Netbooks In The Classroom

1:1 NETBOOKS IN THE CLASSROOMTami Brass, St. Paul Academy and Summit School

tbrass@spa.edu

@brasst on Twitter

Road to Netbooks…

2001 - 1:1 PC laptops pilot in 7th grade • Word processing• Publisher/PowerPoint projects• Projectors on carts• Wireless APs sometimes available; required

card in laptop

Road to Netbooks…

2001 - 1:1 PC laptops pilot in 7th grade

2004 – Faculty began using tablet pcs• Projectors in more rooms• More Wireless APs• Lots of connectivity issues

(Single DSL line K-12)• Distributed by department• Equity issues – not available

to all faculty

Road to Netbooks…2001 - 1:1 PC laptops pilot in 7th grade

2004 – Faculty began using tablet pcs

2006 – Extensive Upgrades…

Road to Netbooks…

2006/07 – Extensive Upgrades…• F/T Network admin position posted & filled (interim consultant)• New Servers • VOIP phones• Cisco Aps throughout school (standardization)• 4 Cable Modems• Separate VLANS for students, faculty, admin, etc.• Projectors in every academic classroom• TabletPCs for every F/T academic teacher (+most P/T)• Pilot tablet carts• Select teachers sent to observe other 1:1 schools• More focus on coaching in the classroom & classroom management

Road to Netbooks…2001 - 1:1 PC laptops pilot in 7th grade

2004 – Faculty began using tablet pcs

2006 – Extensive Upgrades…

2008 – TabletPC Pilot in 7th grade• Expectation that ALL academic classes would integrate• Expectation that tablet features would be used• Wellnology classes for 7th grade

Road to Netbooks

???

Parent survey results

1:1 access for all

students

Tablet features & OneNote shared

notebooks Smaller, lighter machine

Fewer bells & whistles

Lower cost hardwareNo-fault, fully

supported warranty

$

Hardware considerations

Netbook shopping list Capability – Will it run your essential tools

effectively?

Processor RAM Hard Drive OS Wireless Possibility – Will it meet your needs the next 3

years? Size – Screen, keyboard, weight Durability – Will it withstand regular student

use? Expandability – Necessary ports Battery – 6 cells = approx 5 hours Warranty/Support

ClassmatePC ConvertibleCriteria to meet:

Small, lightAffordableFewer bells & whistlesNo-fault warrantyClassroom applications

• OneNote• Tablet Apps/inking• Classroom software

Durable Water-resistant keyboard Drop-tested 2x traditional tablet

Battery Life

Concerns:

First generation of hardware•Screen size•Keyboard size•Touch-screen w/stylus•Not mass-market vendor•Support model

Netbook FAQ

Is it big enough? Can it do what I want it to? How durable is it? Where did you buy them? Is the warranty worth it? Do you bother to fix them?

Timeline Fall 2008 – Worked with 2 different prototypes Winter 2008-09 – Worked with 2 sample

machinesWindows XP – standard for many netbooksXP Tablet – for built-in support of tablet tools

Spring 2009 – Tested classroom set on cart w/XP TabletTested in multiple contentsTested in all 3 grades of middle schoolTested most demanding apps w/kids

Summer 2009 – Prep for 1:1 in grades 6-7

Timeline Sept. 2009 – Rollout in grades 6-7-8

8th grade – M700 tablets (year 2 of pilot)○ Brief training refresher w/rollout○ Small group training with new students

7th grade – Classmate Convertibles ○ 1:1 after initial training○ 1x per cycle Wellnology class

6th grade – Classmate Convertibles ○ 1:1 during school day for first trimester○ Wellnology integrated into advisory & classes○ 1:1 2nd trimester

Teacher needs Administrative support (and expectations) Teacher input in process/readiness/timeline Ongoing PD, as needed (just in time,

planning, etc.) Classroom management suggestions Modeling of tools/techniques (OneNote,

tablets) in and out of classroom Frequent reminders Details & organization Chocolate! (AKA freedom to vent)

Supporting Curriculum1. Traditional tools for basic classroom

computing (Security blanket – familiar)

2. Creative suite – audio, video, drawing/painting, webcam

3. Productivity tools – classroom efficiency

4. Constructive tools – independent learning and options for demonstrating learning

5. Access, access, access

Traditional Tools

Office 2007 Word PowerPoint Excel

Browsers IE Firefox

Antivirus

Creativity Suite

Audacity Webcam MovieMaker Photostory Paint.net Artrage Picasa Comic Life

Productivity & Constructive Learning OneNote Flashcard applications Inspiration Scratch Google Earth Sketchup Stykz Vernier Online tools

School Website Curriculum-specific websites & interactives Quia, United Streaming, Nettrekker, Gaggle, Typing Pal, online

databases

Additional Hardware

Still Cameras Video Cameras Document Cameras MFPs Projectors Headsets

w/microphones Flashdrives

Lessons Learned Administrative Leadership

Clear, evolving vision Policy with teeth but flexibility Plan for sustainability, not just to purchase hardware Funding/budget decisions Details, details, details…

Teacher buy-in Supported teachers support integration Listen to the naysayers & address concerns Put the curriculum before the hardware Feed the teachers (There’s always room for chocolate!)

Lessons Learned Homework

Find schools already doing it. Visit if you can. Network! Ask vendor for references. Get info/ideas from others, too.

Test before you commit Let kids play with the hardware before you commit to it. Pilot in the classroom first if you can.

No hardware is perfect. Use teachers and students to anticipate problems. Budget for warranty and repair needs. Replacement may be cheaper than repair. Survey kids for suggestions – F11, hiding the ribbon, etc.

On the Horizon Netbooks getting bigger Processors getting faster Battery life will fluctuate (screen size and speed impact life) Continued movement to “the cloud” Hardware evolution

Slates E-Readers Blurring line between netbooks & laptops (netops)

Operating systems Linux flavors Chrome, alternate operating systems Windows 7 (and 8)

Competition from Apple…

When it might be better to go Mac… Curriculum: If video and music editing is

core to the majority of projects you’re doing or plan to do (Think iMovie & GarageBand vs MovieMaker & Audacity)

Support: If your support structure is already Apple-oriented (repair techs, applications, servers, etc.)

Critical mass: If increasing laptop numbers and decreasing student to computer ratio isn’t an issue

WORK SAMPLES

Resources

See http://www.tech4teaching.org Click on 1:1 Resources Tab

Tami Brass St. Paul Academy and Summit School

tbrass@spa.edu @brasst On Twitter

QUESTIONS?Tami Brass, St. Paul Academy and Summit School

tbrass@spa.edu

@brasst on Twitter