I agree with you about tech labs. For small children they may be overkill, and if teachers just want kids to do busy work on them I don't think they are pedagogically sound.
For younger kids we use tools such as internet safety programs to introduce them to the web world (www.netsmartz.org). We try to do that in media/library classes, again, where they are appropriate.
As I said before, Maine will be testing their kids on line within the next couple of years, if not sooner. We do it voluntarily, because our JH kids are more comfortable with the online version.
The web isn't going away. Look how we are using it at this moment. We'd be negligent if we didn't introduce kids to the tools now.
As for laptops, for JH kids and older, there's no way a kid will achieve less with a laptop. The chances that he will be more successful are greater. But, that's my opinion.
For younger kids, the teacher has to know what he/she is doing, which isn't always the case.
From my point of view, the problem with school tech labs is that they tend to be under-maintained. Schools spend lots on the hardware and the standard software packages, but neglect to pay people who maintain the machines and who research and install software that is educationally purposeful for the school.
Laptops are a good choice, actually, because the manufacturer can put a good software package for the school on the machine, and the machines themselves are easy to setup to utilize all the network resources.
Apple is really good in this regard, in my experience. They are always working to improve the package our kids get. I'm not trying to toot Apple's horn, I just know from experience that they work very hard to keep our machines going at peak efficiency. I'm sure other manufacturer's would do the same thing.
For us techs, a crashed laptop is pretty easily brought back on line with a 15 minute image re-do. If the kid has saved work on the server, he's up and running again after recess.
Yes, I am a teacher, but more of a coach/tech type. My kids have been homeschooled, for example, so I'm not a dyed-in-the-wool NEA trooper, if you know what I mean.
For your own kids in school, if the school district has internet filters up, and the teachers have good supervision practices and are versed in web research tactics, they will almost be guaranteed to improve in achievement, especially in the research based subjects, like geography, for example.
The problem isn't the computer, AFAIC, it's the ability of the teacher who has the kids with the computers. That, of course, is a different ballgame. I tend to think, though, that most teachers actually do pretty well.
longjack
I can tell you that the internet has mildly embellished my daughter's education. It has made research faster and easier on occasion. She is a straight A student, top of her class in a high school that has the highest SAT's in the state. But her accomplishments are not dependent on computers or the internet. She is a classroom note taker, late night studier, hard worker, and practical approacher of her schoolwork. Most of her computer time is spent instant-messaging or using MS Word.
My son is an A-B student who hardly ever uses the internet. He knows how to because of my wife and me. I'm sorry but the computer does not greatly influence the accomplishments of my children.