Best Laptop PC for Online Homeschooling

Laptop Computers for One Laptop Per Child and K12 Homeschool

Apr 10, 2009 Lisa Russell

Which laptop notebooks are recommended for online homeschooling? Learn about laptop rental, the one laptop per child initiative and how to find the best laptop for kids.

At one time, personal laptop computers for children might have been looked upon as indulgent or even labeled as “spoiling.” Today, however, the One Laptop Per Child initiative is taking hold all over the world. Parents have embraced the replacement of kids' heavy backpacks by lightweight online texts. Homeschooling programs have gone online, and kids can access lessons and connect with teachers from anywhere there's an internet connection.

K12 Homeschool and Laptop Rental

Several states in the US are offering public-school funded enrollment in online homeschooling programs. Most popular are the K12 homeschool program developed by some of the same people who founded the Core Knowledge Foundation, and also the Calvert Homeschool program. When students enroll in these programs through the public school system, they are sometimes afforded a laptop rental allowance.

Laptop Rental

Renting a laptop for a child might seem like a frightening proposition, being that some children have a reputation for haphazard treatment of technology. Having a service contract, technical support and extensive warranties might be comforting to families. Some of the mini laptop computers that are currently available, however, are more than adequate for meeting the needs of an online homeschooling student and cost less to purchase than a one-year laptop rental.

Laptop Computers for Kids

Many of the new mini laptop computers are smaller in size and weight than the latest Harry Potter book. The Nobi Convertible has a sturdy frame with a rubber handle, and a bi-directional LCD touch-screen. It's hard to believe that this little ten-inch machine has a whopping 60gb hard drive, and an Intel Atom processor designed exclusively for the Intel Classmate series.

Mini Laptop Notebooks

Because of their compact size, however, these mini laptops don't often have built-in CD ROM drives. Both the K12 and the Calvert online homeschooling programs require students to have access to a CD Rom drive. Jubilee Academy, a Christian online homeschooling program, also requires access to a CD Rom drive. Families can get around this by using an external CD drive, that connects via USB cable. USB support is standard equipment for a mini laptop pc. The Oak Meadow online homeschooling program does not require CD ROM access, and uses readily available programs like Adobe's Acrobat Reader, which is available for free.

Families shopping for a mini laptop computer to use for online homeschooling need to weight the pros and cons of laptop rental versus purchasing a mini laptop notebook computer. Giving children the opportunity to keep up with technological advancements is thought to help prepare them for the workforce of the future. Heavy school books are difficult to transport and an online homeschooling program that's computer-based will be accessible wherever kids have an internet connection. In fact, the One Laptop Per Child initiative has brought children mini laptops even in remote African villages.

The copyright of the article Best Laptop PC for Online Homeschooling in Homeschooling is owned by Lisa Russell. Permission to republish Best Laptop PC for Online Homeschooling in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Mini Laptop PC

Mini Laptop Computer

Laptop Rental for ONline Homeschooling