I am director of technology and communication. for a medium sized school district. I am cleaning up the mess that was left for me. I have upgraded the entire network and infrastructure as a hole and have a phenomenal set up. ( We still had 5 computers running millennium O_O)Now that the times have changed since I was in school. Time to get with the times. I been looking in to ways to get the I-pad away from the students and bring something better in. I been talking with a rep from Google and from a buddy who has already implemented this system and it seems very promising. Long story short allowing students to bring there own devices allowing 6th to 12th grade take home chrome books and 1st-5th assigned one to have on campus only. Use Google for education services so both staff and students can interact. As well as get parents more involved. I am not going to go in to the whole game plan. But I would like everyone thoughts.
Sad, I been a member for a little while, and this is my first post. I am going to try and be more active. Please excuse me if this is in the wrong thread, seemed like the best spot to start.
Don't buy iPads (short lifecycle, little software support) and don't buy Chromebooks.
Truth is these kids doing IT are getting the qualification in Microsoft Office more than anything else.
Apply policies on those computers that lock them down and make those computers fly by disabling services. Allow students to bring their own devices and have a bunch of relatively ok tough laptops to give out to students that can't afford them / don't want them.
Most of those desktops and laptops running XP and up can run Windows 7/8 with a mere RAM upgrade no problem.
Google for Education is great for subjects other than IT though. Also, if you do want to standardize ChromeOS you could install 'Chromium OS' on older machines.
Although do you really want to teach those kids to use Google's services and only Google's services? Surely those stupidly cheap 'Windows 8 with Bing' laptops that are as cheap as Chromebooks or cheaper would be a good option simply because they run MS Office and Libre Office.
Trust me aside what Creig purchased before me. that all we will have. Since I have took charge we have I Mac (media labs) and Built in house Windows 7 pro That are pretty good systems.. Everywhere else along with a few Linux machines minus the servers for the more tech and kids with that interest. We have a good strong policy set up on the computers inside the school as well as the network for the outside tech that is brought in by staff, students, and guest. I have a decent budget I would like to provide all the kids a way to have a computer and the board would like to be able to do more computer teaching against my better judgement...
(rather have a mix of old school teaching and computer based as well) ( I think we are to reliant on technology as it is in my own opinion)
The biggest goal Is to provide every one a computer and if they chose to bring there own and they opt- out and for those with out internet or in a area where it is not provided we have a deal with Verizon that allows them to take home wireless access point.. I would really like to have Linux laptop but I feel that would be a learning curve for a lot of the students. this is what I would like to work towards
http://www.linux.com/news/featured-blogs/200-libby-clark/761499-pennsylvania-high-school-rolls-out-1700-linux-laptops-to-students
No matter what I see us getting Google ed for the "cloud" aspect(I hate that word) Cause I am not sure of a way to allow a way for 2600+ students to be able to access school files on the fly and still keep are system secure plus I think having the email services and other features are nice). I have a decent budget to work with but I have to be careful as well. On a side note, it seems Linux is kinda popular with the tech savvy students. For those that are in the tech club all have it as there main os or as a dual boot. I need to get something figured out quick but, its a lot to consider.
For what you need at a school level, the chrome books are a great option. This won't replace a Linux or Windows computer for certain tasks, but honestly, very few people will ever do those tasks. I'd say offer the Chrome books for everyone and if you have any classes that require a little more oomph get some Linux computers (ie Game design course). Only concern then would licensing for the Linux boxes and you should have the details on licensing ChromeOS already. I mentions Linux licensing as it may have special rules in educational or commercial environments.
Well Chrome books (Dell) are nice, and still on the table if this other deal works out it looks like might go windows(Acer travel mate) who know. I just want to make sure I bring in the best possible and beneficial solution for everyone. I plan on doing a program next week and get the students and staff input go from there.
I beta tested the Chromebook before it was released commercially. With Google Docs and Drive, it does almost all any student or teacher will ever need and it allows collaboration on projects in a fairly seemless manner. It truly is s great product for everyone except for a power user. In fact, it was rare I needed to use anything other than the Cr-48 during that testing period.
Yeah, the biggest thing is what will work best. Still playing the numbers game as well so I am dealing with that. Million of options available. Right now the Chromebook is winning just waiting to hear what others offer and things of that nature.
