Here are five pieces of advice concerning students, you, and any 1:1 computing program in which you and your students find yourselves:
1) Some students will resist using the technology. I had students going to counselors wanting out of my class because I made them use the netbooks. Realize that, with any technology you use, there must be instruction on how to use that technology. When learning new technology, there is a learning curve, and students who are used to getting by in a passive learning environment will resist having to use the netbooks--because it means they must be actively engaged at all times.
I would suggest a "play day" on the day you first introduce a new technology tool. Give brief instructions on the basics of the tool (you might even consider screencasting directions ahead of time using Jing) where you give students time to play in the tool, but say, "You must do <blank> by the end of the period and show/share it with me." This gives them a goal and a means of demonstrating their proficiency to you, but them allows them to explore the tool in any way they see fit, making them more comfortable.
You must first build their confidence with the technology. If you don't, they will always fear it. Just like you would for any instructional strategy, introduce one tool, use it 3-4 times, then introduce a new one. After a while, allow them choices. Towards the end of the year, you can even just mention ones they might want to try that are new, and you'd be amazed at how students will learn them on their own--after their confidence has taken root with using technology.
2) Eliminate excuses for limited access. I had a lot of students say they couldn't get the work done because they didn't have an internet connection, a computer at home, their computer crashed suddenly, etc. While for some students this is a completely valid statement, some students will use this as a way to get out of doing the work. Don't let them. Many angry parents called me, accusing me of being unreasonable until I told them that students could get a media pass from me any time to use a computer during study hall, or use the computers in the media center in the morning (if they had no study hall), or come to my room after school every single day of the week from 3:15-4:15 to use my netbooks. The availability of student access to technology needs to be communicated early and often. Also communicate that any work not completed still needs to be completed using technology. As Doug Reeves says, "The appropriate penalty for missing work is getting the work done."
3) Limit paper evidence of learning. Our students come in with little to no experience using Web 2.0 tools. While they tend to know the basics of Microsoft Office, they do not know how to collaborate online, have a true online discussion, brainstorm ideas, or have the confidence to learn technology on their own. This technology is unknown to them, and they will cling to paper methods of learning as long as you let them. (For example, when given a choice of paper or netbook projects at the end of the year, I had two classes where 6 out of 7 groups still chose the paper option. When asked why, they said it was because they didn't want to take the time to use the technology.) To me, the only solution is not to give them a paper option, or at least give very limited paper options for final evidence of learning. This practice needs to be in place from the beginning of the year. You might get parent phone calls about this, but you need to emphasize the valuable skills they will be learning that will make them more employable in the workforce. And, more importantly, emphasize the learning skills they are developing along the way by learning how to use current technology.
This is not to say nothing should ever be done on paper. While learning is taking place, paper is often a vital part of the process-brainstorming, mapping out a plan, quick note-taking, etc. However, the final evidence of learning should be turned in electronically. You can differentiate this by giving them choices between how to electronically organize and present their evidence of learning to you. For example, I had one assignment where students could choose between different ways to demonstrate their knowledge, all involving a different Web 2.0 tool--bubbl.us, Popplet, Capszles, or Flipsnack.
4) Teach students valuable problem-solving and troubleshooting skills. Students, when faced with an unknown computer screen or an error on their screen, are usually stopped dead in their tracks. They will wave their hands frantically, wanting you to come over and solve their problem. The more you do this, the less they will learn how to solve computer issues on their own. You need to teach them basic troubleshooting skills at the beginning of the year about what to do when they are faced with an error. Most often, students don't fully read the error message or the screen, and, if they had, they would realize that just by clicking "OK" or "Continue," they would have been allowed to keep working. Teach them what to do and practice it for a few days, and then tell students they are responsible for following your troubleshooting steps, and that you will not come over until they have carried out those steps. If you don't do this, every time you introduce something new, you'll spend most of your time running around "fixing" things that, most often, students could have worked out on their own if they had just read the screen and thought it through.
5) Set up a system of and ground rules for student communication with you outside of class. I would suggest setting up a separate e-mail account for students to contact you. Make it clear what an e-mail to you should/should not contain, and what it should look like. Most of the students I deal with have plenty of texting experience, but little to no e-mail experience; I feel it is my job to teach them how to use e-mail, and use it professionally. (Here are my "Guidelines for E-mails.")
Also, make it clear what questions should be asked and when. I had many issues with students asking me questions that, if they had taken a few minutes, could have easily been answered by looking at the class website. I also stopped answering questions via e-mail the night before a major assignment was due, because I was getting flooded with students having technology/direction issues at the last minute because they had all started at the last minute, and they all demanded my help RIGHT NOW. Most importantly, set hours you will be available by e-mail before & after school and on the weekends, and stick with them. (These rules were firmly "suggested" by my husband, who got tired of going out to dinner with me and watching me e-mail students from my iPhone the entire time).
Do you have any other pieces of advice for new 1:1 teachers? Feel free to share them in the comments below.