Third-graders at St. Marys City (Ohio) Schools learn vocabulary terms and use Sketchy to illustrate an important event they were discussing in social studies.

While St. Marys is a small, rural town in west central Ohio, over 800 students and 49 staff members are using mobile learning devices (HTC Touch Pro2s) in grades 3-7. The one-to-one 24/7 mobile learning project started in October 2008 as a small, 60-unit pilot, but it has exploded into the largest oneto- one mobile learning project in the nation. The students use the MLDs for at least 50 percent of the school day for all their academic subjects and then use them for homework outside of school.

Experiences with MLDs

The MLDs are definitely motivating our students to learn. For example, students ask if they can stay in from recess to do work on the MLDs, and students ask if they can write more when doing a writing project. The elementary school boys have shown a marked increase in their interest in writing since the MLD project began. In addition, a class can be so totally engaged, and quiet in working with the MLDs that, because there is no movement, the automatic lighting system goes off. On the other hand, collaboration has increased, since students ask each other questions rather than go to the teacher for the answers.

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