My school is going to a byod system next year. Anything with I think a dual core, 2gb of ram, windows 7 or ice cream sandwich, and a 10 inch display. Those are the minimum requirements. I would personally recommend as someone who tested both the byod program and ipad program in the junior highs, is that do not go ipad. They were broken, offered limited productivity, and were hated by the student body. Even Apple fanboy students who brought there macs to school complained about the ipad. There just were not apps that helped the teachers teach better. The byod system works a lot better. Let people bring something capable and that they were personally happy to use. People could never get to know what the school had or hadn't blocked off on the ipad. It made it awkward to use for anything more then watching youtube when a teacher wasn't paying attention. My school has a gmail account for every student so that everyone can have google docs, slides and drive. Everything is simplified and more efficient this way. People are comfortable with there own devices and have capable software. That's something a school provided piece of tech can never achieve on a comfort level. My friend goes to a private school with school provided, powerful windows laptops. I5's, ssd's and nice screens. The whole 9 yards. But her and everyone else chooses to use there own laptops which are usually inferior to the school ones just because there own machines have an extra level of comfort. If I were you, I'd set up a byod system and offer a school subsidized, low cost machine. Then spend the majority of your budget into licensing some actual useful software. Just make students have your program suite required to be installed and running by the first week of school. You could do something my high school is doing and set up a student comprised tech support. I know my school gives capable students the opportunity to spend one or two periods a day working the tech support requests throughout the school.
That is actually something I was thinking of. We already instituted a byod at the beginning of the semester with mild success minus couple of small issues. Also we provide a couple of suites of software depending on the courses as well as everyone getting Microsoft home and student. Email is something the student body has been wanting witch is another reason for bringing Google in. Funny you say that about the student comprised tech support, there some thing you have to deal with doing something like that. but we actually bring students in that are on the work program, and they assist my staff on are work loads and make a little money out of it, those that express interest we will actually send them to get one cert of there choice offered by one of the 3 local colleges that we pay for. so that like your A+ Cisco etc... The biggest issue run in to, is they have to be monitored at all times when working on staff computers but besides that. I talked to the superintendent this morning and he want me to do a pilot program(might as well do the whole thing at the scale we will be doing it at). Long story short 6th-12th will be eligible for byod or a school supplied device and the whole student body gets Google education services. That will be good to see how it works come next school year. So @thecaveman in your opinion, if the school supplied you a computer on a scale of 1-10 being the best I would rate them about 7 1/2 quality. What would you want to see them do, allowed access and things like that if it is windows based?
The only concern I see with BYOD is that unlike at work where your tells you to fix it and get to work or you don't get paid. Your teachers still have to teach the students. If the students are bringing in a range of different devices and the teachers aren't adept at technology then you might get yourself into a situation where the teacher is spending time fixing student devices and not teaching. Ideally the odds of this are low, but this is the exact reason some schools try to get all their students using the same graphing calculator.
I know that the school provided computers at my friends school don't allow you to install anything period. Changing backgrounds is about as much customization as you get. I don't think really you can do a school provided computer with any limitations that will leave students completely happy. I personally like the route of getting an Asus or Dell involved with maybe a school subsidized option for students. That way they have capable hardware and can get a discount by going through the school.
If you have to go school provided its a hard decision for me on what I'd like to see allowed. I think if you leave the students full access then some are going to break things or completely wreck the laptops. I think you have to have some control which is why there is never the complete comfort for students. You can leave things like background changing allowed without much issue. I think leaving some things installed that are commonly used can help as well. Like having multiple browsers installed along with stuff like Skype or other common laptop use case programs installed. I know they left Skype specifically installed on the school laptops at my friends school at thats a common out of class use case for the laptops. I personally feel that if the laptops are going to be a bought item by the students that you have to leave them full access. If its a rental thing then you can leave some stuff open and free but keep some restrictions. There is a fine balance between locking it down to the point that students can't use them to there full potential and that they have so much access that they break things. For me thats something hard to say. Maybe putting out an open question to students of what key programs that they want and will use is a good idea. Then maybe doing a mass Ninite install of all those programs is a good idea. If you get everything they need to operate for school and some fun stuff then you shouldn't really have to many problems.
I would install all the browsers listed on Ninite.com:
all the google programs like drive and sketchup
all the common run times,
maybe itunes,
gimp for a photoshop alternative if you don't put adobe on every laptop,
office,
maybe Note++ if you want to give that much freedom,
malwarebytes,
and maybe 7-zip.
Chromebooks are good if you have a small budget but If I was in your situation I would look into a small sized lenovo desktop or all in one. There cheap and if done right can last 6+ years.
http://www.lenovo.com/education/us/en/thinkcentre-desktops.shtml?
For BYOD you could choose to recomend Windows and LibreOffice (or Microsoft Office if your one of those schools that can give those out).
MS Office and LibreOffice run on Macs for those with the fancy machines. That still leaves the door open for MS Office for certain lessons when it would be required (such as IT, where you could also do programming with Windows).
