1 to 1 Computing -- Seeking Input

[techedguy]

What better place to ask students about what technology THEY would like to use in the classroom and why its important.

I am part of a statewide task force investigating best/next practices, hardware, and policies for implementing a statewide 1 to 1 computing device rollout. We have to report to the state legislature by January, so feedback now is IMPORTANT - so little to do, so much time...I know there is a survey they are going to run past IT folks and teachers who respond in the summer, but I wanted to get some STUDENT feedback.

Anyhow, my main questions are, as students, what device features would be most important knowing that there is a limited budget and you'd be using it for daily school work as well as online course access. (No, we're not getting a 17"+ display with quad core anything :-) Don't spec a system out for me, but think more along the lines of:

Display Size (minimum)
Tablets vs. Netbooks vs. laptops
Expansion Ports?
Ipads...Androids...Ipods...
You get the idea.

Thank you all for your input, it will all be considered and discussed in committee in early July at our state capitol!

[Hawiian Cadder]

Personally, I don't think the government buying students computers is a good idea.

My school recently decided to give all the incoming freshmen "laptops" I think that this will help 10 -15 percent of students. the reason is this. many students already have computers at home, and for their homework they will be using those, who would choose a laptop the school gives out, when many people have desktops at home, with a real keyboard, and a laptop built on a school budget, wont be able to match the speed and effectiveness of some of most of these systems.

For the 10-15 percent of students that do not have access to a computer at home, this might be beneficial, however, I still don't think that there are enough assignments where computers are necessary, i think a donation program where old computers are given to students who do not have one, would be better than giving out Laptops to everyone.

Personally, i think the best solution is to find a way to give the students information, and a way to better utilize computers. My thought on what would work the best is to distribute 8 or 16 gigabyte flash drives, with the latest version of one or more computerized encyclopedias, open office, and maybe a few other software items. this would allow students to use any computer, even without internet access for many projects. another thing to look at is the cost. a 16 gig flash drive can be had for around 15-20 dollars depending on a bulk discount, you could even go to 32 gigs and put more content on it. even the cheapest computers cannot match this.

There is one more advantage to giving out flash drives, they are virtually indestructible, and more likely to be returned working if lost. I have run them over, washed them, and they still work.

[davidthefat]

Personally, if the school district had the money to buy kids laptops and stuff, I would much rather invest in better textbooks and teachers. Now, personally, as a student, I find the whole teacher student relationship to be a fundamental aspect of education. I never was for the whole "online courses" thing. Now, I am in favor of ebook readers such as the Kindle. Now consider the fact that the average textbook is $100-$200, if one Kindle costs $140, it can potentially store thousands of books. Most ebooks are available at a reduced price too. I use a kindle and I love it. The battery life is literally a month.

[Tristan Lall]

More details please. What's this program intended to do? Will curriculum be designed to require (or take advantage) one of these devices? Is this a way of passing responsibility for IT services on to the students? How rich is the content on the online course system? Is it possible to replace textbooks with this device? Will the device be crippled so that students can't do various extracurricular things during class? Does every student need the same thing? Do the legislators understand enough about computing, education and people in general to make sensible decisions about this?

And depending on the answers to those questions, it may indeed be valuable to debate the usefulness of the program. Similarly, those answers will allow respondents to make informed feature lists, rather than wish lists that may be based on impractical expectations.

(And yes, I'm a variety of student, though perhaps not quite what you had in mind.)

[Rangel(kf7fdb)]

Well if the computer is intended only to be used for school, a netbook would be the way to go. I can't imagine any high-school schoolwork that would require a lot of high end processing. Back-lit keyboards and other features are nice but really all students need is just the bare essentials for high school.

[MishraArtificer]

I DO NOT recommend anything approaching a netbook. Netbooks do not yet have the processing power required to do much of anything in the classroom, or much anywhere else for that matter. They are also painfully small, and therefore very hard to work with/on. I can go get a used 5 year old Dell Latitude on Ebay (or even my own workplace) with more power and features than a netbook, and STILL save $200 bucks compared to a netbook.

NOW, that opinion may change with the advent of Intel's Sandy Bridge and AMD's Fusion/Bulldozer chips, but until then, NO. Trust me, your IT department will thank you. Take that from a technician who works at a PC repair shop.

[Tristan Lall]

You've still got to give us some more information. Not every task, nor every user is created equal, and consequently the hardware and software requirements will depend on what's being asked of those systems. (Otherwise, you're just ending up with wish lists for particular cases, which may or may not be relevant to your schools.)

Originally Posted by Tristan Lall

More details please. What's this program intended to do? Will curriculum be designed to require (or take advantage) one of these devices? Is this a way of passing responsibility for IT services on to the students? How rich is the content on the online course system? Is it possible to replace textbooks with this device? Will the device be crippled so that students can't do various extracurricular things during class? Does every student need the same thing? Do the legislators understand enough about computing, education and people in general to make sensible decisions about this?

