 13,000 students, up from $300,000 last year. While that's hardly a huge outlay in light of the DOE's $20-billion-plus budget, the agency plans to spend $30 million over the next three years and expand the effort to 400 schools. About $20 million of that budget is expected to come from the federal Race to the Top grant money that New York state won, while another $10 million will be raised privately. "We are shifting from a whole-group

mentality to an individual-child mentality," said John White, the DOE deputy chancellor in charge of labor and innovation in schools. Because some of these programs allow children to learn at their own pace, the teacher "can spend more time with each individual child over the course of the day. Research has shown that individual attention is an enormous tool," he said. The concept of blending an online learning environment with traditional teaching is growing in public schools. Across the country, an estimated 1 million elementary

combination of traditional teaching and a computer-based curriculum. P.S. 100 is one of more than 80 schools in New York City that is radically redesigning David Turnley for The Wall Street Journal Diana Link, above, teaches students at P.S. 100 in the Bronx. classrooms or integrating technology to change the way students learn. This year, the Department of Education is spending nearly $7.2 million on technology-based

and high school students were engaged in online courses in 2007-08, up 47% from the year before, according to Anthony G.

help traditional teachers adapt to the new system. According to the company, a study of its program in Texas showed that of a cohort of fourth-graders using its math program in one year, 93% met or exceeded standards; of those who didn't use the program, 66% met or exceeded standards.

nonfiction reading and writing online, as well as geography about the origins and

manufacturing of cocoa beans. In a recent English class, students read "The Fairy and the Chupacabra and Those Marfa Lights" on their laptops. Some students were reading the story on their own, and those

Picciano, a professor and executive officer of the Ph.D. program in urban education at the City University of New York. Yet there is little hard evidence that the movement will have any lasting effect. "There's been a lot of experimentation in the past with technology that hasn't produced a lot of learning gains," said Robin Lake, associate Reinventing director Public of the Center at on the

Teachers at P.S. 100 said they see signs that this combination teaching approach may be unlocking some potential that was previously hard to reach. They say the animation and sounds of the computer characters capture the students' attention in ways that are much more difficult for teachers to do on their own. "The more motivated and interested they are, the better able they are to want to do their work," said Sarah Kougemitros, a fourth-grade teacher at the school. She

who chose could have the story read to them. The teacher adjusted the vocabulary for students who were more advanced. So some children read that the horse ran, while others read that it galloped. For struggling students, in particular, the method is helpful, said Jazmin Rivera, a special-education teacher at the school. Having the computer read to a student with auditory disabilities is key to capturing their interest in the material. These are kids who "would zone out and not be engaged" otherwise, Ms. Rivera said.

Education

University of Washington, who has been studying the DOE's efforts. That said, she noted that in the case of New York City, "this is a different approach. It's not a random use of technology. It's really coherent and integrated." The curriculum used at P.S. 100 comes from an Israeli-based vendor, Time to Know Inc., which has only recently begun to offer its products in the U.S. The company employs teachers who spend time at the schools to

notes that the programs are full-fledged curriculums that come with great ideas for captivating student interest. For instance, her students are now enjoying the topic of chocolate, which includes fiction and