Here is my original posting:
If you have an open lab in your school, how is scheduling handled?
Right now we have an open lab that has 28 computers in it. There are
about 65 teachers in my school who have to share this one room. Many
teachers are singing up to use the lab during a particular hour for five
or more days in a row. This becomes a major problem when another teacher
wants to use the lab for only one day and sees that the lab is being
used by one teacher for so many days in a row and then others have
signed up for it after that. This is also a problem because those who
only need the lab for a day or so do not understand why the other
teachers need so much time in the lab. They ask if it is possible for
the students to be productively using all of this time. I suppose it
depends on the instructor and the assignment.
How does your school handle scheduling time in the open lab? Are
teachers limited to scheduling for only 2-3 days in a row for a
particular hour? If yes, how was this presented to your staff? Has it
worked well for your school? What other scheduling policies are out
there? I'm looking for any ideas on this topic.
Here are the responses I received. A BIG thanks to everyone who shared
how the open lab is scheduled in their school!
---
To be equitable, I would give each teacher a max of, say, three days a
month. If they desire more, they have to wait until the day before. If
it is still available,then they can have it since no one else will be
using it. THat is the only way I know of. We dont even have an oen
lab-- we are it, with 30 workstations. Therefore, if people want to do
typing of poems or non-research things, I make them wait until a few
days before the date and then they cna have it.
---
I have 26 computers in my library. I call it the Digital Resource Area.
Its primary purpose is for research. Its secondary purpose is for
creating and publishing projects related to research. If there are free
blocks of time, I allow teachers to bring their classes in for word
processing. My policy is that a teacher may sign up for no more than
three consecutive blocks in a row. This has worked fairly well, allowing
teachers a chance to do extended project research with a class without
monopolizing a single block. Our blocks are 70 minutes long so, 3 1/2
hours of research is plenty
for most projects and within most teens' attention spans :)
I had 2 teachers out of 64 that took unfair advantage of the DRA and
that is why I had to create a "rule" which limited the number of
consecutive days. One still tries to get to the sign up list first and
schedule three in a row, skip one and then schedule another three in a
row!
---
We too have experienced problems with lab scheduling. Some teachers
schedule way too many days in the lab and it does keep others from being
able to use it. As a former classroom teacher, and now watching others
utilize lab time, I believe that any time past 3 days in a row on any
given assignment or project means a lot of time wasting. Students are
more efficient if they know their time is limited, and it is a rare
project indeed that requires more in class time than that. In my
experience, teachers see it as an easy period and often schedule extra
time to make it easy for subs, to get things graded, etc. We limit the
signup to 3 days running and have seldom had any problems with it. It
was presented with the idea that with my permission more than the 3
could be signed up for as long as the teacher understood that if the lab
was needed by someone else they could be "bumped" on subsequent days.
That took care of the complaints about big projects, and made folks
rethink their use of lab time.
---
This is for an elementary school. We set up a permanent time each week
for teachers (their choice as much as possible) and then allow them to
sign up for additional time as needed on a daily basis. It has worked
pretty well for us - although we have fewer teachers than you do. We
have a technology committee that set up the schedule so it wasn't a
problem when we presented it to the faculty. Of course, you always get a
couple who complain but until they're willing to be on the committee, I
just smile and say we did the best we could.
---
We have three labs as well as the library lab. We schedule the library
lab and it must have something to do with research being done in the
library. We have a simple clipboard in the library for the other labs.
It is here only as a matter of convenience. We have a lab EA who
watches over the labs and so we have nothing to do with them. Because
we have so many there hasn't really been a problem but I can see how it
can be in yours. This sounds like an administrative decision to me.
Perhaps your principal could limit the days in a row the lab can be used
by an individual teacher. P.S. No one ever thinks another person's work
is as important as theirs.
