National Grid for Learning

National Grid for Learning:

Laptops for Teachers

Updated 30th June 2003

By Chris Seviour - NGfL Co-ordinator

Email:

Tel: 01582 830263

• What is the background to this scheme?
• How do I know howmany laptop computers have been allocated to my school?
• Whenwill these laptops be delivered?
• What is the specification of thelaptop computer which Hertfordshire schools will be receiving?
• What if my school uses only Apple computers?
• How can my school purchase additional computers of the same specification at the same price?
• Is there specific advice to headteachers about the allocation of laptops to their staff?
• What are the insurance implications?
• Do I need to register somewhere if I receive a laptop on loan?

What is the background to this scheme?

1. Estelle Morris announced the scheme at the BETT show in January 2002. Charles Clarke at BETT 2003 announced an extension of the initiative from two years to four and an increase in funding.

1. The purpose of the scheme is to provide more laptop computers for the personal access of individual teachers.

1. The funding nationally for this project will be £300 million over 4 years. £60 million was allocated to LEAs in May 2002 and a further £60 million for the current financial year (2003/2004). £90 million will be allocated in each of the two remaining financial years.

1. The funding has been allocated to LEAs pro rata by the number of full time equivalent teachers. For the financial year 2003/2004 Hertfordshire has been allocated a total of £1,276,230.

1. Consultation with schools has been through the ICT in Schools Partnership Working Group (formerly the NGfL Steering Committee).

1. The requirement is for LEAs to purchase equipment and to decide on the allocation between its schools. (Every school must receive at least one laptop.) Headteachers are then required to decide to which teacher(s) within their schools should benefit from a long-term loan of a laptop. It is a requirement that Headteachers should prioritise themselves if they do not already have access to a personal laptop computer. The equipment will remain the property of the school. If those who have received a laptop on loan, including the Headteacher, should subsequently leave, the laptop must be left with the school.

1. All teachers employed by schools or the LEA who are employed for at least 50% of their time in teaching children are eligible for consideration by their Headteacher or manager for receipt of a laptop on long-term loan.
   
2. The clear advice from the DfES is that the scheme is designed to increase personal access to computers. Pooling of equipment does not achieve this aim and is not supported by Hertfordshire LEA or the DfES.

1. The advice from our ICT in Schools Partnership Working Group was that the allocation between schools should be pro rata by the number of full time equivalent teachers employed. Because of the eligibility criteria they advised that we should include teams such as MECSS and the Music Service and include them as though they were individual schools.
   

1. For more information on this initiative please visit the Laptops for Teachers website at:
   

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How do I know how many laptop computers have been allocated to my school?

This information was sent by letter to Headteachers during the week commencing 30th June 2003.

If this letter has been misplaced please call Chris Seviour on 01582 830263, or email to obtain the number of laptops allocated to your school.

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When will these laptops be delivered?

Delivery to Secondary Schools will take place during July 2003. Delivery to other schools will be in early September 2003.

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What is the specification of the laptop computer which Hertfordshire schools will be receiving in 2003?

After careful consideration of a number of quotations the contract for the supply of laptops to Hertfordshire Schools for 2003 was awarded to RM plc.

The specification is:

The warranty agreement means that should you experience a fault with your laptop you simply call RM, (the number will be supplied with the laptop), and they will send an engineer to your school before the end of the next business day.

RM will be supplying some additional items with their Laptops for Teachers. Each machine delivered to a secondary school will include a 16 Mb USB memory stick. Primary schools will have a choice of a RM Window Box Companion software or RM Easiteach studio, both licensed for home use. There will also be some opportunities those completely new to laptops to receive some training. Details of the software options will be sent to headteachers during the week commencing 30th June 2003. Details of the training events will be released in early September.

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What if my school uses only Apple computers?

If your school computer equipment is all supplied by Apple you may feel that the Windows based laptop(s) which will be delivered to your school are not suitable.

If that is the case please contact me () and leave your RM computer(s) unopened but in a secure location. I will then make arrangements to replace your RM laptop(s) with Apple laptop(s).

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How can my school purchase additional computers of the same specification at the same price?

