Laptops for students

[The_Aiist_Cube]

I think most of the students wont want them anyway because they already have better ones.

[ranj]

You are quite right to pick up the degree of contempt for some of the previous posts in this thread where the implications are that IT support staff have the right to undermine strategic decisions. I fully agree with you in providing a system which can be managed and used by all. I would, however, be very surprised if you have not experienced those who do treat the school systems as their own personal fiefdom.

At the end of the day, we are paid to put vision, strategy and policy into workable practice (for all involved) and to move forward. Where decisions have been made to put laptops into the hands of children, it should be a clear strategic decision taken to move learning forward. I consider it my job to ensure that this CAN and DOES happen in a rational and manageable way. If children can not benefit from our work, we might as well not bother.

I competely agree with some of the comments made here, a lot of techie's are worried that introducing completely new ways of working with IT is going to bog them down. I agree that this can happen if not planned correctly but you need to give it a shot on a smaller scale and if it doesnt work at least you have tried it.

I am looking into the future at the school I work at and the vision I hope is once our VLE is being well used the hope is some pupils can bring in the laptops that have been given to them (laptop for pupils scheme) and use the wireless network to connect to the internet only to access the school VLE. Similar to how its done in universities where a laptop which isn't configured/setup by the school but the pupils get filtered/locked down capability to the internet (VLAN?) and the hope is we promote anytime anywhere learning.

Before any of this is possible, as a network manager I would want to ensure that the infrastructure is capable to handle such a load and the school will support me if they think it is out of our scope or they can not provide sufficient funds for an infrastructure project.

Does anyone know how this is done, I believe with Cisco products its done with the Network Access Control. We have an Extricom system.

As network managers we should try to facilitate these new technologies because students and staff are effectively our customers, without them we wouldn't have a job and I believe its an injustice to our students to not better prepare them for the world of work or college.

One issue I see with laptops coming into school is charging them. I know the school are looking to purchase school lockers and wanted to know if there any solutions out there where you can integrate Power sockets into lockers for laptops to be charged in. Someone tell me if this is a ridiculus idea.. but I struggling to find ways where you could charge laptops in school.

Remember these are not school laptops and are the pupils laptops, so the school won't be responsible if the laptops are not charged for use in a lesson or to be used in school, but to assist students it would be good to have a solution of some sort where students could charge their laptops in school.

Have other schools put some sort of provision in for students to go and use their laptops whilst charging or are there any other solutions out there for charging laptops (Not laptop trolleys or standalone charging areas). Any solutions with power and lockers integrated?

Thanks

[PEO]

LFP is a nice idea, but a really bad idea.

We've been boged down with laptop repairs, insurnce forms, telephone calls to have replacement modems ets etc. We have days were we could do with an additional person to take care of them.

to sum it all up, one big head ake that we could all do without IMO.

[ranj]

Our school communicated to all parents when we embarked on the scheme that the IT department in school will take NO responsibility with repairing laptops from this scheme.

We have had a few issues where we have had to replace some DOA but the message seems to have got across.

LFP scheme is bad idea if the school takes responsibility for repairing the machines, it then bogs down vital technician time. Just make SLT aware that this cannot happen unless they are willing to pay for an extra pair of hands or two.

[jenny_urey]

Just been in a meeting where the suggestion was made to give each of our 250 Year 10's a laptop to use in school on the wireless and at home.

Is anyone doing this at their school?

Personally I think the whole thing would be painful at every level - damage, speed of access etc, viruses, illegal software etc.

Answers on a postcard?

Ive seen this come up in schools before - have you done a survey with year 10 to find out how many students have access to the internet at home? This means that majority have a PC (unless using handheld technology) and have the opportunity to access school data via VLE if setup. This may be worth doing prior to letting them know of your thoughts for free laptops... you may also find that students may not want them. People have mentioned on the forum about students breaking them, porn and viruses... though safety is also very important as a student carrying a laptop walking passed an opportune adult or older kids is an easy target... a damaged laptop is easier to mend than a traumatised or injured student.............. I certainly would not allow my daughter (yr 10) to take a laptop back and forth on her school bus.

Ive also heard stories of school who have laptops after getting the budget - then not able to give them away..

[jenny_urey]

USB Pens.. much more cost effective, less downtime for the techies concerned about the 'technical aspects', safer for the students keeping parents happy and less cost keeping bursar and head happy! Oh... and they can no doubt use them in their fully decked out multi USB, game friendly, 4Gb Ram, 500Gb laptops they may already have!