News release

Report: One-to-one Teaching Program Increases Student Technology Skills and Motivation to Learn

An innovative school reform program that equips teachers and students with notebook PCs is increasing student motivation to learn as well as providing valuable technology skills, according to a new report released today at the National Educational Computing Conference.

The Center for Research in Educational Policy at the University of Memphis issued the report after evaluating Michigan’s “Freedom to Learn” one-to-one teaching and learning program (Michigan FTL) for 2004-2005. The report gauged the program’s impact through a comprehensive process that included classroom observations and thousands of surveys from students, teachers and administrators.

HP and Microsoft Corp. collaborated with the Michigan FTL to design and implement the program, which currently has the participation of some 23,000 students and 1,500 teachers across 100 Michigan school districts. By providing students and teachers their own wireless HP notebook PCs, combined with comprehensive training and curriculum, the students are able to learn at their own level and pace.

Unlike a traditional classroom approach in which teachers control the learning process, giving students access to their own computer and the Internet enables students to be self-directed and get highly personalized instruction.

Following are highlights of the evaluation:

• Teacher survey: In comparison to national norms, the FTL teachers showed significantly greater confidence that they knew how to meaningfully integrate the use of notebook PCs into lessons and align the use of the notebooks with curriculum standards, and that they possessed adequate computer skills to conduct lessons that had students using notebook PCs. FTL teachers also strongly believed that notebook PC use had a positive impact on students and on instruction. This survey was completed by 279 FTL middle school teachers from 77 schools.
• Lead Teacher survey: Nearly all of the 63 FTL lead teachers who completed the survey agreed that the FTL program had a positive impact on student proficiency and comfort levels with technology (90.5 percent) and that the use of notebook PCs had increased student motivation to learn (85.7 percent). Lead teachers were responsible for the notebook PC deployments at their respective schools and mentored the teachers.
• Super Coach survey: More than 90 percent of the 16 “super coaches,” those who participated in professional development provided by FTL, agreed that the program increased both student motivation to learn and student-to-teacher interactions (93.8 percent). The same number agreed that notebook PCs had a positive impact on student and teacher proficiency and comfort levels with technology.
• Student survey: Overall, students felt very positive regarding the benefits of notebook PC availability. They were “glad” that they had the notebook PCs (85.3 percent) and wanted them again next year (87.9 percent). They reported that using the notebook PCs had increased their interest in learning (61.1 percent) and made schoolwork easier to do (59.9 percent). A total of 4,245 students, primarily sixth graders, who participated in the FTL program completed the student survey.

An analysis of the student achievement data is underway using recent student scores from the Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP). A previous analysis of 2005 MEAP test results demonstrated improvements in math and reading scores. Parent and caregiver perceptions of the FTL program are being sought via a survey that was distributed to more than 4,000 parents this spring.

“Students and teachers are clearly embracing and benefiting from this one-to-one learning technology, as well as the personalized instruction it makes possible,” said Bruce Montgomery, executive director, Michigan Freedom to Learn program. “Building on the improvement of test scores we reported last year, we continue to see how the FTL program is transforming schools in Michigan and preparing our students for the 21st century.”

FTL provides a complete school improvement program to engage students in learning. A centralized learning portal provides teachers, parents and students with powerful communication and collaborative tools to create a more personalized and effective learning environment. This statewide portal is hosted on HP technology using Microsoft® Class Server.

“These survey results demonstrate how one-to-one technology increases the enthusiasm students have for learning at a critical time in their maturation and development,” said Cathy Martin, director, Education and Government, HP. “HP is proud to back the FTL with the technology solutions it needs to prepare Michigan students for their educational careers and beyond.”

“Technology is one thing, but how you use it is another. We believe the success of the Freedom to Learn program is in its planning and implementation,” said Anthony Salcito, general manager, U.S. Education, Microsoft. “Michigan’s holistic approach connecting student access and learning and teacher support and development is a model for how school organizations can most successfully use technology in the education environment.”

HP is displaying innovative technology solutions for K-12 schools in booth 0514 at the National Educational Computing Conference in San Diego.

About Michigan FTL

The Freedom to Learn program is jointly coordinated by the Michigan Department of Education and Ferris State University, where the program is based. Further information is available at www.ftlwireless.org. In addition, the FTL program leaders are developing a national One-to-One Institute (www.one-to-oneinstitute.org), with start-up support from HP.

About HP

HP is a technology solutions provider to consumers, businesses and institutions globally. The company’s offerings span IT infrastructure, global services, business and home computing, and imaging and printing. For the four fiscal quarters ended April 30, 2006, HP revenue totaled $88.9 billion. More information about HP (NYSE, Nasdaq: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com.

Microsoft is a U.S. registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. If such risks or uncertainties materialize or such assumptions prove incorrect, the results of HP and its consolidated subsidiaries could differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and assumptions. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including but not limited to statements of the plans, strategies and objectives of management for future operations; any statements concerning expected development, performance or market share relating to products and services; anticipated operational and financial results; any statements of expectation or belief; and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions include the achievement of expected results and other risks that are described from time to time in HP’s Securities and Exchange Commission reports, including but not limited to the risks described in HP’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended April 30, 2006, and other reports filed after HP’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended Oct. 31, 2005. HP assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements.