HIT: COMPUTER DESIGN

[Walters <walterd@MAIL.BWSD.K12.WI.US>]

A great big thank you to those of you who shared your computer design
ideas with me. I've looked at our architects plans for the tiered room
and I'm not so sure about it.  It looks as though it would be very
difficult to help individual students which is a biggy but he seems
quite set on the tiers.  We'll see.

Thanks again.


I think a tiered approach would be super.  Our lab was placed in an
existing
room that was wired in the cheapest way so that the computers are along
the
perimeter of the room.  The students always have their back to
instruction.
The only advantage is that the teacher can stand in the middle of the
room
and quickly scan all screens.

Cheryl Kovsky Litt
Media Specialist
West Hills Middle School
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
cklitt2000@hotmail.com

I think a tiered lab would be great.  I moved into a new high school
building last year.  There is a computer lab in my media center and four

other labs of 30 computers in the school.  The big design flaw is that
the
tables (they are built in)that the computers sit on are made so that the
CPU
and monitor sit on top of the table (all our computers are desktops not
towers).  Because of space the monitor has to sit on top of the CPU.
You
can't see over the monitors.  It's terrible.  We begged for the
furniture
that puts the monitor into the top of the desk, allowing for flat
surface on
top of the desk but were told that the cost was too high.  We have a
great
multi media projector mounted in the ceiling so that instructors can
project
to a screen at the front of the room, but it's still hard for students
to
see around the monitors.  Also the acoustics are terrible.  We really
need
some kind of sound system to project the instructors voice over the
noise of
30 computers and the heating and air system.

Lesson:  Plan carefully.

Make sure there is a place  for a smartboard, that can be seen by all
students.

"In theory, there isn't any difference between theory and practice.  In
practice, there is."  - Yogi Berra

Mrs. Carolyn Gierke,  Librarian
Sweet Home High School

I have worked in rows and the current design, which is around the
perimeter.  I love having kids around the perimeter.  It allows me to
see everyone's screen immediately!  Have not used tiered.
Sue

Sue Taylor, Teacher Librarian
Great Lakes Elementary School
Holland, MI
tgrsat01@westottawa.k12.mi.us

In our new lab all the computers face one way.  This arrangement allows
for
the teacher to stand in the back of the room and see what everybody is
doing
at once.  The teachers really appreciate this arrangement because it
makes
it so much easier to keep the students on task.

Cheryl Burden
Library Media Specialist
Crawford County Jr/Sr High School
Marengo, IN

Dear Debby,
   The configuration I loved best in our middle school media center
computer
lab (separate room adjacent to media center) was one which allowed the
teacher to see all screens from the center and/or front of the room.
That
way if a student got lost or behind it was immediately apparent and we
could
catch them up. The computer most apt to be "reconfigured" by students
are
those which cannot be easily seen by the supervising adult. A television
or
projection area for instruction or for student presentations of
multimedia
projects is a must. We have a table area in the middle of the lab where
students who need to catch up or who have lost privileges are placed
while
the rest of the class works on the computers. A tiered approach with
middle
school students whose rapid growth causes coordination problems sounds
iffy
to me. The computer lab adjacent to the media center is our most heavily

used of our two labs since staff know they can call on me for help,
instruction or encouragement as needed. We have a lot of research
projects
which flow between online resources and our print collection. Students
are
not allowed in the lab unless a teacher is with them.Good luck!

Marsha Lambert
Media Director
Marshall Public Schools
Marshall, MI 49068
mlambert@marshall.k12.mi.us

Martha Black
Library Media Specialist
Muscle Shoals High School
Muscle Shoals, Alabama
marthablack@hotmail.com
mblack@mscs.k12.al.us

Hello,
At Maine West High School, we designed a lab that has been very
successful.  It is V shaped, a row of computers against two corner
walls, with two more rows repeated behind it.  In the corner is a large
screen where multi media presentations from each computer can be viewed
using the LCD/video projector.  The teacher station is in the center.
All computer screens can be easily seen, and the entire back of the lab
was open to other areas of the room.  I have taught many computer skills
in this lab, and it is very comfortable.  Both students and teachers use
the lab often.  Our school is located near OHare Airport, in Des
Plaines, Illinois.   We would love to have you visit. My name is
Merrilee Kwielford and I can be reached at 847-803-5783.

Make sure all computer screens are visible from where teacher will be
situated most of the time.

Vickie Rabourn
Los Osos Middle School Librarian
San Luis Coastal USD
San Luis Obispo County, CA

--
Debby Walters, Librarian
Viking Middle School
Woodville, WI  54028
walterd@mail.bwsd.k12.wi.us

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=
All postings to LM_NET are protected under copyright law.
To quit LM_NET (or set-reset NOMAIL or DIGEST), send email to:
listserv@listserv.syr.edu   In the message write EITHER:
1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL or 3) SET LM_NET DIGEST
4) SET LM_NET MAIL  * Please allow for confirmation from Listserv.
For LM_NET Help see: http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/
Archives: http://askeric.org/Virtual/Listserv_Archives/LM_NET.html
 See also EL-Announce for announcements from library media vendors:
    http://www.mindspring.com/~el-announce/
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=