Returning to school - computers

[mullet_man]

Hi all,

 

I've been asked to see how we could facilitate the return of students and the issues of using computers/laptops?

 

Some ideas are

 

Clean the devices after each use - not practical I would guess devices would still need cleaning after each use to fully stop any spread of germs.

 

Students have to wear gloves - I guess this would still require the devices to be cleaned after each use.

 

Disposable keyboard covers https://www.premiumplusuk.com/product/158-108-keyboard-sleeves/ - 1 use and replace after each lesson? Use with gloves as well for extra protection?

 

Anyone have any other ideas?

[Steve21]

One idea that was floated, and obviously this does depend on numbers of students/computers etc, but just getting a compact keyboard (£6-7) per kid, even if it's lets say 200 tops Y10s and all return it's gonna be cheaper than any other method I'd expect

 

Now whether that's stored in class, or physically given is obviously a big difference. Yes gonna be a lot of faff, but you'd hope being USB, front plugs etc, they could just plug it in and go that way no-one else is gonna touch "their" keyboard at all

 

A lot of it will depend how your classes are done though, if you're using small 15 groups of the same students in same rooms it's gonna be a lot easier, than lots of different mixed groups/rooms etc

 

Steve

[E_G_R2]

What about mice and screens as well? Its airborne so expect droplets to settle around the workstation?

[mullet_man]

One idea that was floated, and obviously this does depend on numbers of students/computers etc, but just getting a compact keyboard (£6-7) per kid, even if it's lets say 200 tops Y10s and all return it's gonna be cheaper than any other method I'd expect

 

Now whether that's stored in class, or physically given is obviously a big difference. Yes gonna be a lot of faff, but you'd hope being USB, front plugs etc, they could just plug it in and go that way no-one else is gonna touch "their" keyboard at all

 

A lot of it will depend how your classes are done though, if you're using small 15 groups of the same students in same rooms it's gonna be a lot easier, than lots of different mixed groups/rooms etc

 

Steve

 

That's a good idea, they would need a mouse as well?

 

So we could take away all the computers keyboards and mice and issue each kid their own which they use and keep, they could in theory plug them into laptops to use as well!?!

 

I'll add this idea onto my list, thanks.

[Steve21]

What about mice and screens as well? Its airborne so expect droplets to settle around the workstation?

 

Yeah meant mice/keyboard, just with compact keyboard for transport I meant Screen wise no reason to be touching it, so that's not being considered in that regards

 

In regards around the workstation, that's just normal cleaning of desks etc though, so not really computer based (or should I say "us" ). No different to any other classes with desks being shared.

 

Steve

[mullet_man]

What about mice and screens as well? Its airborne so expect droplets to settle around the workstation?

 

We'd have to make sure the pupils wear gloves for the mice, but with it being airborne am not sure if the school will insist the pupils wear face masks of some kind?!

[mavhc]

one computer per child, they shouldn't be moving classrooms. Get to school, go to your classroom, only leave it as a class to go to the playground or maybe dining hall, one class at a time.

[synaesthesia]

Gloves are daft, sorry. Get staff and students to practice proper hygiene, supply sanitiser for each classroom in use and make sure they're used before & after each use. Simple.

[Steve21]

one computer per child, they shouldn't be moving classrooms. Get to school, go to your classroom, only leave it as a class to go to the playground or maybe dining hall, one class at a time.

 

That's called primary, not secondary?

 

Classes don't all learn together, same topics, same subjects etc rather impossible and pointless for "exam face-to-face" subjects

 

Steve

[Boredguy]

one computer per child, they shouldn't be moving classrooms. Get to school, go to your classroom, only leave it as a class to go to the playground or maybe dining hall, one class at a time.

Depending on the subject yes, but not all schools have a 1:1 ratio of computers, so IT lessons would either be ignored or they would have to go to a suite which takes us back to the OP question

[caffrey]

I've suggested getting staff a Chromebook, in the possible second wave they would come into their own. Problem is cost (and maybe getting a hold of them)

 

Those keyboard covers sound good, but what about mice ?

[mavhc]

That's called primary, not secondary?