RM has agreed to accept orders from individual schools for additional laptops of the same specification for the same price.

If you wish to order further laptops from your school budget please call RM’s Liz Hotchkiss, on 0870 9086868 (email: ), and explain that you wish to purchase additional laptops of the same specification as those purchased by Hertfordshire LEA under the Laptops for Teachers scheme..

RM has guaranteed the price until 30th September 2003. (Please email to check what that price should be as it is not appropriate to publish that information on this public website.)

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Is there specific advice to headteachers about the allocation of laptops to their staff?

This section is based on advice written by NAACE (National Association of Advisers for Computers in Education). The full text of the NAACE advice is available online at

Why should headteachers be given preference?

The strategic leadership provided by the Head in the school's use of ICT is crucial. The headteacher’s role is particularlyimportant in:

• promoting the effective use of ICT within teaching and learning
• monitoring and evaluating quality and standards
• promoting the effective use of ICT as a management tool in order to improve organisational effectiveness
• ensuring that departmental and whole school planning takes account of the effective use of ICT
• taking a lead roleadopting ICT andmodelingits use as a tool for personal productivity.

The provision of laptops for all eligible headteachers, through this scheme, represents a significant opportunity for reinforcing the importance of the strategic leadership of ICT in schools and the crucial role which the head should play. DfES acknowledges that headteachers have a key part to play in ensuring that their school has an effective ICT strategy and believes that personal access will not only bolster this role but will ensure in-school support for the school staff who are benefiting from the scheme.

The National College of School Leadership is extending the Strategic Leadership for ICT training programme (SLICT) for headteachers in 2002/3 and is working on the assumption that, by April 2003, every headteacher will have personal access to a computer.

Allocation models in schools

Policy

Headteachers and their governing bodies are responsible for how allocated computers are distributed within the school and for identifying those teachers who will benefit from the scheme. In making its allocations, a school needs to have a clear policy upon which to base its decisions. Given that initially there will be insufficient computers to provide one for every teacher, there will be potential for much discontent if teachers believe that computers have been distributed without a clear rationale. This does not mean to say that a simple formula can be created which will automatically churn out the names of teachers to benefit from the scheme! But it does mean that senior management in schools, and the governors, have thought about priorities and can articulate a rationale for decisions.

One principle that can be applied is that of potential for impact. It could be effective to allocate a laptop to a teacher who was in a good position to drive forward the school’s ICT policy within their own area of specialism or responsibility. Thus, part of the rationale could be to ensure that all subject co-ordinators or Heads of Departments in a secondary school, for example, should be given high priority. Teachers who are in a good position to influence and help other staff with their use of ICT could be encouraged by personal access via this scheme. In this context, mentors for newly qualified teachers and/or trainees might reasonably be given priority.

Another strategy could be to look at particular projects or activities that are currently going on in the school and examine whether the availability of a laptop computer for one or more teachers engaged on these projects would have a beneficial impact.

Currently, 40% of newly qualified teachers leave the profession within the first five years of service. Schools need to be careful and wholly transparent about ‘incentives’, and it may not be appropriate to use this scheme as part of the Governors’ overall retention strategy. If a newly qualified teacher does not receive a computer under the LfT scheme it might be appropriate for the school to use its own funding to provide newly qualified teachers with a laptop on loan while they are employed at the school.

Schools may wish to have a policy about full-time and part-time teachers; both groups are eligible. While it is the LEA’s responsibility to ensure that all groups of eligible teachers are considered, school will also need to make a positive decision for themselves in the light of the situation in their own school. For example. it would not be appropriate to give priority to a teacher merely and solely because they were full time.

Training

Some schools have already allocated laptop computers to teachers undergoing or completing their NOF training. Linking the allocation of laptop computers to NOF training may not make sense in all schools, some of which have now completed their training, but training will certainly be an issue and a school would be unwise to allocate computers to teachers who are reluctant to engage with the necessary training, however informal, to make effective use of them.

Training is essential, according to need, as is ongoing support as expertise develops. There needs to be clarity about outcomes, not only in terms of a teacher’s growing confidence and competence with ICT but also in terms of impact on teaching and learning. Teachers who have refused to engage with ICT to date are unlikely to suddenly become enthusiastic about the idea simply by being given a laptop.

