The decision to "go laptop" must be based on an institution's individual situation, but we can all learn from the experiences of others. The premiere issue of Learning Technologies Report gathers those experiences and the lessons learned at 9 universities and 8 colleges in Canada and the United States. Laptop programmes at these 17 institutions range from a single-programme implementation with 27 students and 1 faculty member to a campus-wide execution that will involve some 4,000 students and 250 faculty members.
Why are institutions requiring, and in some cases providing, laptop computers for their students? There is no single answer. For some, it is a long-term solution to the problems of computer labs; for others, it is a market differentiator in the competition for enrolments. Some institutions are looking to empower their students with computer skills and with anytime, anyplace access to computing. For others, it is part of a response to the new imperatives of a knowledge economy, in which mastery of the tools and processes of learning is more important than mastery of facts.