This document summarizes the evolution of a 1:1 laptop program at St. Paul Academy and Summit School from 2005-2006 to 2010-2011. It discusses moving from large, professional laptops owned by families to smaller, school-owned devices. It also describes expanding the program from grades 7-10 to grades 6-12 and enhancing support, training, and infrastructure to better integrate technology into the curriculum. Key aspects covered include the hardware used, how the program is managed, lessons learned, and ongoing questions around assessing the program's impact.
3. Beginnings Pilot in 2001-02 in 7thgrade Originally grades 7-10 School owned 7th grade Family purchase in 8th grade Grades 7-10 only Large, professional-grade machines Program partially paid for by endowment for technology
4. Road to 1:1 2010– Netbooks6-7-8, tablets 9-10-11-12
5. Revision Parent & faculty feedback/surveys Fewer bells and whistles (just enough for classwork) Smaller, lighter Durable, “ruggedized” Lower cost School-owned & managed Loaner pool & school supporting repair Training for kids Why stop in 10th grade?
6. How it works Middle School Grade 6 – Nobi, Wellnology, most support Grade 7 – Nobi (yr 2), Wellnology tri 1 Grade 8 – Nobi (yr 3) Upper School Grade 9 – Toshiba tablet (yr 1), initial training Grades 10-12 – Toshiba tablet (yrs 2-4)
7. Details… Support No-fault warranty for life of laptop Limit “images” to one per computer model/grade 24 hour turn-around time to reimage or repair Tech coordinator assists w/user issues & classroom needs Loaner pool for students and faculty Charging Power strips in classrooms Encouraged to charge at home Finances Private School - Tech fee in MS; family purchase in HS Minimal software suite
8. Hardware Evolution 2005-06 Traditional “PC” hardware Large, heavy laptops Desktop lab shared by grades Business machines Didn’t always support classroom needs Had features that became distractions Infrastructure not reliable Projectors in some classrooms 2010-11 Pilot student tablets in 2007-08 Tablet PCs & netbooks Toshiba M700 and M780 ClassmatePC Convertible (Nobi) Laptop for every student 6-12 Projectors/sound in all academic classrooms Reliable infrastructure Some interactive whiteboards
9. Access 2005-06 Spotty wireless access Novell network Limited use of shared folders Slow, unreliable Internet 2-3 printers per floor 2010-11 Standardized wireless Windows Network Increased bandwidth Extensive use of shared folders for electronic file exchange Improved support Z drive access to docs at home 1 printer per floor (MS) or department (HS) - MFPs
13. When issues aroseStudent training Start of the year 6th grade – Wellnologyrotation class 1x per cycle 7th grade – rotation class 1x per cycle for 1 trimester All grades – in classes as needed to support curriculum New student boot camp As needed when issues arise Parent/student/advisor request
14. What is Wellnology? Proactive technology training Address the issues in a timely manner (or before they become a problem) Backing up data Computer care & feeding Balanced approach to technology Healthy habits in and out of school Bridge the gap between ideal use and realistic use by middle school students Coping with distractions and temptations Helping kids understand why we have limits
15. What do we do in Wellnology? Back up data Burning issues Life with a laptop Discussion of personal use & habits Facebook, YouTube, etc. Viruses Internet safety Personal responsibility Passwords/privacy Skills instruction Typing Pal Gaggle email OneNote New tools Maintenance, Care & feeding Configuration (calibration, custom settings, printing…)
16. Instructional Impact 2005-06 Word processing Heavy printing Research Desktop publishing Pockets of innovation 2010-11 Word processing Peer editing Extensive revision Collaborative writing Printing when appropriate (MFPs) Extensive Research Multimedia resources Audio/video recording & projects Choice – student toolbox OneNote - Shared notebooks on server More consistent integration across teaching teams Shared innovation “Getting there” in grades new to 1:1
17. Software… Traditional tools for basic classroom computing Creative suite – audio, video, drawing/painting, webcam Productivity tools – classroom efficiency Constructive tools – independent learning and options for demonstrating learning
18. Some Traditional Tools Office 2007 Word PowerPoint Excel OneNote** Browsers IE Firefox Antivirus
19. Creativity Suite Audacity Webcam MovieMaker Photostory Paint.net Picasa Artrage (MS) Comic Life (MS)
21. Feed the teachers Put people and curriculum before hardware Supported teachers support integration Teacher input in process/readiness Ongoing PD, as needed (just in time, planning, etc.) Classroom management suggestions Modeling of tools/techniques (OneNote, tablets) in and out of classroom Frequent reminders Details & organization – time savers Chocolate (and time to vent)
22. Lessons Learned Homework Find schools already doing it. Visit if you can. Ask vendor for references. Read the research; don’t reinvent the wheel. Test before you commit Let kids and faculty play with the hardware before you commit to it. Pilot in the classroom first if you can. No hardware is perfect. Use teachers and students to help anticipate problems. Budget for warranty and repair needs. Replacement may be cheaper than repair. Survey kids for what works – F11, hiding the ribbon, etc.
23. Beyond the halo effect Year 1 – infatuation w/device; wanting to please (currently 6th grade) Beyond: Kids who get too hooked vs. addiction “Disposable device” attitude Kids who need the tech the most tend to have the most problems and need the most support Kids who get tech soar
24. Still looking for answers Fading halo effect… Assessment of program (no baseline; minimal data before program) Quickly evolving K-12 tech curriculum Finding best support model K-12 New hires – training and competency expectations Ongoing professional development – efficient, effective models What about subs? Replacement cycles for peripheral hardware Training parents – beyond hardware