Re: ElEM: tech, who runs the lab???

[Betty Hamilton <bhamilt@tenet.edu>]

Patricia Melville wrote:
>I think she hopes that all the teachers (myself included)use the room >with their 
>class doing their subject area or a subject project on a >flexible schedule.

You are asking good questions, Patty. When our networked 25-computer lab
was installed in the corner of the library, central office suggested
that the library aide and I could "help out" when needed and no aide
would be hired. My response was, "Yes, that might be the case some time
in the distant future when all teachers know the programs well enough to
teach the students; but, now, that's not feasible." The person talking
to me recognized that 5 years ago, our faculty was NOT computer
literate.

However, this year, it's somewhat better; more teachers use computers
routinely. The problem in a lab is that there seems to be a lot more
one-on-one showing and helping. I just don't think one teacher can get
around to that many people. What happens is that a lot of students wind
up sitting and waiting (and perhaps getting into trouble) while the
teacher works with 6 others one-on-one, one at a time. At elementary
level it might be even worse. At least at the high school level there
may be a neighboring student who can help the person next to him/her.

As for turning on and shutting down the machines, I do that sometime and
sometimes the lab aide is there early enough to do it. It's no problem
to go around the room and punch a button on each computer. If you have
your wall switch set up with a key, you can turn ALL of them off at
once, but you do have to get Windows 95 to the screen with "You may turn
off your computer now" (or whatever). The lab aide shuts down all but a
few at the end of the day. Before I leave at 4:30 I shut the others
down.

Betty
--
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Betty Dawn Hamilton*bhamilt@tenet.edu*bhamilt@llano.net
Librarian*Tenet Master Trainer*News Group Moderator
LM_NET Internet Volunteer*Freelance Writer/Editor
TEXAS LIBRARY JOURNAL Contributing Editor
Brownfield High School*Brownfield, Texas
http://www.angelfire.com/tx/bhamilt

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