Student Resistant Keyboard & Mouse

[robyholmes]

Hi All,

 

This year we have down to replace the keyboard and mice in one of our ICT Suites as the students have pulled to much at the cables and we're having a lot of USB issues. Can anyone suggest a good keyboard and mouse (Either pack or each) which is student resistant? Mainly on cable strain relief, we don't have many students swapping keys thankfully (Touch wood).

 

I've said resistant as we all know, nothing is student proof!

 

Thanks in advanced,

Rob

[jslate1980]

We used to buy Xenta sets from ebuyer, but now go for the Logitech MK120 which is a bit dearer. Tbh we still get the damage but try to keep the cost down.

[hardtailstar]

we use these keyboards and they hold up well. Keys are easy to put back after being swapped about.

 

We use the cheapest mouse we can find as the kids seem to damage that more than the keyboard.

[jemal]

we've used these mice in the past. The cable is braided, and the mouse buttons aren't on the outside edge to tempt those who want to pry them upwards out of boredom (unless they are really intent on doing so). We noticed less vandalism with that mouse around. Keyboards we never really had much luck with, especially with students prysing off the large keys and removing the metal brackets or damaging the rubber dome underneath. We had some chiclet style keyboards come with some PCs which were ok, but I don't think they are cheap to buy independently.

https://www.crusaderav.co.uk/easy-2-use-rugged-optical-computer-mouse-usb-black-braided-cable/p-16564

[simpsonj]

I've given up trying to find keyboards or mice that students won't wreck. Instead I just buy the cheapest sets in bulk and replace as necessary.

 

That said, I like this kit, easy to take the keys off, but also easier to fix. I thought the nicer design would make the kids appreciate it, so they wouldn't break it. How very naive of me

[DrBeaker]

Looked for years to no avail I'm afraid. We even looked at some washable Logitech keyboards but that didn't work.

 

We tried cheap ones, that caused weird issues.

Tried Logitechs which were a bit better but more costly.

 

It's a major sore point with a lot of people working IT in schools as there's no accountability for staff or students for damage to equipment.

 

Frankly myself given up trying in all of the educational roles I've worked in. Even when we had CCTV evidence of intentional damage nothing was done about it.

 

I just replace damaged equipment when it's logged, tally the cost for that room and send it onto SLT to address.

[robyholmes]

Looked for years to no avail I'm afraid. We even looked at some washable Logitech keyboards but that didn't work.

 

We tried cheap ones, that caused weird issues.

Tried Logitechs which were a bit better but more costly.

 

It's a major sore point with a lot of people working IT in schools as there's no accountability for staff or students for damage to equipment.

 

Frankly myself given up trying in all of the educational roles I've worked in. Even when we had CCTV evidence of intentional damage nothing was done about it.

 

I just replace damaged equipment when it's logged, tally the cost for that room and send it onto SLT to address.

We're not getting much damage to be fair to them. They just pull the keyboards about and we have the cables inside a VeryPC micro cable cover so they don't pull out. So the weak point is now the strain relief on the keyboard itself.

[DrBeaker]

We're not getting much damage to be fair to them. They just pull the keyboards about and we have the cables inside a VeryPC micro cable cover so they don't pull out. So the weak point is now the strain relief on the keyboard itself.

Could you put a rubber grommet on the cable at all?

Do you have any pics of the cover/setup at all?

[robyholmes]

Could you put a rubber grommet on the cable at all?

Do you have any pics of the cover/setup at all?

It's not breaking at the pc cover end, it's at the keyboard end as it goes in to the keyboard casing.

[paulellam]

Had some Microsoft keyboards and mice for 8 years in our hub, only had to replace one keyboard and mouse, due to a spillage.

[DrBeaker]

Had some Microsoft keyboards and mice for 8 years in our hub, only had to replace one keyboard and mouse, due to a spillage.

 

OMG Jealous!!!

[SteveB_NI]

Some good ideas in this thread - thanks!

 

Common thing I've noticed is the constant movement of the keyboard / mice usb plug from the back to the front of the computer! Never understood that one

[jemal]

Some good ideas in this thread - thanks!

 

Common thing I've noticed is the constant movement of the keyboard / mice usb plug from the back to the front of the computer! Never understood that one

 

I'd imagine that one might be students forced to sit at a certain desk (eg due to a seating plan) but preferring to use a mouse or keyboard from another computer, possibly because something is wrong with theirs, so they swap them over if they can, and the front ports just being easier to reach, or if they fumble with the back it's more likely the teacher will notice. Then next lesson it repeats again with the person sitting on the computer, so the bad mouse or keyboard ends up doing a round robin rather than getting reported as faulty.

[robyholmes]

Thanks everyone!

 

What I've come to realise with this thread, is that I should be grateful the keyboards are lasting long enough to wear the cables out, rather than be damaged! Ha

[Brax]

Some good ideas in this thread - thanks!

 

Common thing I've noticed is the constant movement of the keyboard / mice usb plug from the back to the front of the computer! Never understood that one

Yes I've seen this too, maybe they think it goes faster in the front? Other keyboards and mice next to them were fine.

[jthompson]

Common thing I've noticed is the constant movement of the keyboard / mice usb plug from the back to the front of the computer! Never understood that one

 

IME, there are always students who prefer to sit quite far back and play around with the keyboard on their lap. That, combined with the normal background levels of pratting around, might explain the phenomenon.

[DrBeaker]

Some good ideas in this thread - thanks!

 

Common thing I've noticed is the constant movement of the keyboard / mice usb plug from the back to the front of the computer! Never understood that one

 

 

I'd understand it....

 

IF....

 

All of our IT suites keyboards and mice weren't EXACTLY the same Dell ones on every single computer in every single IT suite.

 

We still get that same. I cable-tie them and then they pull the slack out just to plug it in the front!

 

WHY???