school equipment borrowing

[newdriftking-2008]

Not sure if this is the correct place..

 

I'm trying to come up with a solution for several schools for tracking who has borrowed iPads etc...

 

In the past we have used a sign in/out book, but staff are lazy and don't fill it in. So then tracking whose had them last when ipads are missing is difficult.

 

Any suggestions would be great.

 

Thanks

Paul.

[Grey-gear]

You could get one person responsible on each site to do the booking out, maybe have it that the teachers need to book 24 hours ahead to get them and that way there will be a paper trial.

[NokiX]

Personally I find this type of issue a huge pain as there really isn't anything (that I know of) which can make this easier. A few idea's would be to keep the equipment that people would want to borrow in your office or a store room only IT has access to so they HAVE to sign when they take something but if the iPads use the same Apple account you could just lock down the iPad through you account if it's not been signed out correctly so eventually staff would learn they can't take equipment without signing for it first.

 

We use an online booking system for camera's so if they do go anywhere off site we won't let them be taken out our office until it's been correctly requested. I'm sure others may have better solutions however but that's just how we deal with our cameras.

 

Chris.

[mjk]

Google apps for education has a neat resource booking system built into the calendar app, it is quite useful but a better solution is to give them to the librarian.

I don't know about your librarian but ours won't let a single item leave the room unless it has been checked out of her system.

[Edu-IT]

I'm trying to come up with a solution for several schools for tracking who has borrowed iPads etc...

Reward them with chocolate and thank them for saving you the headaches...? ;-)

[newdriftking-2008]

Thanks for all the replies, the main issue we have is I'm not always onsite (work between 6 other schools) and don't have an office...

 

I could ask the office staff to monitor it, but it adds extra work to their day..

[NokiX]

Reward them with chocolate and thank them for saving you the headaches...? ;-)

 

Maybe a sticker and a lollipop as well

[pcstru]

Do you have a library (or any other established system which tracks borrowing)? We loan laptops, netbooks and chromebooks with the Library issuing a card which students can then swap at our walk in help desk for the item. We track the loans both on the library system and our own little swipe card app. Having two systems is an annoying overhead but it has stopped us losing track of devices a few times.

 

ISTR seeing some lockers at BETT which could be used for this. The devices live in the locker and can be accessed via RFID or swipe cards and release to those cards set remotely so you could potentially get an email from a student asking to borrow a device, you then tell the locker to release to that student when they present their card. Perhaps these folks could help?

[greyskull]

Either my FileMaker Wizardry or Schoolbase

[MrPstv]

I remember having this issue a few years ago, the solution i used was to get the senior management involved at least that takes some weight of your shoulders and adds weight to the monitoring, senior management can announce it in staff briefings and you could send a polite reminder via email.

Staff would have to sign a disclaimer that they will adhere to the terms and conditions of taking school property off site including singing out and signing in.

This would include the loss of the item and who is responsible, the replacement of the item like for like or the nearest,who is liable for repairs if damages crop up etc.

 

I found that when items went missing it was not me chasing the kit it was senior management, if it continues they will be tired of chasing staff and looking for ipads and they might just decide to put the brakes on staff taking ipads off site.