 

Classes don't all learn together, same topics, same subjects etc rather impossible and pointless for "exam face-to-face" subjects

 

Steve

 

They do now.

 

With only maybe 20% of pupils in surely you have enough computers for 1:1

[Steve21]

They do now.

 

With only maybe 20% of pupils in surely you have enough computers for 1:1

 

Seems again you ignored the actual point

 

You can't have 1:1 computers in the same room, when classes aren't the same... Jimmy does BS, but not CS, that's two different classes etc. They aren't learning the same thing, aren't with same students, aren't with same teacher

 

The whole point was face-to-face learning for their exam subjects

 

Steve

[synaesthesia]

Sounds like some schools are probably thinking about this the wrong way (probably because none of us can be right in these times!)

Technology shouldn't be the center of this period of teaching, in fact you could easily do it without turning on any device other than a lightswitch.

[mavhc]

Guess if you have way more desktops than laptops, I assigned every pupil who's coming in a laptop

 

First question is why are they coming in at all? Then redraw the timetable so they aren't mixing, given smaller classes you could probably have all the CS pupils be in one class for everything. If the teachers are moving between classes there's no isolation any more and it's all pointless.

 

Either they're at school so their parents can work, or they're there to do something they can't do via the internet

[E_G_R2]

Screen wise no reason to be touching it, so that's not

 

Not being pedantic but how many times do you see pupils touching screens? Quite often by the grubby state of them So i'd be considering cleaning the screens as well especialy as they are at face level so may possibly collect droplets if no masks are worn.

[Steve21]

Sounds like some schools are probably thinking about this the wrong way (probably because none of us can be right in these times!)

Technology shouldn't be the center of this period of teaching, in fact you could easily do it without turning on any device other than a lightswitch.

 

I guess it's the argument that those who are at home need to be support the same way as those who are in, else it's "Unfair" etc. So if works being set online/programs used, so should it be internally

 

Not being pedantic but how many times do you see pupils touching screens? Quite often by the grubby state of them So i'd be considering cleaning the screens as well especialy as they are at face level so may possibly collect droplets if no masks are worn.

 

Oh totally agree in that sense, but that's not going to change whether you have keyboard covers etc. No different to touching the chairs they sit on, somewhere down the line though it's got to be "allowed risk" (or at least in the govs eyes). Keyboard/mouse should be touched, screen shouldn't. Same principle as touching the base unit etc.

 

Guess it's just minimising what you can

 

Steve

[mullet_man]

I get all the points raised and I've only been asked to look at what can be done, it doesn't actual mean the school will go for it.

 

I would suspect this is only for the Year 10s if they come back before summer, but we might have to keep some of the social distancing and cleaning/face masks/gloves as part of daily life for a while yet. Before the lockdown we had introduced cleaning hands routine into the day and I would expect this to be part of the school norm for a while yet.

 

I do see the point to not use Technology but we obviously have coursework to be done, online courses, computing lessons so it's not easy just to stop all forms of computer usage.

 

It's a massive unknown but I would suspect each school will have to come up with a plan in place for computer use at some point so having some ideas to float around for SLT to decice is all we can do at the minute.

[mavhc]

The plan should be: Buy laptops

[DrCheese]

The plan should be: Buy laptops

 

Let me just shake that non existent capital funding account

[mavhc]

School's saved loads on not having people in for months, easily pays for laptops

[DrCheese]

School's saved loads on not having people in for months, easily pays for laptops

 

Yes it's just that simple. Why didn't I think of that?

[mavhc]

You're a doctor of cheese, not economics

[mullet_man]

The plan should be: Buy laptops

 

They would need setting up, and how many do you buy as we don't know how many kids will turn up each day. It's a total mind field all this but I'll add buy each kid a laptop to the list, we do need laptops as we are using 8 year old laptops in lots of areas so could be a good idea in the long run.

[LincolnE]

They do now.

 

With only maybe 20% of pupils in surely you have enough computers for 1:1

 

We have about 150 computers over our computer rooms.

 

We have around 300 pupils over years 10 and 12... Also I don't know about your IT rooms but literally here we've had to cram them in so you're literally shoulder to shoulder working on the computers. Screw 2m distancing, this is literally less than 30cm.