Catholic Regional College Caroline Springs – 1 to 1 laptop program overview.
1 to 1 Laptop Program Overview
SECTION 1: General Overview
Catholic Regional College Caroline Springs is committed to providing learning environments that will engage our students and give them independence and flexibility in their learning.
We believe that students should be able to learn in teams, collaboratively, as a class, a whole community or alone. We believe that students should be able to share learning experiences with their classmates and the wider community.
In 2011, the College introduced a laptop program into Year 9. The program aims to expand the learning environment beyond the walls of the classroom to give students the capability to collaborate, share information and experiences and take control of their learning in ways not previously possible. Based on the success of the program, it will continue to grow in 2014 and will now be rolled out school wide from Year 7 to 10.
In preparation of this educational transformation many different factors have been addressed. These factors have been expressed and developed further in this document.
SECTION 2: What is the College’s laptop program?
The laptop program provides every student and teacher access to his or her own laptop computer in a wireless environment allowing students to learn at their own pace and ability levels. Laptop program initiatives have gained momentum worldwide, and are increasingly seen as a key to transforming education and better preparing students to succeed in a global world.
In this program, students' access to a laptop and the Internet enables them to be self-directed and receive highly personalised instruction.
Students use their personal devices to do research, homework, problem-solve, team projects, email and educational coursework. At the same time, they gain valuable 21st Century skills that will be beneficial throughout their lives and careers.
Why laptops instead of computer labs?
Teachers report that when computers are in labs, they use technology less often for instruction because of the difficulty of scheduling time in the lab and transporting students there.
More widespread access to computers makes it possible for students and teachers in schools to transition from occasional, supplemental use of computers for instruction to more frequent, integral use of technology across a multitude of settings. Providing students with ubiquitous access to wirelessly connected computers has the potential to transform learning environments and improve student learning outcomes.
Furthermore, continuous access to computers makes it possible for students to access a wider array of resources to support their learning, to communicate with peers and their teachers and to become fluent in their use of the technological tools of the 21st Century workplace.
Does every student need a computer?
A 1:1 classroom is a class where every student has their own laptop. 1:1 classrooms provide several advantages over the two-to-one and four-to-one classrooms. In 1:1 classrooms, students used computers more across the curriculum and used them at home for educational purposes.
In 1:1 classrooms instruction is different as well; there is far less large group instruction than in 2:1 and 4:1 classrooms. 1:1 classrooms provide for more personalised learning.
Students in 1:1 laptop programs use computers more often and for a wider array of purposes than do students with less ubiquitous access to computers. They have greater levels of technology literacy and most often use productivity and design tools in ways that are integrated into other classroom activities and assignments.
Why does the classroom need to be any different?
The term "learning environment" suggests place and space - a school, a classroom, a library. Indeed, much 21st Century learning takes place in physical locations like these. However, in today's interconnected world, a learning environment can be virtual, online, and remote. In fact, it does not have to be a place at all. Whilst teaching, good teaching and learning still needs to happen, it should not be restricted to within the physical walls of a classroom.
SECTION 3: What do teachers think?
From a longitudinal study involving approximately 5,000 teachers involved in a state-wide laptop program most teachers believed that laptops helped them:
·personalise curriculum to fit student needs;
·access more up to date information;
·have better access to diverse teaching and learning resources;
·cover more material in class;
·explore topics in greater depth with their students;
·create learning materials which better meet state standards;
Teachers also indicated that laptops facilitated student learning, allowing students to:
·be more actively engaged in their learning;
·complete more work - be more apt to revise/edit work;
·get work done more efficiently;
·become more organised;
·gather more easily, information from different sources;
·express ideas more effectively;
·better study real-life issues.
SECTION 4: What do students think?
Approximately 43,000 students participated in this survey. They indicated that with a laptop program:
·they were more likely to edit work;
·they would get work done more efficiently;
·they would do more work;
·they were better able to understand work;
·the quality of work improved;
·they were more engaged in learning and more interested in school.
SECTION 5: What is the research telling us?
Research has shown that students involved in laptop programs perform better in state-wide testing. Literacy and numeracy are two of the areas that have been researched extensively.
