I think it would be helpful for students to have computers if their family wasn't able to afford one. This would make it easier for the student to do assignments and access online resources for projects. Another pro to supplying students with computers is that you could use them in instruction to help students accomplish tasks.
A con to giving students computers is that it would be a big cost financially for the school and they could probably use that money elsewhere. Another con is that the students could lose the personal aspect of responding to classmates and the teacher because the class would be more focused on the technological aspects of teaching and learning.
Some schools are looking at ways to make the cost of one-to-one computers feasible. With 24/7 access to the Internet, are textbooks necessary? Not buying textbooks would save a lot of money. Do the one-to-one computers have to be the fastest and best? Could they be netbooks (less costly) with higher-end stations available at school? Can we go paperless in our classrooms and in school management? That would save many bucks now spent on paper and ink.
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