Friday, June 26, 2009
Computer Lab
I would like to recommend that we assign computers in the lab. The older students are continually changing the desktop screen from the standard screen, they are setting some applications to open automatically, and leaving their work on the desktop. It takes two to three hours to log on to each computer and reset them. This needs to be done every few weeks. I realize that they don't understand the difference between their desktop on the laptop and in the computer lab but just talking to them as a group has not made a difference. With a seating chart I can bring those students who are assigned to that computer and explain the situation and have them clean up the screen. It would also me figure out who keeps removing the application icons off the dock so we can teach them not to do it and why. What do other people think? Any other ideas?
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I have no problem assigning computers in the lab. Honestly, I only used it 5 or so times this year. It is very frustrating as a teacher to come in to the lab and have missing icons, negatve screens etc. It is a HUGE time waster when a student has to fix it and or get help to get it fixed and it shouldn't be happening in the first place. Seating chart turned in to Marcia and maybe Leslie. I know that Leslie was working really hard to keep the carts and lab up and running also.Can we maybe talk about some sort of consequence if "your" computer is constantly needing to be fixed (screen, missing icons etc)
ReplyDeleteI quit using the lap tops as a primary teacher due to all the problems I ran into. I spent way too much time trying just to log kids in. I stress level was way beyond what I could put into one day, and I am fairly computer literate on logging in. :)... So, I went to the lab. That was another problem altogher. Missing icons, desk tops with work still on and in progress, strange pictures... with 2nd graders that is a show stopper. I was able to do more in there but it was still, very difficult. So... I vote a BIG yes on assigned seats, accountability, and a staff decision of how TEACHERS are accountable for their classes. We should have one or two kids per class check each computer as we leave to make sure the computers are 'put away' appropriatly at the end of our sessions. These monitors could quickly check each computer for being shut down correctly and being neat. They could not be responsible for icons and such if they are looking for correct shut down because that would not work... we could talk about a routinized system at a staff meeting and have it posted in LARGE print in the lab... I personally am at the point where the lap tops have put me over the edge, but since I am moving rooms, that may change. I was in a wireless free zone. Really, these things take just a little time at the beginning and then are effortless. Thanks for bringing it up.
ReplyDeleteAssigning computers in the lab has worked really well and solved lots of the problems you have been talking about at Hunter. We put numbers on each computer to make it easier for kids to remember where they were to sit. I also used students to check the lab as the class left but mostly to hang up earphones, adjust keyboards, check the mouse thingys, clean up pencils and papers from math stuff we did, push chairs in... but mostly to make sure log out was done correctly. I taught 2nd and it worked fine. The biggy is to make sure all kids log out of the little blue apple at the top left - I'm sure that applies at WR as well.
ReplyDeleteBy the way - Hello! Looking forward to talking to all of you in person.
How nice to hear from you Heidi. Welcome to WR. I'm all for assigning students to specific computers. We used to use classroom numbers and that worked well. I have my students do a "5 up" to line up - they have to log out (1), be looking at a "friendly screen" (2), straighten mouse (3), keyboard (4), push in chair (5) - when they've got 5 fingers up - they can pick up papers and line up. Too juvenile for 5th, 6th but sure works at 4th - they get so used to the routine - then I leave a helper for each side of the lab to catch areas for students that were pulled out during lab time + quality control! I'm going to miss the routines of classroom management.
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