When a school decides to provide NetSchools Constellation to its community, each student receives a laptop computer with an wireless connection to the school's computer network, the teacher's laptop and the Internet. Teachers, students and parents receive extensive training on how to use the technology and the Internet-based curriculum. When students come to class and start their computers, their homework is collected and stored in the students' electronic folders on the school's central server. In addition, any assignments the teacher has sent for the next day are instantly transmitted to each student's laptop. Teachers direct their students throughout the day to pre-selected Websites on specific curriculum topics.
Students routinely access the Internet ten or more times a day in search of information.
In addition they use their laptops for word-processing, spreadsheet, and presentation assignments. At the end of the school day, students take their laptops home and complete the homework assignments, do additional Internet research, or collaborate on group projects with other classmates via e-mail. NetSchools provides the initial correlation of a school district's state or local curriculum objectives to appropriate educational Websites identified by the NetSchools Internet Education Group. To date, more than 47,000 education-related Websites have been identified. Additionally, a district's books, films, workbooks, software, etc. can also be correlated to the district's curriculum documents, rendering a comprehensive resource database.