[Offtopic] School laptop policy

[Stephen Digby]

Agree with Jim 100% (from the teacher point ot view).
Diversity is fine until the student, the teachers and the parent wants
school staff to troublshoot the specific computer that is not able to access
school resources/ internet. As the computer is not a school "image" and has
a VERY idiosynchratic mix of xoftware and useage it could take a very long
time to diagnose and get connected.
When we say that it works fine on our test machines and we can't help beyond
that, we get less than accepting responses.
Either charge students individually for the tech help re non-recommended
hardware configuration or suggest thst they stay with a specific setup (OR
offer to re-image their personal computer for them with a school licenced
image.)

====================================================
Stephen Digby, Learning Technology Manager
mailto: digby.stephen.p at edumail.vic.gov.au  
Cheltenham Secondary College www.cheltsec.vic.edu.au
Ph: 613 955 55 955  Fx: 9555 8617 Mb: 0431-701-028
====================================================

Leadership is action, not position. Donald H. McGannon 
-----Original Message-----
From: offtopic-bounces at edulists.com.au
[mailto:offtopic-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of Jim Maunder
Sent: Thursday, 15 May 2008 4:47 PM
To: Information Technology Teachers' Offtopic Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Offtopic] School laptop policy

At 04:00 PM 15/05/2008, you wrote:
>Not meaning to be derogatory!  It's just there are always competing 
>interest when it comes to these sort of issues and it sometimes helps 
>to know which point of view the poster is coming from.
>Cameron
>(Teacher, ICT Coordinator and part time technician if they are busy)   :)
>
>Cameron Bell wrote:
>>Can I please just get a clarification? Jim are you a teacher or a 
>>technician? The slant I am getting from your reply is certainly not 
>>one from an educational point of view, rather a technical and 
>>administrative view.

Hi Cameron -

I took no offence at any of the posts/rants in response to my comment about
recalcitrant students. Here I have to straddle the counter a bit - while my
main job is to ensure the kids can use their lappies effectively (ie they
can do what the teachers want them to do, can print, log on etc) I try to do
it in an efficient way. As far as I can see, I'm valued here because I'm
cheerfully helpful to the students and staff. I look after the students
interests first, then the staff, then the administration. My shortcomings in
the last are tolerated because of what I do in the other two. I work in a
nice school.

If a recalcitrant student brings a MacBook (contrary to the school
policy* which I helped formulate), I will frown and maybe growl a bit, check
to see if Windows is running properly, then do my best to set it up for our
network.

rgds
long winded Jim

* I think the policy implies that lappies must be able to run Win XP well,
so a properly setup dual boot Mac is tolerated. The anti-Mac grumble is a
carryover from pre-Intel days.

"To ensure all students can access and benefit from learning programmes and
activities provided by Ruyton staff, laptops used within the learning
programme should comply with School specifications as issued annually and
should be IBM PC compatible.  The School operates within this system and
provides no technical backup for alternate platforms.

Machines purchased through the School recommended agent are provided to
students configured for the Ruyton network and operating programmes.  Costs
of these laptop include costs of license fees for software.  Where parents
source IBM PC compatible machines outside this School arrangement, a charge,
determined annually, is made to facilitate the set up of the machine by the
School Information Technology Technicians.  Additional costs for software
include Microsoft Office and anti-virus software used by the School."





-----------------------------------------------------------
We have to use this Disclaimer

Views, opinions, etc. expressed reflect those of the author and not Ruyton
Girls' School
-----------------------------------------------------------

Jim Maunder
Ruyton Girls School
Melbourne, Australia


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