Student Teachers in School..

[soveryapt]

Right, interesting one so interested on feedback for what other people do in this situation.

One of my schools has student teachers (and NQTs and all that jazz) come in as part of their training. Now, they obviously need access to ICT kit, which isn't a problem as I can give them logins and allow them access that way, but hardware for classrooms is the issue ...

The school in question, like many others I'm sure, has laptops for teachers which they plug into the whiteboard and then they have the option of doing prep at home and just bringing it in and all that. With the student teachers, etc, we don't have an allocation of hardware for them but I'm expected to magic up a solution to their hardward/software requirements.

We have some old Acers (I say old, they're only Aspire 3680, which is a few years but they still function) so I'm flattening them back to basic XP, shoving on OpenOffice for an office suite, putting on the IWB Software and Drivers (as we hold site license so that fits in ok) and giving them for them to make use of in school.

The problem I'm getting is that I'm being asked to install OUR software on THEIR laptops (i.e. not the Acers) which as far as I'm concerned is in direct violation of the license as they are not machines that we as a school own, and even though you can say "bring it to me before you finish your placement to have all the software removed" it still sits outside of the license..

So, there it is, what do the rest of you do? Install the software, hope they come back and turn a blind eye if they don't, have (as another school I work in) fixed IWB stations for each IWB and then teachers use those or their laptops or suite machines to prepare lessons and connect to the planned lessons over the network, have dedicate hardward in place for loaning in such circumstances etc?

I'm getting complaints and want to have a good solution to the problem to offer to the head, even if it means pleading for a few hundred to buy some new basic laptops for loan purposes.

Thanks in advance guys
Andy

[Vegas]

We have laptops that we hand out for the duration of their time with us. When they ask for software on their personal equipment they get the same response that we give all staff 'Sorry but we are not licensed'

[Pottsey]

We just have a pool of laptops that are used both for things like this and for when a teacher needs an extra machine in there room.

[soveryapt]

We have laptops that we hand out for the duration of their time with us. When they ask for software on their personal equipment they get the same response that we give all staff 'Sorry but we are not licensed'

Which is what I'm trying to do with these Acers, but our staff moan soooo much ..

I think that I'll probably go to the head and say 'look, here it is, we have these machines which we can install software on and license under our existing school licenses. If the student teachers need newer machines then we'll have to buy some or look to upgrade components in these'

Any other solutions out there?

[CyberNerd]

terminal server

[localzuk]

We don't issue them laptops at all - they have to provide their own and their own software. We don't install anything of ours on their machines, other than the smartboard software (which is allowed by the license last I checked).

Not had any complaints with that system here.

[soveryapt]

We don't issue them laptops at all - they have to provide their own and their own software. We don't install anything of ours on their machines, other than the smartboard software (which is allowed by the license last I checked).

Not had any complaints with that system here.

Ah, we're promethean in this particular school, but that is another idea to look at .. thanks )

[soveryapt]

terminal server

Sorry, we only have a barebones server to allow the head remote access to CPP data from home, so we're technically workstation driven at this school (for now .. server is top of my wish list .. lol) thanks though ..

[powdarrmonkey]

So, there it is, what do the rest of you do? Install the software, hope they come back and turn a blind eye if they don't, have (as another school I work in) fixed IWB stations for each IWB and then teachers use those or their laptops or suite machines to prepare lessons and connect to the planned lessons over the network, have dedicate hardward in place for loaning in such circumstances etc?

Tell them no? If they are really struggling to acquire their own licenses, they need to speak to their sponsoring institution (probably university) and get a work-at-home license thing for the duration of their course. I'm yet to hear of a uni that doesn't have the right MS scheme (possibly Open licensing) to do this with, even my tiny college did.

[webman]

Each teaching room has a dedicated IWB computer for use by anyone with a school network account.

If our software licenses allow us to install it on their laptops, we do. Otherwise, we don't.

[StewartKnight]

you've got to remember that student teachers and NQT's are probably a bit nervous.... cut them some slack! Whilst they are at the school, they ARE members of staff, and the school has a responsibility to look after their interests

[localzuk]

you've got to remember that student teachers and NQT's are probably a bit nervous.... cut them some slack! Whilst they are at the school, they ARE members of staff, and the school has a responsibility to look after their interests

No, they aren't. They don't have a contract, therefore they are not employees in the eyes of the law - and same with software licenses.

[mb2k01]

This is one of the many reasons I forced fixed-point computing in normal classrooms. The computer and projector/iwb is always connect, and they can always log on as it is on the network. It makes things a whole lot easier!

[powdarrmonkey]

you've got to remember that student teachers and NQT's are probably a bit nervous.... cut them some slack! Whilst they are at the school, they ARE members of staff, and the school has a responsibility to look after their interests

No they're not, they are students of their institution. They (or the government) are paying good money for their qualification and should get the resources they need in return. It's not the school's responsibility to provide software licenses beyond their normal level of service, i.e. what would already be provided anyway.

[pete]

...not that the institutions the student teachers come from would ever set their expectations absurdly high or anything....

Me: no we're not providing you with $foo
Them: but $institution said you would.
Me: then I suggest you take the matter up with them.

We have students turning up who believe an IWB and a shiny new laptop is a basic human right because their college have promised them the moon on a stick, it's getting tiresome. I know it's not the students fault, but grrrr.....