[Year 12 IT Apps] OT: NSSCF 1:2 ratio and 1:1 Yr9-12

[Roland Gesthuizen]

G'day Colin, I might bounce your question and this reply to the eLearning
and other mailing lists.  Details and my contribution is below.

Regards Roland

2009/10/22 Colin SYMONS <CSY at gwsc.vic.edu.au>

> Sorry for the off topic discussion, if there is a better forum to air it
> let me know Kevork. We are in the process of discussing how we are going to
> meet the 1:2 ratio and best work towards meeting the mandated 1:1 ratio of
> computer/companion devices for yr9-12 students. I was wondering if other
> schools are working their way through this and how you are intending to
> address the requirements. Below are some of the questions we are currently
> pondering and would be interested in your responses.
>
> What combination of desktops, notebooks and netbooks are you going to use
> to meet the 1:1 ratio?
>

We will have about 180 iMac desktops (existing), and plan to buy 75 Macbook
laptops, 75 netbooks and a swag of assorted thin Sun clients. For obvious
reasons they will be located according to use (Sun thin clients as kiosks
and 6 x 13 laptop trolleys in staff rooms and 6 x 13 boxes in library). No
new labs, just filling in some gaps. Oddly enough, we reckon that we can
assemble the small sets of 13 netbooks into adapted book boxes for loan from
the library. Am using 13 as a working number for each set.


> Do you envisage parental contributions to support the program? If so, what
> proportion of cost is being considered? What if they don't pay?


Parents paying? Not likely ever here ..


> Do the students have ownership and take them home or does the school house
> and recharge them?
>

Only the netbooks and only if the teacher signs them out, counts and returns
them (excursion, overnight etc.)


> How do you plan to sustain the program after the initial purchase?
>

Federal or divine intervention come to mind or perhaps a direct appeal to a
small deity. Seriously though, if the machines start to fail we remove a
class set to canabolise parts for the others. Eating our liver might seem
odd but it has worked for graphical calculators to date. Kind of why the
bulk of stuff we have is on a rolling lease. We have had a great experience
with the robust and well built Macbooks so we are buying these up (big price
fall just now!) .. and buying the cheapest cheapest for the Netbooks. Got
some great cues and clues from a great school visit to Coburg SHS and
talking to Principal Don Collins.


> How are you also intending to delivering the NSSCF requirement of 1:2
> across 7&8?
>

We are not locking the junior kids out of rooms or away from the trolleys ..
that is just plain mean spirited. In practice the users can loan the gear
across the curriculum and gauge how it is being used. A gentle tap on staff
shoulders might be all that is needed to encourage use by a cohort.


> Some technical support is being provided, how do you intend to manage this?
>

We have a good lockdown system for the iMacs with OSX (and automated
reimaging), Novell Zenworks handles the security on the Windoze side, dont
laugh but the lockdown Ubuntu Netbook remix with a USB key or Internet
access to the home directory or Moodle is all we need for the Netbooks ..
(we avoid pretending that they are anything more than just a browser /
office mix hence our decision to keep them cheap cheap)


> We are a large school and this would mean an additional 1300 -1400 computer
> devices. What management issues do you see arising at your school?
>

Electrical (get those points in now) .. trolley storage, we can put two
trolleys of 13 into the footprint of an existing teacher desk.  Wireless ..
don't hold your breath. A place to service equipment, store parts and tools.
Putting in place an apprentice ICT technician and student trainee has been
the best thing we have ever done! We coordinated this through a group called
Apprenticeship Plus and fund it out of our existing program.

Already we have compiled detailed planning notes, training schedule and
established a team list with Google Docs. I would be happy to outline how
this works (or further share) if anybody is interested.

Regards Roland

-- 
Roland Gesthuizen - ICT Coordinator - Westall Secondary College
http://www.westallsc.vic.edu.au

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change
the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has." --Margaret Mead
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