We were all experimenting. This is where professional development and technology infusion really began to work - teachers could see that things were possible. This September the lab was booked for the year in 3 days - which meant it was time to expand. Linda didn't spend whole periods in the lab with teachers this year. Now she can leave them alone for some 15 minutes - others can manage completely on their own.
Students learn better from their peers.
The teacher also learns. Teachers and students can be very insulated in their classrooms. The lab opens up the world to all of them. Teachers have more time for individual contact with students. Before the lab opened Masconomet had offered all the preliminary technology professional development workshops on word processing, spreadsheets, PowerPoint, and Internet research and got only fair attendance - nothing had changed curriculum wise, there was really no increased demand for equipment.