Laptops around school - issues

[SteveB_NI]

We have a number of ict desktop suites around the school and over the past few years we have started getting laptops which I originally temporarily allocated into trolleys.

 

I'm constantly fighting a battle ensuring these laptop trolleys are looked after - not just plugged back in but actually chasing up laptops which are taken by students around the entire site!

 

I can't tie to an individual wireless access point due to that being the set up of the managed service for site wide wireless so limiting their usage area isn't an option unfortunately.

 

One of the options moving forward I'm considering is to replacing aging teacher desktops with these newer laptops. Essentially removing a trolley from use. Then allocate the older desktops into smaller clusters which can be added into subject classrooms (space permitting) thus benefiting small research groups etc throughout the school.

 

Another option is to enforce a strict lock down on the trolley and give each teacher a key and ensure its always locked except for their classes. The problem with this is teachers complaining that it's not their responsibility!

 

I'd be keen to hear how you manage this in your schools. I've used laptop trolleys in schools for past 12 years and it's never been as bad as now for complete lack of consideration when using them.

 

Thanks

[internetuser]

Fighting a losing battle. Unfortunately.

[3s-gtech]

We do it by allocating the trolleys to a particular department. If a laptop is moved across site, I can take it back but this doesn't happen too often. If one is lost or broken, the department is charged for the replacement. Having financial responsibility has made them look after them - I have had to fix a few through normal damage (screens, a dead mobo, keyboards, one had the case wrenched apart) but it hasn't been bad.

[Guest MD5T]

Welcome to our world. I have had enough of laptops not being looked after by departments / students. Now, if a laptop is damaged then we'll take it out completely, just to prove a point.

[SteveB_NI]

Thanks all keep them coming.

 

Main problem I have is when a group of students take the laptops to somewhere random in the school and don't return them therefore the trolley contents can run very low!

 

The only good thing is the power adapters are hard wired into the trolley so they tend to make it back eventually to get a charge!

[thimon]

I'm starting to do more spot checks, laptops are allocated to specific laptop trolleys / racks. If one goes missing I disable it in AD, sure enough it's brought to our attention that the laptop isn't working in a few days, from a completely different part of the school!

[tj2419]

I was just about to post the same thread. We have 4 trolleys and the laptops are constantly having keys removed, screens broken, chargers go missing and have even had doors removed from the trolleys!!

 

We have a log book and ask staff to sign the laptops out to students but this never happens

 

I am watching closely for any advice on minimising damage!

[Katy]

As I found out with our laptops, having laptops instead of IT rooms with PCs only works if you either have enough technicians to baby sit them permanently or if the teachers are willing to look after them properly (i.e. don't let the kids throw them around, make sure they get back to the trolley OK, make sure they have been turned off and plugged in when back in the trolley, make sure the trolley is plugged in).

[DJ-1701]

As I found out with our laptops, having laptops instead of IT rooms with PCs only works if you either have enough technicians to baby sit them permanently or if the teachers are willing to look after them properly (i.e. don't let the kids throw them around, make sure they get back to the trolley OK, make sure they have been turned off and plugged in when back in the trolley, make sure the trolley is plugged in).

 

So basically, it doesn't work... which is what we tend to find.

 

A lot of our laptops at the secondary became wreaked by the kids, no one bothering to fill out the forms or record who have them, or check them over. It came to the point that they became BER (beyond economical repair) to fix or even replace the keyboards when keys were ripped off.

 

With regard to missing laptops, as @thimon hit the nail on the head, disabling the AD account is the best way to hear something about the laptop.

 

Usually better response at Primary's, very rare that I find any with damage there... unless it's an Adult with coffee. They do end up in the wrong rooms from time to time, but I have printed sticky labels with a map of the school and highlighted the room they belong in... something that the kids would unfortunately peel off at the secondary.

[PR-UK]

We setup a non-broadcast SSID on our library access points, the laptops are then forcibly locked to that network, if the laptop is removed from the library they lose wireless and the laptop is mostly useless. Since doing that they've stayed in the library and not been borrowed by either students or teachers thinking they can use them when they leave their own at home!

[Aaarrrahh]

We had around 100 laptops over 5 trollies in various departments at our Secondary School, we now have around 15 working laptops. The teachers never put them back in the trollies and/or charge; Pupils ripped the keyboards out, defaced them, the teachers never filled the log books in... as they are damaged we do not replace them... fighting a losing battle

[RJohnson91]

This is a battle that we all fight, however I pose this question to everyone...

 

Is this really our (IT Support staff) problem?

 

Our jobs are to make sure the laptops are usable, maintained and upgraded when needed.

 

What you guys are experiencing is a classroom management issue not an ICT support issue.

 

It should be up to the teachers to make sure there is a sign in / sign out process, if this is in place then any vandalism can be tied back to a student and billed accordingly, if the teachers do not do this, then their line manager should be pulling them up.

 

Something I have experienced recently ;

 

Our ICT rooms have fallen victim of bad vandalism over the last few weeks, due to non permanent staff / supply teachers not controlling classes, I took a note of the damage, contacted that departments leader and kept the room in an unusable state until a procedure was put in place to stop the vandalism.

 

I have now got all non-permanent staff members moved out of ICT rooms into non computer rooms, and CCTV is being installed in all ICT rooms as a pre-caution, only now have we repaired the rooms.

 

 

Otherwise you are fighting a losing battle.

