In addition to the Q&A that took place during the webinar on “1:1 Data, Metrics and Results” we have posted these additional answers to some of the questions you posed. The answers are from Tom Greaves (TWG) and the folks at Intel/Tech & Learning who produce the K-12 Computing Blueprint web site (K12Blueprint).
1. We are worried about sending the laptops home with the students. Can you talk about insurance, how much of a problem you’ve had with theft and how you handle all this? What happens if students forget to bring the computers back to school with them?
TWG: Many schools have found that the concerns about lost or broken laptops can be addressed by careful up-front planning and training for students, parents and staff. The difference between good training and no training can be a 10X difference in number of lost and broken machines. There are a number of ways to reduce loss and theft, including marking machines, alerting pawn shops, not leaving machines unattended, etc. Good carrying cases or special backpacks can reduce breakage. Acceptable use policies that put some financial responsibility on parents for lost and broken machines has proven successful. Collect machines enough before the school year ends or a student moves that you can implement a backup plan for machines that are not returned. Some districts require parents to put the laptops on homeowner insurance policies. There are a number of third party insurance programs, such as Safeguard that supplement vendor warranties. We are touching on only the highlights in this answer.
K12Blueprint: One company that offers a security solution, Computrace, has a newsletter about this. Symantec has also written about laptop loss, which is surprisingly low in most districts. Information about insurance (to which parents are often asked to contribute), acceptable use agreements and ways of protecting laptops were discussed in greater detail in a K12 Computing Blueprint webinar on One-to-one Planning & Logistics.
2.Did all the programs you’re involved with (or reporting on) use regular laptops for their 1:1 program? Did any use tablets or ultra-light computers or handhelds?
TWG: Most, if not all of the programs reported in America's Digital Schools used regular laptops. This is due in part to the fact that the survey was conducted in 2007 before lower cost tablets and ultra-light computers were readily available. We are seeing newer implementations using these devices, however. Traditional “handhelds” are no longer popular as one to one devices. In part this is due to pricing. You can get a mini laptop for less money than some handhelds. The second issue is screen real estate and keyboard size.
K12Blueprint: Auburn City Schools in Alabama uses 100% tablet PCs for its one-to-one program, as do a number of the other programs profiled at the K-12 Computing Blueprint site. A number of pilot sites described in a recent eBook use Intel-powered Classmate PCs for their program. And we will continue to cover examples of alternate devices including ultra-light computers, smart phones, etc.
3.What experiences have you had with allowing students to bring in their own laptops and connect to the school network?
TWG: This has worked well for some districts. Clovis school district in California has done this successfully for about 10 years.
K12Blueprint: In many successful programs it is allowed but guidelines, conventions, acceptable use is well defined and fully enforced
4. What generally happens to the computers in the summer or when students leave one school and go to another? Do they move from grade to grade with the students or get reassigned?
TWG and K12Blueprint: Usually they are collected, refurbished, re-imaged, and assigned to students in the same grade. In districts that run purchase programs (as with band instrument programs) eventually the student owns it
5. How did you get all students up to an appropriate technology level so that time in the classroom wasn't spent teaching the technology and could focus on subject matter?
TWG: This generally is not a big issue. If you start with the basic applications like web browsing and word processing students are up to speed almost immediately. We find that their natural curiosity will help them learn new applications, frequently with little formal training.
K12Blueprint: Kids are already there---it is the etiquette and acceptable use that need reinforcing.
6. Did any of these programs have virtual courses as a major component? Ways for students who had to miss school to interact from home? Any comment about 1:1 and virtual learning?
TWG: One to one is a natural for virtual learning. There are many so-called virtual learning programs where the students are actually in a brick and mortar facility with a teacher. But the teacher spends much less time lecturing and much more time working individually with students.
K12Blueprint: Most programs do allow for some incorporation of virtual to include AP and credit recovery. The North American Council for Online Learning (NACOL) is a great resource for learning more.
7. How much training was provided for teachers before the 1 to 1 implementation? How much training is being offered now on an ongoing basis? What % of the budget do you recommend for PD? Who provides the PD (e.g., designated on-site trainers, mentor teachers)?
TWG: In an ideal situation teachers receive computers 3 to 6 months prior to students. An initial 2 or 3 day session can familiarize them with the basics of the machine and the primary school applications. Ongoing training throughout the school year occurs as part of teacher PD time. Some schools have "minimum days", where students are released at noon or 1 PM and the teachers have afternoon training. In-classroom training provided by mentors has proven highly effective. America's Digital Schools surveys report an average of $95 per student allocated to PD. PD Has been successfully provided by many sources, including on-site trainers, mentor teachers, and vendor-provided programs.
K12Blueprint: In the districts profiled in the One-to-one Planning & Logistics webinar and in a number of other projects we are aware of, planners typically allow the teachers to get a one year “head start” on the kids. In most successful implementations, we find PD fully integrated into the school day – or, at a minimum, embedded into the week through offerings such as a weekly “Tech Tuesday” program. Having a dedicate support person on site is desirable. More ideas re. professional development were shared at the K12 Blueprint webinar, PD for Technology Integration.
8. What do you recommend in the way of tech support for a 1:1 program? About how many technicians for xxx number of participants? Strategies?
TWG: A lot depends on the level of contracted vendor support. This can vary from almost no support to full on-site support covering everything from repairs and loaners to on-site virus removal and software loading. The most common situation is to have a full time tech person for each 400-800 computers in a school. Many schools use student tech support teams with great success. Give them a t-shirt and let them handle most of the first level support calls.
