HP Awards $2.1 Million in Technology

HP (www.hp.com) today awarded 25 schools in the United States and Canada a total of $2.1 million in wireless technology, cash and professional development as part of the 2005 HP Technology for Teaching Leadership grant program.

The awards were presented to 15 K-12 schools and 10 colleges and universities that received grants in 2004 and which were invited to apply for additional investment support.

Recipients were selected for reinvestment because of their success integrating HP technology into their classroom curriculum, demonstrating measurable positive impact on student achievement, and proposing innovative plans to expand their programs to have broader impact on student success.

The HP Technology for Teaching program aims to improve student success and engage faculty through the innovative implementation of mobile technology in the classroom, with an emphasis on creating sustainable advances in teaching and learning. Earlier this year, more than 200 K-12 schools and two- and four-year colleges received grants.

"Technology is a powerful educational tool that not only enhances teaching but also prepares students for greater success inside and outside of the classroom," said Bess Stephens, vice president, Philanthropy and Education, HP. "By awarding these recipients additional equipment and skills training, we hope to further nurture their innovative programs so that even more students are able to experience the many opportunities that technology offers."

HP is awarding $850,000 in cash and equipment to teams of teachers at 14 K-12 public schools in the United States and one in Canada. Valued at more than $57,000 for each school, the K-12 award package includes HP equipment and professional development.

Schools will receive a mobile cart - equipped with 15 HP Tablet PCs, a wireless HP digital projector and an HP digital camera - which can be moved throughout the school for use in any classroom. Additional equipment is also being donated for the use of three new teachers and administrators joining each school's HP Technology for Teaching team.

The K-12 recipients were recognized at the 2005 National Educational Computing Conference (NECC) in Philadelphia this week. Recipients shared their project results and curriculum ideas at NECC in an effort to leverage their knowledge and extend the benefits of the program to the larger education community.

For example, during the successful implementation of their 2004 HP Technology for Teaching grant, teachers at Arthur Hill High School in Saginaw, Mich., incorporated HP technology into their science lab lesson plans, using the Internet and streaming video in student-centered activities designed to increase understanding of difficult science concepts. After one year with the program, test scores increased 10 percent over those from the previous years.

At Canutillo Elementary in Canutillo, Texas, sixth grade students used HP equipment to produce a documentary video of the history of their community. The video went on to receive local and national attention.

Student and teacher reflections, student surveys, pre- and post-assessments in the state content standards, and analysis of student work demonstrated increased understanding of core concepts and skills and increased engagement and pride in learning among students.

HP is awarding a total of $1.3 million in cash and equipment to 10 two- and four-year colleges and universities across the United States. The grantees will each receive an award package valued at more than $120,000.

HP Technology for Teaching Leadership grant recipient New Mexico State University (NMSU) used the HP Tablet PC technology in a student-centered, project-based curriculum.

The University of Michigan used HP iPAQ Pocket PCs in an upper-level field geology course. With the leadership grant, iPAQ Pocket PCs will help revitalize survey-level science courses by increasing student-instructor interaction through image and graphical queries, data manipulation and by supporting peer instruction. In addition, field-based science courses will use iPAQ Pocket PCs configured with GIS software and GPS receivers to serve as "GeoPockets" for use in field-based exercises and during field trip activities.