 

Ryan

Edited March 2, 2017 by RJohnson91
Typing fast, spelling errors :)

[RJohnson91]

This is a battle that we all fight, however I pose this question to everyone...

 

Is this really our (IT Support staff) problem?

 

Our jobs are to make sure the laptops are usable, maintained and upgraded when needed.

 

What you guys are experiencing is a classroom management issue not an ICT support issue.

 

It should be up to the teachers to make sure there is a sign in / sign out process, if this is in place then any vandalism can be tied back to a student and billed accordingly, if the teachers do not do this, then their line manager should be pulling them up.

 

Something I have experienced recently ;

 

Our ICT rooms have fallen victim of bad vandalism over the last few weeks, due to non permanent staff / supply teachers not controlling classes, I took a note of the damage, contacted that departments leader and kept the room in an unusable state until a procedure was put in place to stop the vandalism.

 

I have now got all non-permanent staff members moved out of ICT rooms into non computer rooms, and CCTV is being installed in all ICT rooms as a pre-caution, only now have we repaired the rooms.

 

 

Otherwise you are fighting a losing battle.

 

Ryan

Edited March 2, 2017 by RJohnson91
Typing fast, spelling errors :)

[clockend25]

Fortunately we only have one trolley of laptops in use in our Maths department, who take responsibility for looking after them, and do a fine job. We update them during holidays but otherwise we barely see them at all. I can think of other faculties who would be less professional about this kind of setup...

[clockend25]

Fortunately we only have one trolley of laptops in use in our Maths department, who take responsibility for looking after them, and do a fine job. We update them during holidays but otherwise we barely see them at all. I can think of other faculties who would be less professional about this kind of setup...

[LemonEntry]

TL,DR: Get your headteacher to bill departments for repairs.

 

Each laptop cabinet is allocated to a department. We arranged with SLT to make Heads of Department responsible for the management of notebook trolleys day-to-day; Checking booking sheets are completed, counting them in at the end of the day. We also supply damage report forms which are collected daily and work carried out as necessary. If a device is damaged, it is reported how and when it occurred and the notebook is taken out of action.

 

Once per week on a rolling schedule we check for unreported damage. If we find any damage that can't be at least attributed to a specific class by looking back through the booking and damage report sheets, the department is billed for repair. At the end of the day it's all school bank account anyway so nobody "loses" money. It just focuses the department heads to ensure their staff keep good logs and take good care of the devices.

Edited March 2, 2017 by LemonEntry

[LemonEntry]

TL,DR: Get your headteacher to bill departments for repairs.

 

Each laptop cabinet is allocated to a department. We arranged with SLT to make Heads of Department responsible for the management of notebook trolleys day-to-day; Checking booking sheets are completed, counting them in at the end of the day. We also supply damage report forms which are collected daily and work carried out as necessary. If a device is damaged, it is reported how and when it occurred and the notebook is taken out of action.

 

Once per week on a rolling schedule we check for unreported damage. If we find any damage that can't be at least attributed to a specific class by looking back through the booking and damage report sheets, the department is billed for repair. At the end of the day it's all school bank account anyway so nobody "loses" money. It just focuses the department heads to ensure their staff keep good logs and take good care of the devices.

Edited March 2, 2017 by LemonEntry

[RJohnson91]

TL,DR: Get your headteacher to bill departments for repairs.

 

Each laptop cabinet is allocated to a department. We arranged with SLT to make Heads of Department responsible for the management of notebook trolleys day-to-day; Checking booking sheets are completed, counting them in at the end of the day. We also supply damage report forms which are collected daily and work carried out as necessary. If a device is damaged, it is reported how and when it occurred and the notebook is taken out of action.

 

Once per week on a rolling schedule we check for unreported damage. If we find any damage that can't be at least attributed to a specific class by looking back through the booking and damage report sheets, the department is billed for repair. At the end of the day it's all school bank account anyway so nobody "loses" money. It just focuses the department heads to ensure their staff keep good logs and take good care of the devices.

 

Exactly what I was getting at.

 

I'm my world if IT gets damaged one of two things happen ... well three, we'll venture the third at the end...

 

1. Tell me the student that damaged it, i'll get finance to bill their parents

2. Don't know which student, didn't sign them out. YOUR department pays... end of.

 

 

 

 

optional 3... Give me a 'vandalism' budget of thousands so my department can make repairs, any money left over can be used for IT equipment that my team needs

[RJohnson91]

TL,DR: Get your headteacher to bill departments for repairs.

 

Each laptop cabinet is allocated to a department. We arranged with SLT to make Heads of Department responsible for the management of notebook trolleys day-to-day; Checking booking sheets are completed, counting them in at the end of the day. We also supply damage report forms which are collected daily and work carried out as necessary. If a device is damaged, it is reported how and when it occurred and the notebook is taken out of action.

 

Once per week on a rolling schedule we check for unreported damage. If we find any damage that can't be at least attributed to a specific class by looking back through the booking and damage report sheets, the department is billed for repair. At the end of the day it's all school bank account anyway so nobody "loses" money. It just focuses the department heads to ensure their staff keep good logs and take good care of the devices.

 

Exactly what I was getting at.

 

I'm my world if IT gets damaged one of two things happen ... well three, we'll venture the third at the end...

 

1. Tell me the student that damaged it, i'll get finance to bill their parents

2. Don't know which student, didn't sign them out. YOUR department pays... end of.

 

 

 

 

optional 3... Give me a 'vandalism' budget of thousands so my department can make repairs, any money left over can be used for IT equipment that my team needs