August 12, 2024

The Impact of Tech Tools on Student Productivity

The Philadelphia Education Fund (PEF), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, serves over 1,700 low-income and potential first-generation college students across six public high schools in Philadelphia. Their College Access program provides robust support and scholarships for students in need. Despite covering tuition, fees, housing, and meals, PEF has identified a significant gap in providing technology for their Scholars, which is crucial for college success. In a recent survey, 5 Scholars expressed an urgent need for laptops. Collaborating with TechCycle to receive refurbished laptops would help these students overcome barriers and excel in their studies, ensuring they have the same tools as their peers.

Several students from various majors, including Nuclear Medical Technology, Secondary Education (English), Art & Design (Graphic Design), Education (Pre-K-4), and Corporate Innovation/Entrepreneurship, have expressed their need for laptops to aid their studies. They highlight challenges such as relying on phones or shared resources, slow school computers, and lack of personal devices. A laptop would significantly enhance their ability to complete assignments, write essays, stay organized, and work with specialized software or large datasets. Access to laptops through the TechCycle program would greatly improve their productivity and educational experience.

Here are some of students' comments on their needs for a laptop:

Aleecyah: "Since I don’t have access to a computer or a laptop, at this moment, I’ve been relying on using my phone. As an English major, I have to write and use Microsoft Word and/Google Docs daily so typing in everything on my phone can be troublesome. Being able to receive a laptop would definitely help when staying organized with all the essays and short readings that I have to do online."

Jazzy: "I need a laptop for all of my classes, but most importantly for graphics and for the class work I have to finish on my own time. Without a laptop it’s harder to do my work and get it done on time, especially using the school computers that run slow and are sometimes difficult to use. I have been using my sister’s laptop when I can to do work, but I’m not able to keep my work there or even download what I need to without taking up her work space for her classes."

Ivy: "I don’t have a laptop at the moment. I am currently using the computer at my school library. Getting a laptop will help me be able to do my work for in class assignments with my group."

Seth: "My laptop broke, and newer a high- processing MacBook would help my coursework and significantly enhance my productivity. A similar device with fast processing speed would help handle large datasets and expedite data analysis and computations for my classes."

We're delighted to have the opportunity to help these students in enhancing their ability to complete assignments, stay organized, and succeed in their studies.