Comments on: Can Computer Labs Support Technology Integration http://ateachersthoughts.com/technology-integration/can-computer-labs-support-technology-integration/ Learning and Science in the 21st Century Tue, 06 Jan 2009 21:13:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Rick Biche http://ateachersthoughts.com/technology-integration/can-computer-labs-support-technology-integration/#comment-221 Rick Biche Sat, 05 Jan 2008 19:21:29 +0000 http://ateachersthoughts.com/technology-integration/can-computer-labs-support-technology-integration/#comment-221 Claire, The mobile lab model you suggest is what my team does. We took all the computers from our team lab and divided them up amongst the rooms. There are some real junkers in the mix, but the have internet access. When we have the cart we all share. The crux though is that you can not necessarily plan on having x-amount of technology at any given time. We (meaning teachers and students) have all adapted to having multiple means of accomplishing tasks. For any given unit or lesson we all have a mix of choices for students to select. Some choices require technology, others do not. Over the course of a day each student has a variety of opportunities to leverage technology and to work by other means (ahem..paper) Additionally there is ample opportunity for collaboration to happen spontaneously. I need to stress though that we have changed our instruction in order to make this happen. When the cart is not on our team it is used to fully supplement a single room in the same way a lab is used. Perhaps there is a threshold of access, below and above which, change is not encouraged, but at the threshold teachers can see a way to begin. Claire,
The mobile lab model you suggest is what my team does. We took all the computers from our team lab and divided them up amongst the rooms. There are some real junkers in the mix, but the have internet access. When we have the cart we all share. The crux though is that you can not necessarily plan on having x-amount of technology at any given time. We (meaning teachers and students) have all adapted to having multiple means of accomplishing tasks. For any given unit or lesson we all have a mix of choices for students to select. Some choices require technology, others do not. Over the course of a day each student has a variety of opportunities to leverage technology and to work by other means (ahem..paper) Additionally there is ample opportunity for collaboration to happen spontaneously.
I need to stress though that we have changed our instruction in order to make this happen. When the cart is not on our team it is used to fully supplement a single room in the same way a lab is used.
Perhaps there is a threshold of access, below and above which, change is not encouraged, but at the threshold teachers can see a way to begin.

]]> By: Claire Thompson http://ateachersthoughts.com/technology-integration/can-computer-labs-support-technology-integration/#comment-218 Claire Thompson Sat, 05 Jan 2008 04:52:07 +0000 http://ateachersthoughts.com/technology-integration/can-computer-labs-support-technology-integration/#comment-218 Rick, I agree with the points you've raised here. Computer access through a traditional computer lab model does not support 21st century learning. In addition, the demands on computer labs increase every month (week?) as teachers uncover new ways to use technology in their lessons. Here's an idea; instead of the traditional computer lab, how about a mobile 'lab' of laptops where a teacher can sign out the number that he or she needs for their class for a particular time period. I don't know if this would work for every school, but I'm thinking that if a typical school has 1 computer lab with 30 desktop computers, why not distribute the computers from the old lab to the classrooms (as you suggested) and purchase 40 to 50 laptops? I've seen carts purpose built to securely store and transport laptops within a school. If I'm lucky enough to have a small class of 20 kids, then I don't need to hog a whole lab--I just sign out the number of laptops that I require. Alternately, I may only need 8 computers for the activity the class is working on. It would still require a shift in lesson design as it would be impractical to always have one computer per student. I haven't seen this model that I've proposed in action, I'm just brainstorming here. I wonder what other people can come up with, or have observed to work. Rick, I agree with the points you’ve raised here. Computer access through a traditional computer lab model does not support 21st century learning. In addition, the demands on computer labs increase every month (week?) as teachers uncover new ways to use technology in their lessons.

Here’s an idea; instead of the traditional computer lab, how about a mobile ‘lab’ of laptops where a teacher can sign out the number that he or she needs for their class for a particular time period. I don’t know if this would work for every school, but I’m thinking that if a typical school has 1 computer lab with 30 desktop computers, why not distribute the computers from the old lab to the classrooms (as you suggested) and purchase 40 to 50 laptops? I’ve seen carts purpose built to securely store and transport laptops within a school. If I’m lucky enough to have a small class of 20 kids, then I don’t need to hog a whole lab–I just sign out the number of laptops that I require. Alternately, I may only need 8 computers for the activity the class is working on. It would still require a shift in lesson design as it would be impractical to always have one computer per student.

I haven’t seen this model that I’ve proposed in action, I’m just brainstorming here. I wonder what other people can come up with, or have observed to work.

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