---
I put out a week's schedule at a time so people don't hog the same time
every week which some like to do. Our teachers have to put right on the
schedule what they are working on and the standard, so when others needs
time, we double check to see if teacher is really going to use all that
time, if he or she can move to a different time to accommodate another
class, etc. For the most part everybody is flexible and if nothing can
be worked out -- which I can't recall ever happening -- I just make sure
the teacher whose needs weren't met gets first crack at the next week's
schedule.
Many projects take 5 days of more. I have 2nd graders working for half
an hour a day from now until the end of school on a research project
with a ppt to be the culminating product. Usually people using the lab
for multiple days are doing something more productive than those who
just want a half hour in the lab to "play."
---
I don't have an official policy, but generally if a teacher signs up for
more than two days in a row I question it. If someone else needs the
library they generally talk to whoever got their first and work things
out.
---
yes, i limit. i ask that they not schedule more than 2 days/week and
can't schedule more than 2 weeks in advance. but this is a smaller
school and most teachers don't plan very far in advance. they also call
on the day they are ready to use the lab and ask me if anyone is signed
up for a certain period. if someone needs it more than 2 days in a
row, i let them sign up (telling them i may ask them to give up a day at
some point) and if another teacher comes asking to use it i just send
them to the scheduled teacher and ask if they can jump in for a day.
it's all a matter of sharing resources. and i remind them of that.
after the initial problems with 2 teachers, it has worked fine. we have
11 computers in the lab and 4 in the library, so sometimes 2 classes can
share space or have part of the class doing research and writing while
the others type. but we also have smaller classes here too. (under 20
most times and as the quarter moves on absences increase).
i know my system wont work in a bigger school, but the proposition of
sharing limited resources does.
---
I ran into this two years ago, so we instituted for last year the rule
that no one could have more than two consecutive days in any week. They
could sign up for two consecutive days and then a third, non-consecutive
day. That helped a lot and we just instituted it as a rule and didn't
ask anyone's permission. Teachers who felt they needed more than two
days in a row were told to sign up for a Thursday-Friday and then
Monday-Tuesday segment, because that fit into the guidelines.
This year I discovered that some of the teachers were signing up in
September for what they figured they'd need in May, so we had to quickly
institute the 'no more than four weeks in advance' rule.
Nobody is truly thrilled by the rules, but no one argues, either,
because they all recognize that we're short of computer labs.
---
At one of the schools in my district you can't sign up for the lab until
that morning. First come first served. They do not have near the
number of teachers you are talking, that have to share the lab. They
seem to have adapted to this system.
---
Teachers are allowed to schedule only 2 consecutive days in any week,
and no more than 5 days in any month. This was presented as an
administrative mandate in order to provide "equitable access/use for all
classes." The AP checks the schedule every month, and has been known to
ask for the lesson plans re: any computer lab use !!
---
First and foremost...you need more than 1 lab! We have 25 homerooms and
have 2 labs. The teachers get scheduled three times a week by the
office. They are free to sign up for the other days at times of their
choice. Everyone gets a fair chance that way.
---
We have a computerized schedule created in Outlook Express. If teachers
have a conflict, is is up to them to hash it out.
---
At our school the teachers sign up, and it's on a first come basis. To
my knowledge there hasn't been a problem. Our students also have an
assigned time for 30 minutes which is under theinstruction of the lab
aide.
---
Not much for suggestions, but here is some data for you. We actually
allow 4 weeks in advance. Very seldom does anyone sign up for more than
4 of 5 diays in a row, although 2 to 3 days is common. We only have
about 28 staff and people try to be flexible. It works pretty well
though. We actually just upped it to 4 weeks in advance a month or so
ago, it was only two weeks in advance.
