Students can share a laptop and take turns to view, input, and analyze data. Students at different locations can interact through email or videoconferencing, using wireless connectivity among computers, or a modem. Laptops provide ready access to Internet resources, even in the field, using wireless remote access. The ability to process and graph data immediately allows students to check estimates and make decisions about the next step of an activity in the field or laboratory. The flexibility of laptops lets students take more ownership in learning ownership which is key to effective education and positive self-esteem.
Laptops have similar advantages for teachers.
In the classroom, teachers can connect laptops to monitors or overhead projectors to give multimedia presentations, clarify assignments, and review procedures. Teachers can use laptops to record and organize notes on individual student progress. Teachers can use the computers in conjunction with digital cameras to record events for later student assessment. Below is a partial list of examples.