I am a technology director, library supervisor and former long time =
media specialist in a small school division that has a LOT of technology =
and I understand the tech support concerns re laptops. However, there =
must always be a balance between tech support issues and instructional =
issues. We have tried to achieve as much flexibiity as possible by =
using both desktop and wireless laptops. Our buildings are being =
retrofitted for wireless and we have been using the wireless portable =
laptop carts for the last two years at the secondary and now some of the =
elementary schools.
What I have learned is that the wireless laptops are far and away the =
best for instruction. What we are looking for is a total learning =
environment where computers aren't relegated to one place and limited =
functionality. Students can get together in small discussion groups =
with their laptops, expand into larger groups or move around and change =
the combinations. Try doing that with desktops and you have problems.=20
Our students have been taught (continuously) to handle the laptops =
properly. We also went ahead when we bought them (after learning some =
lessons from our initial purchases) and made sure we had two Li-Ion =
batteries in each machine so we could go all day without a recharge. We =
networked the printer for them so that isn't an issue. We bought the =
best laptops we could afford rather than the bargain basement models =
since we knew the students would be hard on them.
In the two years, we have had remarkably few problems! We got a good =
warranty when we bought them and we have had great service. We have not =
had the sluggishness issue at all as we have a solid infrastructure. =
Yes, our tech support department (which I supervise) also hates to work =
with laptops because they are hard to repair and also the parts are =
expensive. But they are part of our instructional program and we are =
getting better at repairs.
Yesterday I was in a middle school library and students were coming in =
bell after bell and using both the desktops and the laptops. They were =
researching different subjects (the teacher and LMS both there =
supporting them) and the students could spread out around the tables =
with their textbooks, reference books and laptops and collaborate =
together. That building is wireless so the students could have taken =
their laptops and used them anywhere. As for outside of the media =
center, the laptop carts are used continuously all day, every day. I am =
not sure our media specialists who have used them the last couple of =
years could conceive of going back to just desktops. The students and =
teachers don't even think about it anymore, they just use them for the =
tasks.
I would do my homework, find out about warranties and batteries and =
think long and hard about your teaching style and what you want to do =
with your technology. Go to Jamie McKenzie's site www.fno.org and read =
the article on laptops and batteries. But focus on the instructional =
needs of your students first and foremost and don't be afraid to use the =
laptop solution. =20
Cathy Cheely
Technology Director
Brunswick Public Schools
Lawrenceville, Va. 23868
cathy@brun.k12.va.us
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