5. Internet-Ready Device and Unencumbered Access

The 2012 MACUL Journal Conference Edition published the edited treatise of 54321 Michigan (PDF). It was a call to like-minded individuals to join our effort to provide schools with support to innovate. Let's use the sections from the journal articles as a base:

5. One:One Access and Connectivity: one-to-one computing is a given in any knowledge-based, global economy and yet we send our students to schools with outdated, inferior quantities of computers. If Michigan wants individualized, personalized learning that gives every student a chance at success, providing a device for every student is required. With the cost of Internet- capable devices plummeting, now is the time to address the real inequity in 21st Century Learning: the lack of Internet-ready devices in our schools.


What’s more, because Michigan lacks an integrated statewide network, Internet connectivity of our schools is spotty at best. In one county, for example, you will find two high schools 30 miles apart, one with 100mbps to the high school and the other with 3mbps for the entire district. Shared networking is progressing in the state and holds great promise for lowering cost while boosting connectivity, but the current effort will leave schools behind. Thanks to large-scale federal investments, Michigan will have a premier Internet backbone in place within 5 years. What our state needs now is effective policy and an executable plan to connect every school building and library to this network at connectivity speeds of 1gbps or greater. We also need to look at creating financial incentives for school-age family discounts for broadband to the home. 

So can you help? This blog is meant to help "crowd source" an annotated bibliography that provides empirical support for the five points. Our goal is to move 54321 Michigan beyond a rant or response into action and we need to provide an evidence-based industry like public education with support that good things can and should be done.

Can support the claim that "every student needs a internet-ready device with unencumbered access to the internet" with a citation and link to a resource? Then post a comment with that information. Please try to use APA if you can. Thank you!