A new report suggests that laptops can significantly enhance the classroom experience in Hawaii, reducing the burdens on teachers and increasing student engagement.

Students and teachers at eight public schools were each equipped with a laptop computer this past year as part of a Hawaii Department of Education “Access Learning” pilot program aimed at exploring how technology can be used to boost instruction and learning. The Apple laptops come with digital English and language arts materials aligned with the Common Core, the new set of academic standards that are being adopted across the state and country.

Teachers over the course of the school year increasingly used the computers for an array of purposes and were able to conduct class more efficiently, according to the report, which was put together by a University of Hawaii — West Oahu professor hired by the DOE. The computers also allowed teachers to better tailor their instruction to special-needs students and encourage peer collaboration on projects and assignments, among other benefits.

A MacBook and an apple.

Sean Freese via Flickr

Meanwhile, students were more organized with their work and engaged in their learning, and parents felt more involved in their children’s classroom experiences, the survey reveals.

But whether the department can replicate the pilot’s success and expand the resources to the rest of the state’s 185,000 or so public school students remains to be seen.

The initiative got off to a rocky start. The DOE had in 2012 initially requested $42 million from the Legislature to fund a multi-year pilot, including an initial phase of comprehensive training for teachers. But lawmakers only gave the department a sliver of that money — $8.2 million — forcing the DOE to significantly pare down the program and limit it to eight schools.

The budget restrictions also forced the DOE to condense the timeline for the rollout — from two years to 10 months — and many teachers expressed frustration with the rushed implementation. Most of the students didn’t even get their laptops until this past spring.

Teachers surveyed in the report said they want more professional development opportunities and time to get acclimated to the devices.

The Legislature this year declined to fund ongoing technical assistance and professional development for the Access Learning program at eight schools, meaning the department has to rely on existing DOE funds to provide that support.

Schools participating in the project include Moanalua Middle, Keaau Elementary, Pahoa Elementary, Mililani Mauka Elementary, Mililani Waena Elementary, Nanaikapono Elementary, Nanakuli Elementary and Nanakuli Intermeidate and High.

Just six of the more than 6,000 computers purchased were reported missing. All the computers are equipped with advanced security tracking software.