[netbook] How are your netbooks/laptops managed?

[MattWMedia]

Hello

 

This is relevant to those who have college owned netbooks/laptops which are always on site.

 

We have 50 netbooks for student use for any lesson. They are stored in one large rack in the IT office. When they have been booked out by the teacher they are passed to the students one by one after being scanned per student through a library system. This is a very long process and cant take up a lot of time. We also have a person whose 75% of their job role is to do this very mind numbing task (not me).

 

I need to put some ideas to management of how the netbooks could be managed in a different way, ie mobile trolley racks.

 

If anyone who has netbooks or laptops in the same manner but given out differently, please let me know what you do.

 

Thanks

Edited June 22, 2015 by MattWMedia

[Steve21]

Well I guess that depends if you're talking class sets or individuals?

 

But we have 4 trolleys (different departments), and the teacher books the trolley out if they want the kids to use it. Sorted within their own departments as to who uses them when) They don't sign out individually to students etc

 

Steve

[BFCIT]

I think that you would benefit from laptop trolleys - maybe split the 50 laptops into workable sizes. The decision regarding how these would split would be a senior decision, maybe your Headteacher's decision. The laptops can then distributed accordingly and kept in mobile trolleys that have the potential to provide a charging source too.

 

A booking system such as MRBS could then be used to manage the booking of resources. I would recommended laptop trolleys with physical security mechanisms ie locks. You could keep ownership of the keys, when teachers require use of a laptop trolley they could perhaps visit you to get the relevant key.

 

I think toptec do some half decent laptop trolleys - they aren't that cheap though: TOP-TEC - Market Leader in Lecterns, Workspace Furniture, Device Storage and AV Integration Products

 

We have something very similar to the above setup and although they key management could be improved we do not have any issues whatsoever - we are a relatively small site with only 800 pupils so this is worth noting.

[dry]

I've seen various implementations from laptop trollies managed by individual departments right through to automated swipe-card access lockers with zero interaction from any member of staff.

 

Probably one of the most workable solutions I found was tall fixed cabinets with lockable doors. This meant a teacher could lock away x number of laptops ready for their lesson (preventing others from taking them) whilst sixth formers could still take and return laptops as they please from the remaining cabinets. This was supplemented by an external battery charger that could charge up to 15 or 20 laptop batteries at the time, ready to be swapped out if a student 'forgets' to plug the laptop in once they've finished with it.

[MattWMedia]

I've seen various implementations from laptop trollies managed by individual departments right through to automated swipe-card access lockers with zero interaction from any member of staff.

 

Probably one of the most workable solutions I found was tall fixed cabinets with lockable doors. This meant a teacher could lock away x number of laptops ready for their lesson (preventing others from taking them) whilst sixth formers could still take and return laptops as they please from the remaining cabinets. This was supplemented by an external battery charger that could charge up to 15 or 20 laptop batteries at the time, ready to be swapped out if a student 'forgets' to plug the laptop in once they've finished with it.

 

I'm liking the sound of that! Bet they cost a lot though...