The Future IT Suite

[midweek]

Just a general query to you EduGeekers about what you think the modern secondary school IT suite should look like or if there should even be such a thing as a conventional IT suite in a school.

 

Bit of background - I've been asked to look into upgrading our aging IT suites. The ICT teacher is keen on a very traditional setup (rows of bench desking facing a whiteboard) but slt believe this is old fashioned and want me to look at alternative, modern solutions.

 

Has anyone done away with IT suites in favour of a different approach? If so how do you find it?

[dmason2]

rows of benching facing a whiteboard probably the worst kind of setup, nearer the back kids will just look at monitors in rows ahead rather than the board. more standard approach ive seen over the last few years is having 2 rows of pcs down the middle and pcs along the outside the room. Also remove the whiteboard for a smart screen like c-touch instead

[ThatBoringBloke]

We are slowly moving away from the 'Traditional' model to Chromebooks in cabinets and "Mutli functional rooms". That said, we are moving to a New build in the next few years and there are currently two 'ICT Suites' still on the plans.

[hardtailstar]

We have PCs along the edge of rooms, but I think it'll move to laptop trolleys in most rooms to allow the room to be used as traditional classrooms.

[Disease]

We have moved to this style now, although we are not a fan of Interactive TVs, we prefer the Bigger SmartBoards and UST Projectors.

 

 

 

[mavhc]

Depends how many people you have to fit into the classroom. Also note that Computer Science exams are sometimes now on computers, so you'd want a system where you can arrange it so all your Computer Science pupils can do an exam, at the same time, without seeing each other's screens

[msi_school]

While I see the need for devices of various types and multi function rooms, I can not see a replacement for a standard IT suite with desktop computers for teaching COmputer Science and ICT.

[localzuk]

So, we have experimented with all sorts of layouts for our IT rooms over the years. We've had rows, we've had columns, we've had children around the edge, we've had group tables/islands.

 

All in all? The preferred layout - around the edge with non computer tables in the middle to pull children to when needed.

[jthompson]

So, we have experimented with all sorts of layouts for our IT rooms over the years. We've had rows, we've had columns, we've had children around the edge, we've had group tables/islands.

 

All in all? The preferred layout - around the edge with non computer tables in the middle to pull children to when needed.

 

This is how we've generally got them laid out. Generally easier to install/maintain and gives flexibility to use the room without computers being too much in the way if they're not being used. Also helpful for teachers' supervision of computer use.

 

We expect to retain computer suites only for subject areas where certain Windows desktop software is required. Mainly that would be Technology subjects and Music. Everything else will end up being Chromebooks in vanilla classrooms.

[robyholmes]

We have them down the outside and middle row facing each other. They just turn 90 degrees to see the board. Wide desks (900mm in our case) means you can put the PC back and have enough room for a book etc if required.

 

We have rooms for 30 setup like this with a 65" display. I'd say 70" plus now for 30 and larger for 30+ students.

[kennysarmy]

 

Proposed layouts for our new school.

 

ABTutor will also be deployed so teacher can blank off student monitors etc.

Edited February 28, 2022 by kennysarmy

[localzuk]

Your corner ones will clash if they're as close together in the pic as they are in real life @kennysarmy.

[kennysarmy]

Your corner ones will clash if they're as close together in the pic as they are in real life @kennysarmy.

 

I'm hoping it's diagrammatical

[simpsonj]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]64781[/ATTACH]

 

Proposed layouts for our new school.

 

ABTutor will also be deployed so teacher can blank off student monitors etc.

 

We went with something similar, but with a 'Christmas tree' configuration so all the desks are at a 45 degree angle facing the front. Also make 100% sure that you have the power and network connections exactly where you want them!

[pete]

We go round the edge + tables in the middle or round the edge with a tongue down the middle (as in kennysarmy's diagram) if we need the extra seats.

 

In an ideal world with big enough rooms I'd have them all facing away from the teacher similar to @Disease, staggered so the kids don't encroach on each other's space.

[dmj]

^ I agree with the round the edge and tables int he middle approach for traditional IT rooms.

For many schools with 1:1, every room is an IT room.

[browolf]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]64781[/ATTACH]

 

Proposed layouts for our new school.

 

ABTutor will also be deployed so teacher can blank off student monitors etc.

 

 

Same for our new school being built. The head of ICT is not pleased at all.

 

The design is set by the DFE

Edited March 1, 2022 by browolf

[midweek]

Thank you all for the responses. Seems like IT Suites aren't going anywhere just yet!

In my case we are an independent school so don't have DFE prescribed requirements to worry about but I am being asked to fit extra PCs in a room that I feel is cramped as it is.

We are currently around the wall with an island in the middle of the room but it's really dated.

[dmj]

Same for our new school being built. The head of ICT is not pleased at all.

 

The design is set by the DFE

 

I knew the DFE mandated IT suites into the design of new schools, even if the school is 1:1 and the space is required for other purposes.

I wonder if this is due to either backwards thinking of the DFE or whether they know there isn't going to be money for 1:1 in future and they are planning for worst case.

[Andrew_C]

We use both remaining IT suites for A level MFL listening exams. They need independent control of a short audio passage.

[Dukey89]

Around the edge of the room with standard desks in the middle seems to be the teacher preffered layouts. They are the ones that are booked the most anyway!

[psydii]

Last time I checked (a long time ago) the funding made it difficult to build IT suites large enough to have 30 computers around the edge and non IT desks in the middle. However this arrangement is best since the teach can see all students and their screens in one glance, without having to break their 'flow' by clicking around in software.

 

All suites where this is not possible have worse behaviour and more kit gets damaged.

 

It is also a challenge for 1:1 arrangements - you have to persuade the teacher to do a lot of teaching from the back of the room. (very easy to do if you already have complete buy-in, really hard to do if you have teachers more rigid in their ways)