Rick Johnson: a speaker and doer for technology, teaching and learning.

Rick Johnson fueled the synergy that became the Freedom to Learn 1-to-1 wireless learning program. As a legislator, the former Speaker of the House dedicated much of his public time to community schools. It was during those visits that he witnessed the power of an online course program demonstrated by the principal from Pine River High School. Johnson imagined how a highly integrated technological approach could transform traditional teaching and learning.

In 1999, the technology and education focus inspired Johnson and his team to visit with Microsoft and other technology companies. During these visits, they witnessed the future possibilities for technology and instructional integration, specifically as related to creating 1-to-1 learning environments. This got them excited; a vision solidified. Then in November 2001, Johnson's office released a statement to the press regarding initiation of a program to promote 1-to-1 teaching and learning. The goals were to connect students to the world and enhance their abilities to engage the future, society and the world of work.

As a former school board member, a farmer and a self-proclaimed technophobe, Johnson's dedication to improved education portrays the most compelling evidence for securing this kind of program. He visited the Chelsea School District and witnessed a similar program in action with their HP/Compaq laptops. Students told him stories of how their school lives had been transformed as a result of 1-to-1 learning. Some credited the program as their reason for reversing decisions to drop out of school.

But just how did the FTL program get its name? Johnson opened a contest to name the program for all demonstration schools. Two Detroit inner-city schools, Malcolm X Academy and McMichaels Middle School, came up with the title, along with help from Forest Hills Public Schools in Grand Rapids. They were rewarded with an on-site celebration where parents and caregivers expressed their heartfelt gratitude for their students' abilities to be involved with the program.

Although Johnson's political term has expired, his commitment to the effort is in full swing. He and his wife have created the education trust Achieve 121 to raise corporate funds for program expansion. Johnson's vision is that all Michigan students will be empowered to improve academic achievement through anytime, anywhere learning and 1-to-1 access to wireless technology. His leadership and foresight have Michigan on its way to fulfilling his dream.

Bridging the Digital Divide

One of the key goals of Title II D of the No Child Left Behind Act and of the FTL program is to bridge the digital divide. The issue brief, "Children, The Digital Divide, and Federal Policy," a publication from The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, demonstrates the substantial inequities existing in children's access to the Internet--one measure looking at children and learning in the digital era. Surveys conducted in 2003/2004 showed that although 96% of those aged 8-18 have accessed the Internet at least once, young people of less-educated parents who attend schools in impoverished areas were less likely than others to access the Internet at school or home. In families with incomes of $75,000 or more, 50% of all children aged 3-17 had home Internet access, while only 15% had home Internet access in families with incomes of $20,000-$25,000.

Bear Lake Middle School is an example of the above. According to teachers Sarah Harless and Amanda Harthun-Reed:

"The barriers between ... status of students have been broken. Students who normally outshined the others due to socioeconomic status are becoming the norm and do not stand out as much.... Special needs and at-risk students are having greater success. The laptops even out the playing field.... At-risk students who had difficulty expressing themselves on paper [now use software to] organize their thoughts."