The changeover from Mac iBooks to Dells in Henrico County Schools last fall resulted from many factors: wear and tear, price elasticity, service offers and familiarity.
The new Dell laptops, complete with protective casing, better pricing and superior service availability, were an attractive alternative to the older iBooks.
After an intense bidding struggle between Dell and the incumbent Macs, the change was finalized. Although the Macs performed well in their four years of use, Henrico County decided to take its innovative technological project in a new direction. Dell’s offer was $4 million less and also guaranteed professional development and training for teachers, administrators and students. This proposal lowered the overall price for each student by roughly $250. Dell’s offer was also leveraged by its agreement to eliminate the $50-per-computer fee that teachers had been required to pay for their iBooks, as well as the $100 student deductible. A $50-per-student insurance fee remained in place, but the insurance policy was expanded so that Dell, not the students, would be financially responsible for fixing computer issues.
Students immediately reaped the benefits of the change. David Gorvy, a rising Freeman High School senior, explained, “Originally people worried that Dells wouldn’t adequately protect against viruses, but my new computer was great.” For many, this was a welcomed change from years past. “My Mac seemed to break every few weeks, and it was very frustrating,” said Laura Buzzelli, a rising senior at Mills E. Godwin High School.
With the new computers in place, students had to adapt to the inherent differences between Macs and Dells. The iBooks were Power PC G3s that featured 500 MHz processor and a 10G hard drive. Students used the Apple Works program for word processing and presentations. After four years with the Macs, the students finally were comfortable with the system. Fortunately, the students did not take long to adapt to the new Dells. The Dell notebook offers significant upgrades compared to its Mac predecessor. Dells possess a 1.30 GHz processor and a 30 GB hard drive. In addition, the new Dells utilize the Microsoft Windows XP operating system featuring the Microsoft Office Professional series. Other programs for the new Dells include Math Type 5 and Eigenmath, programs that greatly aid in meeting individual class and subject needs.
Henrico families generally keep PCs at home rather than Macs. This familiarity with PCs led to a much smoother transition for the students. “I already have a Dell at home, so it made it really easy to make the switch,” explained Laura. “This familiarity led to a sharp increase in efficiency,” reflected Grant Bischoff, a rising senior at Mills Godwin and owner of a home Dell PC. “I took a lot more notes because I knew I could go home and print them without having to worry if the different programs will be able to work together.”
The new Dells offered the bonus incentive of having a DVD player right in the laptop. Grant Bischoff agreed. “I liked that the Dell didn’t freeze up. You can definitely notice that it’s a faster computer with a lot of enhanced processing. Movies and videos are great to have on the computer too.” Another noticeable difference between the Dells and the Macs was the increase in size. Dells have a screen that is 14.4 inches (an increase from the iBook’s 12.1 inches). “My classmates felt they were a little cumbersome at times but were definitely more efficient and ran a lot smoother,” David Gorvy stated.
Henrico hopes that the new Dells will continue to guide students in their quests to succeed in an increasingly technology-based society. The county laptop project was designed to demonstrate Henrico County’s initiative in technology education. The program, which includes over 24,000 computers for students in grades six through 12, is the largest “one-to-one computing” initiative in any school district in the United States.
Student survey results taken at the end of the 2005 school year showed the program was thriving. One particular survey showed that 97 percent of mathematics and science teachers reported that the computers have been a great tool for their students, and 59 percent report that the laptops have helped “a lot” or “a great deal.” Students agree with their teachers. More than 80 percent of students reported that it is “helpful” or “very helpful” to have a computer.
Additionally, the study found that the computers have had a positive impact on students’ interests, teacher interactions and independent work capabilities. The study was used as quantitative backing to push the county toward continuing with the program. The implementation of the Dells has brought about similar success, and the new computers’ programs and abilities have enhanced the “one-to-one computing” initiative as a whole.
Along with the benefits of familiarity and ease of use, many students believe that PC understanding is more important for prospective career opportunities. “The county probably felt it was more practical to have Dells in the student’s work environment rather than Macs because the whole business world seems to run on Windows. So it is more important to get practice using that in order to adequately plan for our futures,” said David. These encouraging statistics, combined with Dell’s firm commitment to help the rapidly developing school system, have created what both sides hope will be a lasting partnership.
