Getting Started with Laptops
Just getting started with laptops? Here are some of the things that you will need to think about and resources that will help.
First, you'll need to decide:
- Your program goals
- Your implementation plan
- What hardware you need
- What software you need
- What other resources you need
Program Goals
The first part of any new technology program should be setting academic goals.
Too many programs start with hardware and software instead of student and teacher needs. If you begin with what you want to accomplish, the technology pieces will fall into place and your program will be more successful.
Begin with a subject area and grade level(s). Then talk to teachers about what their student challenges are in those areas.
Implementation Plan
The first part of an implementation plan is identifying the students and teachers who will be involved. Often, the most expedient and politically palatable choice is to share laptops across classes and grades so that a large number of students can access them.
However, we believe and research and experience supports, that technology will have a much more significant impact if deployed in a one-to-one program, in which each student has his or her own computer. It is our experience that these programs are more successful. And when programs are more successful, there is seldom a shortage of funding in getting them expanded.
Beyond that, your implementation plan should include a reasonable schedule (phased rollouts are often much more manageable and successful), a solid professional development plan, and on-going integration support. We often find that one-on-one in-classroom mentoring is much more effective than whole-group workshops.
Finally, make sure to share the successes as well as the challenges everyone is having. A blog is a great way to do that.
Hardware
Here is a comparison chart of major mini-laptop manufacturers and models to consider.
When thinking about hardware, some of the preliminary decisions to be made include:
- Manufacturer
Make sure to choose a manufacturer who knows how to deal with big school orders. You might also want to look at product line stability. Manufacturers who are more consumer-oriented sometimes change their product line often, frequently discontinuing models and bringing out new ones, which can be frustrating to schools. - Operating system
Linux or Windows, that is the question!
Linux is often cheaper and is favored by many as an open, non-proprietary operating system. However, some districts prefer Windows because of software they run or network authentication they want to do. This may be less important with new Web 2.0 applications though. You should also consider your teacher staff and what will be most comfortable for them.
- Screen size
The standard mini-laptop screen sizes now are 9”, 10”, and 12”. Nine inch screens are plenty big for students and are less expensive. In addition, smaller screens use less battery and are more portable and therefore easier to integrate. - Solid state (flash) memory vs. a hard drive
Flash memory is faster, but can be more expensive. Hard drives have greater capacity, but often this isn’t necessary with Web 2.0 applications that store information on the Internet.
Beyond those decisions, here are some other important things to look at:
- Battery life and power
Battery life and power consumption are one of the biggest challenges in implementing laptop programs. Some laptops now come with longer life batteries, but they are very expensive, and if you’re using wireless, no battery seems to get through the school day. Answer: power poles! If you want the technology to be integrated effectively, the laptops must be on students desks and have access to power. - Number of USB ports
More USB ports is better! With the large number of peripherals that use USB ports, you can never have too many. - Other optional peripherals
There are many peripherals you might want to consider, such as integrated web cams (which are also great for recording video for student projects), external CD and DVD drives.
Software
As with other computers, you’ll need to evaluate which software you need to accomplish your goals. Most of the inexpensive mini-laptops don’t include the Office suite. However, a no-cost substitute for this is Open Office or Google Docs.
There are many great, free Web 2.0 applications that work well in the classroom to improve instruction. A huge advantage of these is that they can be accessed by any computer with web access. This is very helpful in file management issues as well.
Other Resources
Here are some other things you may want to consider in planning for your laptop implementation:
- Professional development – Plan for high quality professional development and support. We have found that one-on-one in-classroom mentoring is often more effective than traditional workshops to help teachers meaningfully integrate technology into the classroom.
- Wireless infrastructure – Make sure you have adequate access points and bandwidth to support the number of laptops you’ll have in use.
- File management – As teachers and students are using laptops more, you’ll want to have a place for them to keep their files and recommendations for file naming, backing up files, etc. Options for file storage include network drives, flash drives, or Internet storage.
- Student log-ins – If you are using Web 2.0 applications, your students will need to register with a user name and password. If you work out a standard system for this and help support students in keeping track of log-ins, you’ll save time and avoid file loss down the road.
- Home use policy – Think through a policy on using the laptops at home. While this seems like a scary proposition, our experience is that students are very responsible at taking care of mobile technology, in part because they view it as a privilege. Encouraging students to develop responsible habits is an important life skill, and they’ll get a lot more benefit from the technology if they are allowed to use it at home.