There is a view that simply giving a laptop to a teacher and asking them to make use of it is a non-threatening way in which to engage novice ICT users. Unfortunately, this is also a recipe for the computers to gather dust. Our recommendation would be for very up-beat expectations, with teachers being expected to use their laptops for specific activities and to be seen using their laptops effectively in classroom and staffroom.

Outcomes

Given that there has to be some rationale for a teacher being given a laptop, it is perfectly reasonable for a school to expect some outcomes from the teacher. We would not recommend the rigour of a ‘contract’ but we would expect a teacher to understand that there were some expectations being placed upon them. Perhaps they agree to training, to working with other teachers with similar facilities, to working with other teachers to develop the impact of ICT on teaching and learning in their subject or phase. Perhaps there should be some expectation to share with the rest of the staff the way in which their work has changed in terms of impact on teaching and management, or effective use of time in planning as result of having personal access to ICT.

Teacher registration

Irrespective of the procurement mechanism in the LEA, and hence the source of the teacher’s laptop computer, every teacher benefiting under the scheme will be required by the DfES to register receipt of their laptop by logging into a website and completing a short registration form. This will confirm not only that a computer has been received but that it is in working order and can connect to the Internet. Registration will enable teachers to be included in the network of teachers who have benefited from this, and earlier schemes. Headteachers should ensure that teachers register in this way as soon as possible following delivery of the laptops. Teachers should simply log onto the Laptops for Teachers website at click on the Registration button and follow the instructions.

Some general questions

Should the governing body be involved in the decision-making?

Governing bodies are responsible for the conduct of the school and for other decisions about remuneration. It is important that the allocation of the laptops is made according to principles agreed by the headteacher and governing body. This will ensure that all staff are aware of the rationale behind the selection of recipients and will also create a system that can be used for any future allocation of resources, e.g. additional laptops bought by the school for members of staff. The governing body may decide who is best placed to make the decision. Whoever does make the decision, the decision makers must be able to demonstrate that the decision was reached after full consideration of all relevant factors and without bias. It would also be wise to consult staff at an early stage of the decision making process.

Can we require those staff who receive laptops to use in them in class?

Laptops are being chosen to facilitate teachers’ flexible use of the equipment both at home and at school. It is expected that the laptop will be used in various locations including the teacher’s home and school. However, DfES have made it clear that no expectation must be placed on a teacher to make the laptop available for regular use in school as part of the schools general ICT provision. In addition, the laptops provided under this scheme, while they are the property of the school, must not be counted in any calculation of pupil to computer ratio.

Can I share laptops between a group of staff, for example staff in one year group or department?

No. The DfES has made it clear that laptops must be allocated to named individuals for their professional use during their time at the school. This is a mandatory requirement of the scheme and is based on the fundamental principle that a teacher needs to have access to the equipment at the time of need, not when it is convenient for them next to borrow it. Teachers are unlikely to allocate the time and commitment to developing their personal use of ICT if they do not have immediate access. This doesn’t mean that the teacher cannot lend the laptop to another teacher in the same way as they might lend any other personal resource – indeed, encouraging other teachers to engage with ICT is part of what this scheme is about. However, what the school is not able to do is run a ‘pool’ of laptops for teachers to share.

What additional software will be required

Laptops will be provided with basic generic software. In order to maximise the impact on teaching and learning, a school will have to consider what additional software will have to be purchased. In some case, but certainly not all, existing software licences may apply to the new laptops. Schools must take steps to ensure that they do not inadvertently infringe their software licences.

Can we put registration software or SIMS on the laptop?

Technically, there is no reason why any curriculum or management software should not be installed on the laptop. Schools must, however, be absolutely clear that all copyright issues have been addressed. Since the computer actually belongs to the school and is on long-term loan to the teacher, it is likely that any existing school-wide licence will apply to the laptops as well – but the school must check. As with any other machine, the school must keep a record of additional software that has been installed particularly if it has purchased a single user copy for the laptop. When the teacher leaves the school and the laptop is returned, the software must come with it.