@Nickco43 is right with Lenovo. Very robust machines with great Linux compatibility.
For school provided devices.
- Modern IE Is fine but if you do have Google accounts for your students install Chrome (lets not bloat, each browser has it's own update services and all).
- No to Sketchup, yes to Drive if you use Google Accounts.
- Yes, all common run-times are vital.
- iTunes has many services and is very heavy. VLC Is the one to install.
- GIMP is fine if it's needed.
- OpenOffice or LibreOffice yes. If your one of those schools that can get cheap/free MS Office than give that out instead.
- Notepad++ and Python for basic programming.
- No Malwarebytes. Lock it down enough so it can't get malware easily and run Microsoft Security Essentials as it runs quitely in the background with little resource usage.
- 7-zip would be one to go for. You might as well allow Minecraft too, that's the game most of them will want to play after all.
Thanks @thecaveman @Reallunacy @Kai @Nickco43 As it stand. We are going to go with the Acer Travel Mate, comes with W7 pro a I5 DC with 8gb ram and 500gb of storage. All Computers will have Microsoft office installed at no cost, and for the BYOD device students can get it at small fee that is very very reasonable. Also the students will be allowed to buy the device if they chose to. The devices have to only last for 3 years at the point we will purchase new ones and all that but I am not going to go in to all that. As far as software, we have a wide range, Microsoft office, Adobe Creative suite, Correl, and other software that will be offer to be installed on there computers depending on the courses they take witch we have a set up that will automatically take care of that and all the licensing issues. I won't go in to what we have agreed and set up for it, cause something are still in the planning stage... Also certain students will be allowed to apply for local admin privileges on there school provided laptop, and will be allowed to do OS install if they would like to use Linux. That will have to be approved and all that. With all this being said, have to redo are WHOLE Tech Policy, Witch hopefully I will have something on my desk by the end of next week. IF yall would when we have the policy and stuff set up review it and see what yall think. I know when you all read this babel, you will think I am crazy but there is a method behind the madness. Feel free to C&C and ask question, who know you all may help think of something I might be forgetting. etc... Thank you for your inputs and stuff and really helped and I appreciate it!
Acer machines are relatively reliable (compared to other budget brands) if you look after them in my experience.
No more crazy than anyone else that works around kids. I'm glad you were able to figure out a strategy to handle all of that. I would point out that you may want to go ahead and find out how Windows 10 will impact you as it is coming fairly soon in the grand scheme of things. Ideally for education it will still be a free upgrade as I would assume Windows 7 support will sunset shortly after release.
Since he's not running Windows 7 Enterprise the machines should get the free upgrade.
Also @Davihi I'd set a few policies on the machines as to stop the software being broken by the kids and gradually unlock it for the ones that ask/are trusted.
The Acer Travel Mate looks like a solid choice. Is there any way to swap out the 500GB HDD for a SSD? A SSD would greatly improve boot times which most teachers and students would complain about.
@Reallunacy Yeah I did, and we will be eligible for the upgrade with minimal headaches (may wait to see how it works after release before updating the whole district but for the most part it seems the tech version is promising), just a matter of installing software and stuff and we have a program that will automate that process for us. and yes @Kai there will be policy's on all of them just like all the desktop machines, until they apply and prove that they can be trusted and stuff will we grant them those privileges witch I don't think many will apply for it anyways. We also will have the machines low jacked and other things so yeah its all going to work out I think. I know how it was for me in school, I was always being mischievous, and getting local admin privileges and other things so I could actually use the computer. I am not going to go fort knocks on the computer unless I have to Minus the kids who are just plan destructive. We do not have as restrictive of policy compared to other district's and it seems to work for everyone. I tell the kids I have a open door please send me email if you have a issue, I made a deal with them since blocking all the little tricks with VPN and proxys etc...I will allow Things like Facebook, snap chat etc... during the lunch periods, before and after school and in between classes. seem they don't try to get around it or anything so yeah. Had a friend write few lines of code so If some one dose try to do naughty it locks them out and revokes there privileges and network privileges till discipline hearing and yeah. Since getting away from the Nazi ways and the school loseing up since I was in there seems to be beneficial. (please excuse my spelling and grammar I am half past beat, and typing on a Iphone dosent help) ... @Nickco43 I am talking to them about that, It looks like they will do the SSD at a little price so only adds 30$ per unit by sounds of it so if that the case my budget can easily handle that and still leave me ALOT of room. The teachers are pretty well set up as it is considering all the new destops - the mac all the new desktop machines have I7 16gb of ram 500 ssd already and so on, as well as them having 200 of network storage and students 100. When the time come we will see with the laptops I hope to have the deal finished by weeks end.