We could give you case-by-case lists of what would be useful, but that would be long and complicated. (A case for the students who do art, another for the ones who program, and for the ones who CAD, and the ones who write, and the ones who can't read English well, and the ones who have disabilities, and the ones who don't want to use your computer, etc.; then a case for the schools where the teachers are sending lessons online, and one for the schools that are replacing their computer labs and firing the IT staff, and one for the school where theft is a rampant problem, etc.....) Surely we can narrow things down by describing the end uses that you think are worth considering?

Maybe the most important message is that if you pick a single type of device for everyone, you'll end up with a large plurality of unsatisfied students (who thought they were getting something useful). Think very carefully about the point where economies of scale start exhibiting diminishing returns—because that may drive your decision about adopting a single solution for everyone.

[sammyjalex]

I suggest that those of you who ask what will be the function of the computers, if they will replace the schools current desktops or offer specs. for high processing machines do a basic search of what is the purpose of 1:1 computing.

Likely, those computers that serve higher-level technical functions will not be effected and these computers will not serve that purpose. Rather, the purpose of 1:1 is equity; the potential for all students to have unlimited access to a computer for which they can take some degree of ownership. This is an ed. tech. initiative all in itself. It is not the schools new computers nor does it in any way directly effect students with divergent computer-based interests. Likely those students will have other opportunities to pursue those interests. As far as I understand, with 1:1, the computer is an aid for ms office applications and the internet (i.e. windows live, mailing lists). As a result, I can't imagine a netbook would not serve these necessary functions. Think that the goal is that all students have access to computer-based group projects and word processing.

Best,
Sam

P.S. I love that we are having an involved discussion of ed. tech. on CD because this is why FIRST is meaningful for me and many people I know. The question is how do we alter the tools we use for learning to make it more accessible and more meaningful. The answer, broadly, is to decrease win-lose scenarios and increase those that are win-win through collaborative strategies using tech. With this in mind, FIRST is an answer, through all of its faculties, but it is limited. I do not believe that FIRST is plausible for implementation in the average classroom. 1:1, cloud platforms and smart technologies are others and they can be applied to the classroom, but, of course, effort needs to be a applied to create effective strategies and lessons for students using these tools. They are only tools, just as the robot is only a tool and each team creative applies what that means for its program.

FIRST, for me, is about mental wrestling with oneself through the ideas of others and learning through this dialogue. Thank you Sal, CD, and FRC 47.

[Nomadic Mentor]

Just my $.02. In my opinion tablets are the way to go. I have brought my laptop to my college classes and consistently not used it because of the lack of room.
To me the necessities are long battery life, input/output ports (Ipad fails here), wireless connectivity, hardware you can upgrade.

I'm also a huge proponent of opensource software so Linux (or android) of some variety, open office, ext. These programs are free so save licensing fees and the students still learn the skills necessary to use any industry standard programs like Microsoft Office. And the variety of free programs available through Linux distributions can add a lot of choice for the users without extra cost.

[techedguy]

You have all hit upon the same basic problems I have with the task at hand...lack of specifics. This is a statewide launch dictated at the state level and a task force tasked with working out details after the fact.

Having taught in the classroom, using blended technology (Moodle), and in a purely online school all at the same time, I'm confident I know what needs to be in place, what I am seeking (and some of you provided) were names and details about implementation and what has worked or could work well.

Please forgive my lack of more specifics...I simply don't have any. To a certain extent I don't think technical specifications were part of the legislative thought process. At some levels "computer is a computer" thinking may have existed in the early stages and we're left to define what is should look like now that it has passed (this task force was part of the legislation).

Thank you all for your input and information. I will be contacting some of you directly when I have more time.

[Molten]

Originally Posted by Hawiian Cadder

Personally, I don't think the government buying students computers is a good idea.

My school recently decided to give all the incoming freshmen "laptops" I think that this will help 10 -15 percent of students. the reason is this. many students already have computers at home, and for their homework they will be using those, who would choose a laptop the school gives out, when many people have desktops at home, with a real keyboard, and a laptop built on a school budget, wont be able to match the speed and effectiveness of some of most of these systems.

For the 10-15 percent of students that do not have access to a computer at home, this might be beneficial, however, I still don't think that there are enough assignments where computers are necessary, i think a donation program where old computers are given to students who do not have one, would be better than giving out Laptops to everyone.

Personally, i think the best solution is to find a way to give the students information, and a way to better utilize computers. My thought on what would work the best is to distribute 8 or 16 gigabyte flash drives, with the latest version of one or more computerized encyclopedias, open office, and maybe a few other software items. this would allow students to use any computer, even without internet access for many projects. another thing to look at is the cost. a 16 gig flash drive can be had for around 15-20 dollars depending on a bulk discount, you could even go to 32 gigs and put more content on it. even the cheapest computers cannot match this.

There is one more advantage to giving out flash drives, they are virtually indestructible, and more likely to be returned working if lost. I have run them over, washed them, and they still work.

To be honest, I agree with alot of what you said. However, parts of it don't belong here. He is specifically asking for device features not alternatives to the device. Your idea of a flash drive is a great suggestion for a feature that could be added.

Everyone: Please make the assumption the program is going to exist and discuss the features rather then debate whether such a program should exist.