---
I handle scheduling for the library lab as well as the other three labs
in the school. Computer classes automatically block a lab for the
periods in which they are taught. I have had the methods of research
teacher sign up for 5 weeks in a row with the understanding that if
someone else needs it and gives advance notice she needs to meet in the
classroom that day. I also have to teach a 5 week research unit of
study skills class and take up the lab most of that time. I will try
and work around other teachers as well. There has been some grumbling
but we do work things out for the most part. Some of the smaller
computer classes have allowed classes to use
their labs. Dou you have other computer labs? My main problem is the
teachers who don'y give advance notice and who come in the morning and
expect lab space all day.
---
Our school is similar in size (1100 kids, about 55 staff), but as of
this year, we have two computer labs. That has made a tremendous
difference. The second one was a
keyboarding/publications lab, but that job position was eliminated. We
keep three clipboards in the media center-one for MC, and one for each
lab. I only put out
four weeks at a time. Very rarely have I had anybody sign up for an
entire week, so I haven'treally had to say anything. The media
specialist before me recommended the four weeks at a time. I have to
say, it's worked pretty well. Otherwise, the media center gets all
booked up by many of the same people, including those who really have
nothing planned, but want to block out the time.
---
We have a computer lab in the library and I schedule on a first-come,
first-serve basis. Sofar, I haven't had to limit any teacher to a
certain number of days.
If a teacher wants to schedule and notices that another teacher has
scheduled several days, I suggest (very nicely) that they get together
themselves:work that out and let me know. That way, I'm not in the
middle. Much of the time, the teacher who signed for several days will
give up a day.
It's working really well and it prevents me from looking like I am
limiting library use.
---
We have several computers in the computer room with a technology
teacher. The first 3 hours are taken up by scheduled classes he is
scheduled to teach. The rest of the day is open lab sign up. We also
have six computers in the library that are used on a first come first
serve basis. Students sign up when they arrive, unless a teacher
reserves ahead of time.
---
I received this email and thought I would give you some input. I am an
educator who also owns a software company. A few years ago I had a
friend of mine write program to in which teachers could schedule a lab
for student use from their desktop computer. We quickly realized that we
could also list other items on the program for reservation (i.e.
projectors, digital cameras, etc.). The program is called Lab Scheduler
and I have it listed on my web site at www.LPC-K12.com. We are rewriting
it currently and hope to have a new version out by this August. Please
take a look at let me know what you think.
I can be contacted at this email for Woodford County Schools in
Versailles,
KY or at jadams@LPC-K12.com.
Jimmy Adams
---
We used to have the same problem. Now we allow teachers to sign up for
2-3 days of research and tell them that if they sign up for more days
and someone else needs the media center for initial research, they will
be bumped. Also, concerning using our computers for non-research based
assignments, we share this statement with them:
"Media Center Sign-up Policies:
Since the media center program is curriculum based and our priority is
working with classes on full research projects, the bulk of our
scheduling will be devoted to this process. Our media center lab has 27
computers and several staff members have
inquired about booking the lab for specific program use. Our policy is
to accept this type of project into the lab only if it is not needed by
a research class. Therefore, you may sign up for the media center
computer lab with the understanding that you may very well be bumped by
a class needing all of the resources available on the computers for
research. You will be advised the week prior to scheduled time if you
have been bumped. Our hope is that everyone will be very understanding
with this process."
---
We have 1 open lab with 41 computers in it. It is strictly scheduled on
a first come basis. We do have a problem with some teachers scheduling
for up to 2 weeks at a time but since the lab is so large we can often
get more than one class into the lab at once and most teachers are more
than willing to share. We also have 4 additional labs in our building
but they are all used by the business department at some point during
the day. 1 or 2 of those labs are open a few additional periods for
teachers to use but unfortunately the busiest periods are usually the
periods that are booked
solid in all the labs but the libraries. I have 125 teachers with 1875
students.
--
http://www.lakeshoreschools.k12.mi.us/high/media/homepg.htm
acameron@remc11.k12.mi.us
Alma Cameron
HS Library Media Specialist
Stevensville, MI 49127
(W) Phone: 616-428-1405
(F) 616-428-1570
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