In writing for example, research has shown that students participating in a laptop program use their laptops more often for composing, drafting and creating final written reports and have a greater probability of success in achieving proficiency in state-wide standards. Even though these tests are pencil and paper-based!
Students performed better the more they used their laptops in developing and producing their writing. Most importantly, they became better writers in general-not just better writers using laptops.
In relation to numeracy, the final results of research across 245 classrooms clearly indicated that students in laptop classrooms are performing significantly better than students in standard classrooms.
(Centre for Education Policy, Applied Research and Evaluation)
There is a growing body of evidence indicating that 1:1 laptop initiatives are impacting teachers, students and learning in many positive ways. The major thrusts of the research indicate that:
·Teachers are more effectively helping individual students with their learning and achieving the state-wide standards;
·Students are more motivated to learn, are learning more and learning it more deeply;
·Students are acquiring 21st Century Skills;
·1:1 laptop programs are bringing about a positive change in learning and the acquisition of knowledge.
SECTION 6: Laptop hardware and software
What type of laptop will students be issued with?
Catholic Regional College Caroline Springs has chosen to use the Apple Mac platform throughout the school. The chosen laptop is the 11-inch MacBook Air1.7GHz dual-core Intel Core i7, 4GB memory and 128GB flash storage and Intel HD Graphics 5000.
The MacBook comes with a range of built-in learning and teaching tools designed to make learning and teaching easier and more engaging.
Each MacBookcomes with a built in video camera, microphone, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth networking. The MacBook works effortlessly with wireless networks, printers, cameras and other peripherals.
The laptop also comes with a two year warranty.
The MacBook was designed for education and has some features, not readily available to PCs, that make them durable and suited for the rough and tumble of school life, some of the features that make the MacBook extremely durable include: no mechanical latches to break, just a magnet, MagSafe 2 power adapter that quickly releases from the computer if tripped on and a Sudden Motion Sensor that works to protect the hard drive should a MacBook ever be dropped.
What software applications will be installed?
The MacBook uses the powerful and secure Unix operating system. This protects the laptop from the bugs and viruses that commonly affect other laptops. The MacBook comes pre-loaded with a range of powerful software applications including Mail, the Safari Web Browser, iTunes and the iLife and iWork software suites. The iLife suite includes popular iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iWeb, Photo Booth and Garageband applications. The iWork suite includes the Pages word processing and desk-top publishing program, Keynote presentation application and Numbers spreadsheet software. These programs are able to open, read and saved to the format used by Microsoft Word, Powerpoint and Excel.
Catholic Regional College Caroline Springs will also license and install a range of licensed and free-ware software that will further enhance the use of these machines.
The MacBook can also run a range of powerful open source software applications. Many schools and organisations are now using open source software as well as online Web 2.0 technologies.
SECTION 7: Transit, handling and storage
Will the laptop withstand rough handling by students?
The MacBookhas been designed specifically for the education market. The computer and hardware and screen are protected by a tough brushed aluminium enclosure.
Catholic Regional College Caroline Springs will provide the students with a hard protective shell called a “Crystal Case”, as well as a laptop bag. The laptop does not have to be removed from the shell to be used, furthermore, the shell allows the student to personalise their laptop with stickers, etc. without damaging the original casing.
Will carrying a laptop to and from school pose increased risk to student security?
Laptop programs are increasingly becoming an ever-growing initiative in Victoria and around Australia. Experience from schools already running large-scale laptop programs is that it has not increased risk to personal security. We would assume that the risks associated with carrying a laptop would be no different to the risks associated with carrying around a mobile phone and portable audio-visual devices.
The laptop bag provided is slim and can be stored in the students‘ school bag. The external appearance of the school bag looks no different than any other school bag.
Catholic Regional College Caroline Springs has sourced a backpack that is designed for this purpose and students will be required to use this backpack when transporting the MacBook to and from school.
How heavy is the laptop to carry?
The laptop weighs 1.08kg. To help minimise the weight of materials being carried by students, Catholic Regional College Caroline Springs has moved towards e-books and online resources for a number of subjects, minimising the need for students carry a laptop as well as heavy textbooks.
Where will students store the laptop when it isn't being used?
Students have been provided with a school locker that will need to be locked and secured at all times. Students are NOT to tell anyone the combination of their locker. When not it use, their MacBook is to be stored in their locker inside the protective carry bag.