Jason

[Techhexium]

For the kind of laptop that is used for daily school work, portability and long battery life is required, so screen size should either be 14, 15.6 inches or netbook size. Laptops that cost $600 or less are good for this. Software that can allow students to take notes better would be useful, such as Microsoft OneNote / Word or an iPad.

But personally, I don't think students should be given laptops. Two problems I can foresee is theft (I am always afraid of losing things or having it stolen) and the likely dearth of computer literacy among students, so they may raise questions about using the technology.

Some good alternatives have already been suggested. I think the teacher would benefit from a up-to-date laptop and a projector, and the classroom may also benefit from having a few computers for the students to access.

Now in California, schools, especially my school are still facing budget cuts (Our Pre-Calculus textbooks are from 1986!), so I think another good idea is for the state government to save some money in general.

[dudefise]

I think, assuming it exists, it should have Openoffice, and other free software. It should also give students admin rights, but operate on something more obscure to the majority of students (Linux of some kind?)...this is to allow the more computer-oriented students to experiment, install programs, etc, but stop problems like viruses.

It should have
At least a 10-inch display (if it has external connections) or 14 if not
Laptop/netbook preferred as the Tablet market is not super established yet - although a Xoom could alleviate a lot of problems - its open-source and gives admin rights, but is obscure enough to avoid most viruses, general stupidity.
Should have at least 2 (prefer 4-6 USB ports)
Firewire port
Both in and out sound ports
802.11b/g/n
full sized backlit keyboard (for those late-night essays)
dvd/cdrw drive (preferably internal but I guess external is OK)
Easy-To-upgrade HDD/SSD, ram
decent processor (>2.4Ghz, dual core)

As a student who rather likes technology, I do not think that schools should give out laptops. I am not sure if this is an attitude shared by many, but I would feel nervous about using it on my newtork as it would obviously have some kind of a "big brother" program installed. In fact I probably would refuse to use a school-issued computer whenever possible... ... Even an application I would have some worries about installing... (yes i am a bit crazy about other people + my data... regardless of how insignificant it is...)

Perhaps a better option is allowing students reduced prices on certain models of laptops, or free software licences for major programs. If you did give out hardware though, please make it 1) major/standard brands (not off-brands) and have major software without monitoring software installed.

[Tristan Lall]

Originally Posted by dudefise

As a student who rather likes technology, I do not think that schools should give out laptops. I am not sure if this is an attitude shared by many, but I would feel nervous about using it on my newtork as it would obviously have some kind of a "big brother" program installed. In fact I probably would refuse to use a school-issued computer whenever possible... ... Even an application I would have some worries about installing... (yes i am a bit crazy about other people + my data... regardless of how insignificant it is...)

This is a legitimate concern.

There have been some rather depraved incidents where a school board that didn't know a damned thing about information technology installed software with camera access on students' laptops, and allowed their IT staff to activate it. You can imagine what ensued: lawsuits everywhere, and rightly so.

If the school is going to fully control the software that is installed on such a system, it needs to accept commensurate responsibility for the consequences. It also needs to be proactive in demonstrating that school employees will not have access to any sort of information that might be considered confidential, except under court order, or following a clear and equitable internal procedure (with notice given to the student).

It serves nobody's interests for users to have reason to distrust their office supplies. High school students are very perceptive when it comes to detecting software that appears to have contempt for them. Website filters that block legitimate sites, or a locked-down user interface (or worse—software that reloads a fresh copy of the operating system on bootup) just serve to crystallize the impression that the school doesn't trust them. For some users, that mutual distrust will manifest itself in a desire to acquire full permissions on the system, in order to be able to independently verify that there is no monitoring software (e.g. examining the contents of their personal e-mail). (There is no practical way to prevent a determined person from acquiring administrative access on most operating systems, or even to mitigate that possibility without severely compromising functionality.) Others simply won't use the systems to their full potential, and may end up less-educated as a result. Either way, distrust will reduce the program's effectiveness.

[buildmaster5000]

I will assume this will actually happen, and leave the debate for another thread.

Go for laptops. REAL computers: Kids these days want computing power, and lots of it. Also, the more computing power, the more it will get used.
Go mobile: make sure there is a lot of battery life, or a plethora of outlets/chargers in every class room. It does no good to give out laptops that won't last through the day.
Expansion ports: 2 USBs is minimal, but more is always better
wifi b/g/n is a necessity. No questions.
If there is no internal optical drive, an external one is also required
Focus on upgradablility. Get something that is easily able to adopt new standards of RAM and SATA hard drives. Make sure that these things are easily accessible too.
Audio in/out is a good idea, but not required. Really just audio out is required.

As far as software: make sure that it can run windows 7, but run whatever OS the school system uses. I would not put monitoring software on it, but retain the ability to search the web history etc if there is a reason to. Having Microsoft office is also required, just because its the industry standard.
Finally, give the kids admin rights. Its so frustrating for me to get onto a computer that cannot run software because something like java is out of date. The kids need to be able to upgrade/install stuff.

I would also throw out the idea that including an image disk, with the appropriate disclaimer is a good idea too. Either way, reimage the computers each summer to keep them relatively functional.