<P> The early 1990s marked the beginning of modern media technology such as CD - ROMs as well as the development of modern presentation software such as Microsoft Powerpoint . Other computer - based technology including the electronic whiteboard and the laptop computer became widely available to students . In 1990, the Methodist Ladies' College became the first campus to require every student to purchase a laptop . Governments around the world began to take notice of the effectiveness of this policy, and began financial initiatives to significantly increase the use of laptop computers in other colleges as well . In 1996, Bill Clinton made over $2 billion in grants available in the Technology Literacy Challenge Fund, a program which challenged schools to make computers available to every student, connected to the outside world, and engaging . This marked a significant increase in the demand for computer technology in many public school systems throughout the globe . </P> <P> Correlating with the development of modern operating systems like Windows 98 and the continuing support of government funding, the prevalence of educational computer usage boomed during this era . Between 1997 and 1999, the ratio of students to multimedia computers decreased from 21 students per machine to less than 10 students per machine . Colleges began creating specialized classrooms designed to provide students with access to the utilization of the most modern technology available . Classrooms such as the "Classroom 2000" built at Georgia Tech in 1999 which featured computers with audio and video equipment designed to capture detailed recordings of lectures as a replacement for traditional note taking began to become more common . By 2000, the student to computer ratio at some schools in the US decreased to only 5 students per school computer . </P> <P> As collaborative classroom environments became mainstream, more schools as a whole began to invest in powerful networks and faster Internet connections . By 2010, many school districts implemented or encouraged "1: 1 learning programs" which would ensure that all students in grade school would be provided with a personal laptop . Computers have significantly changed traditional teaching methodology into a more "hands - on" approach, with Forbes predicting that, "Instead of parking themselves in a lecture hall for hours, students will work in collaborative spaces, where future doctors, lawyers, business leaders, engineers, journalists and artists learn to integrate their different approaches to problem solving and innovate together ." </P> <P> Experience has shown, however, that excessive use of computers can be detrimental to a student's basic academic skills . The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has compared average student literacy, numeracy and science skills in 31 countries (considering three large cities in China separately). It also compared the levels of student computer use in those same countries . The study's conclusion, after correcting for social backgrounds and student demographics, was that moderate use of classroom computers produces the best educational outcomes . </P>

When was the first computer introduced in schools