With Labor Day just around the corner, students are gearing up to go back to school. Staple items such as pens, pencils, erasers and book bags will be joined — or even replaced — by cameras, camcorders and computer keyboards.

Now more than ever, technology is a key ingredient in students’ lives, in how they access information, and how they connect with their network of friends and family. And it’s just as important in their education, whether they are elementary school students or students heading off to their first year of college. Consider the following statistics about students in the United States from the annual Speak Up surveys conducted by national education nonprofit Project Tomorrow:

•53 percent of students in grades 7–12 know more of their friends’ instant messaging screen names than they do their phone numbers

•81 percent of students state that losing Internet access would impact their social life as well as their education

•97 percent of students in grades 7–12 recognize the importance of technology in their education, 95 percent in grades 4–6 recognize the importance and 82 percent in grades K–3 recognize the importance

Technology That Makes the Grade

So how does exposure to technology impact students, the way they learn, and the way they retain and access information? What tools, technology gadgets and software products are available to help in their pursuit of landing their first job offer, receiving a full-ride scholarship, or attending the end-of-year pizza party?

With hardware that’s Certified for Windows Vista, students might use their laptops to:
•Complete field assignments for Botany 101
•Connect with their lab partners via their Web cam and Windows Live Messenger
•Create a video report using Windows Movie Maker
•Feel close to friends and family by easily tagging, organizing and viewing photos with Windows Live Photo Gallery

These are just a few of the possibilities. And because so many students have grown up creating digital content, surfing the Internet and using instant messaging, scenarios like this will be practically second nature. As familiar as these tasks seem, with Windows Vista there’s now an added layer of protection, putting parents in charge and helping to protect children while on the PC.

Technology can help students of all educational levels feel more empowered and increase their success in the learning process. Using Windows Vista in conjunction with the latest laptops, desktops, printers and cameras can expand the horizon of possibilities even further.

Microsoft has been working with Canon Inc., Nikon Corp., HP and several other companies to design stylish tools and technologies that fit with the connected, on-the-go lifestyle of today’s student, provide them with easier access to the people and information they’re looking for, and motivate them to interact in the learning process.-Microsoft