SECTION 8: Using the laptop at school
Can the laptop be used anywhere in the School?
Catholic Regional College Caroline Springs has installed a state-of-the-art high-speed wireless networking system. This system provides high-speed wireless access at all locations throughout the school, inside and outside of classrooms. This enables students to access resources on the Internet and the schools intranet from anywhere on the school grounds. Data points will also be available throughout the school if and when heavy "data lifting" needs to be done.
How will the school support the use of laptops?
Catholic Regional College Caroline Springs will provide all of the services necessary to support learning, communication and collaboration. This will be underpinned by a high-speed, reliable infrastructure that ensures all laptops are able to connect to resources and the Internet using the schools wireless networking system. Catholic Regional College Caroline Springs will also provide servers and systems for the management of email, data storage, printers, copiers and scanners, online resources and secure access to the Internet. The infrastructure will be supported through the employment of highly competent ICT Services personnel who will be responsible for the sound operation of all hardware and the networking system.
SECTION 9: Using the Laptop at home
How can students complete schoolwork outside of school?
This is one of the biggest advantages of a 1:1 laptop initiative. As the student is not required to share the laptop, it is personalised for his or her own use. For all intents and purposes it is their own portable personal computer. A student will complete and save work directly on their laptop without needing to connect to the Internet. However, if they are able to connect to the Internet they will be able to access the full range of rich digital learning content and opportunities for collaboration with their teachers and peers within a safe virtual learning environment.
What if I don't have access to the Internet at home?
Having access to the Internet will certainly enhance opportunities to communicate, collaborate and access a range of resources. However, a small number of families will not have access to the Internet at home. In these cases, students can will still be able to use the software on their computer to complete work. They will also be able to download and save some of the resources, for example, PDFs, Word Documents, web archives, etc., so they can continue to work on them at home. This requires a little more forward planning, but is a good skill to learn.
SECTION 10: Equipment breakdown or loss of data
What if something goes wrong with the laptop?
Although the MacBook is robust and reliable, the reality is that sometimes, things will go wrong. All laptops are covered by a warranty. Any hardware fault is covered under this warranty. More importantly, Catholic Regional College Caroline Springs will maintain a small bank of spare laptops that will be swapped in and out of service when a computer requires repair. This means that a student will have access to a computer at all times, even if his or her own computer has a hardware fault which needs to be repaired. We are establishing a “Help Centre” for all students to access as required throughout the day.
What if the data is lost?
This is a bit like a student losing their bag and all of their school books. The advantage to a laptop however is that all the students’ work can be backed-up regularly and easily. Catholic Regional College Caroline Springs will leave the method of back-up to the individual student, but would recommend using the College supplied Google Drive account which should be adequate at 30Gb. Students may also wish to use a USB memory stick or USB hard disk drive. The USB stick is currently on the schools book list. It is entirely the students’ responsibility to back up their own work and should be done every week, preferably, every day.
The MacBook's operating system includes an excellent automated back-up system called Time Machine. Time Machine automatically backs up data each time the memory stick or hard drive is connected.
Students will also be able to use the Google education and Catholic Network Australia portals to back-up important files.
SECTION 11: Battery life and recharging
Will the laptop battery last all day?
The short answer is no. If the laptop is used continuously all day, the battery life will only be 8-9 hours. An accurate answer requires a little more explanation.
Experience from other schools and our past programs when using this type of laptop, is that if used wisely, most laptops that have been fully charged the night before, will have enough charge to last the school day. Catholic Regional College Caroline Springs will operate information sessions to inform students and parents about power-management techniques and getting the best out of their laptop. Interestingly enough, many students are already familiar with this concept in managing power to get the best out of their mobile phones and portable devices. It will be the responsibility of the students to have full charge available at the beginning of the day.
SECTION 12: Costs of a 1:1 program
What will the cost be to families?
The only cost to families will be $440 a year, which covers all aspects of the laptop program including thelaptop.
Are there any funding sources available to families?
There are a number of sources of funds, allowances and taxation refunds, available to families. However, access to each depends on a number of factors beyond the control of the school. The main sources currently available to parents for offsetting cost are through allowances and taxation rebates.
SECTION 13: Damage, loss and renewal