For many Wayland High School students, it would be a dream come true to receive their own Macbook or Macbook Air. With the One to One Learning Initiative set to be launched in September 2012 at Wayland High School, this dream is becoming a reality.

“In the One to One Learning Initiative, every student is provided with a laptop. Students can use it all day and at home, though it belongs to the school,” said Wayland High School Principal Patrick Tutwiler.

Students would not be able to use their own personal computers, a stipulation other schools that have successful one to one programs recommended to Wayland.

The plan has been three years in the making. Teachers have been educated in the use of technology in the classroom and have begun to utilize programs such as It’sLearning.

“Last year, we had a very focused effort on professional development here and at the middle school,” said Tutwiler. “The year before we started our teacher One to One program. This has been talked about extensively.”

To learn more about One to One programs, a group of Wayland High School teachers and students visited Yarmouth High School in Maine. The state of Maine formed a contract with Apple in 2002 to provide every student with a laptop once they reach the seventh grade.

“When you walk into the school, there are laptops everywhere. Every kid has a laptop, and all the kids are plugged in,” said Jacob Sussman, a WHS junior who went on the trip.

Sussman believes that the laptops will add logistical ease to high school life.

“Anytime a teacher wants to use something on the computer, they can just say, ‘Hey kids, take out your laptops,’” said Sussman. “It’s nothing revolutionary to us; it’s more of an efficiency boost.”

Tutwiler is also of the opinion that the laptops will facilitate students throughout the day and believes that they are fundamental to the learning experience.

“This isn’t cheap, but we need certain things. This is something we should pay for; this is fundamental,” said Tutwiler.

If the initiative’s budget is approved, the money for the laptops will come partly from the school budget but primarily from the district budget. The program will be accessible to all students with a possible nominal fee of about fifty dollars.

Not only will the laptops be available for every student, but they will provide everyone with easy online access at all times.

“Often in the media center, computers are taken or other computers are slow. It would be good to have my own,” said Sussman.

During his trip to Yarmouth, Sussman noticed more homework being done on students’ computers than with textbooks.

“Pencils and papers are outdated there,” said Sussman.

According to Tutwiler, the high school is making small steps towards using online textbooks. However, some teachers like using books and paper, including Tutwiler. Instead of seeing less pencils in the future, Tutwiler is seeing a bigger change.

“One to One is a supporter and enabler of the four Cs: creativity, critical thinking, communication and collaboration. Also, students are digital natives. This initiative embraces who you are,” said Tutwiler.

While observing the construction workers outside, Tutwiler noticed that besides manual labor, much of the constuction work for the new school involves utilizing technology.

“If we don’t do this, students will be less prepared to do things the work world needs them to do,” said Tutwiler.