The Grange P-12 College

Gel ignite - 1 to 1 Netbook Program

FAQ

 

 

These Frequently Asked Questions support  The Grange P -12 College "Gel Ignite Netbook program" that will provide selected year groups with netbooks for a 1-to-1 learning environment in 2011. 1-to-1 learning is where each student and teacher has one internet-connected wireless computing device for use in the classroom and at home.. Further details are contained later in this document and in accompanying project documentation.

 

Contents

 

Netbooks and student learning

Will students use computers ‘too much’ for schoolwork?

How can netbooks improve learning?

How will netbooks be used in the classroom?

Will learning outcomes be evaluated differently?

What about handwriting?

Won’t students be able to cheat by using the spelling checker?

What if students play on the netbooks during the school day instead of going outside for recess?

How will parents continue to be informed about the integration of netbook into the curriculum?

How will teachers be trained and supported?

 

Student safety and online privacy

What about safe internet use?

Will children be safe carrying netbooks?

Are these netbooks going to add to the heavy loads students carry from home to school?

Will the student files on the netbooks be private?

 

Software and hardware

What software will be on the netbooks?

What type of netbooks are we using?

 

Contractual obligations, cost and maintenance

What kind of contract or agreement needs to be signed?

Can students bring their own netbooks from home instead?

Will textbooks still need to be purchased?

Is the netbook password-protected?

Can students install their own software?

Who is going to handle warranties and repairs?

What happens with theft and non-warranty repairs?

Where do the netbooks go when not in use?

What about dead batteries? Will students ‘plug in’ in the classrooms?

 

Home use of netbooks

The school monitors usage at school, but who monitors it at home?

What does it mean to ‘reimage’ a netbook?

How can students access the internet from home?

How can netbooks be used at home?

 

Netbooks and student learning

 

Will students use computers ‘too much’ for schoolwork?

The netbook will complement the existing school curriculum by providing appropriate digital learning tools in balance with more traditional learning tools. The goals of the curriculum are supported, not supplanted, by the use of netbooks. Students will use netbooks where they serve a purpose, for instance, in research, data analysis and generating presentations. Wireless access will allow for ‘just-intime’ learning where students can search for information or collaborate with others in a real-time context. Students will be able to use their school files at home and be able to collaborate with their peers on projects through social networking.

 

How can netbooks improve learning?

With greater access to real-time information, digital learning resources, educational software and collaborative workspaces, students experience higher levels of motivation and engagement in their learning. Typically students experience initial improvement in areas such as organisational and technological skills, revision, writing and editing work. With the development of presentations and other multimedia projects, students experience subsequent improvement in analytical, presentation and speaking skills. Involvement in ‘virtual workspaces’ creates opportunities for collaboration and communication, improving relationships in the classroom through a greater level of interaction between students, their peers and their teachers. A networked environment, where it is easy to share developing work and research with peers and teachers, is the environment students will live and work in during secondary school and the future. Students working together and providing solutions to real-world problems will create links beyond the classroom and move levels of thinking beyond a simple knowledge framework to complex analysis and evaluation. Netbooks will promote increased levels of learning both in and out of school with an emphasis on higher order thinking, creative thinking and expression.

 

How will netbooks be used in the classroom?

This is a technology-rich world and students are immersed in digital technology in their out-of-school lives. Schools can either capitalise on young people’s affinity for technology or fail to engage them in learning, and be perceived as more and more irrelevant. The use of netbooks in the classroom will evolve over time as students and teachers become more familiar with netbooks and so will be able to optimise the advantage of their use to support teaching and learning in the classroom, wherever that classroom may be. For example, we may soon see a class where students create a podcast of their original poetry, accompanied by a soundtrack they have written and enhanced with their own digital images to share with the world. The netbook can be used to record and document information, then share learning. In art, students can research projects on various artists then use the netbook as a medium to create their own drawings as well as clay animations. Students in science could attach probes for data analysis and physical education may involve analysing patterns of movement. Staff and students will collaborate to use the netbook as a tool that develops the student as information seeker, analyser and evaluator, problem-solver and decision-maker. They will use programs to create ways in which to communicate their findings and become publishers of their own work.

 

Will learning outcomes be evaluated differently?

Students will continue to be evaluated against the Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS). Netbooks complement the existing school curriculum by providing digital learning tools that link in with planned classroom activities. Wireless access points at schools will foster collaboration and teamwork, allowing students to search for information together and share the learning experience.

 

What about handwriting?

Students will continue to write with paper and pen and work to improve their handwriting as well as use the keyboard.

 

Won’t students be able to ‘cheat’ by using the spell checker?

The spell checker is a tool to allow students immediate feedback on the correct spelling of words they use. It supplements our existing school spelling program, but does not replace it.

 

How will teachers be trained and supported?

Teachers have completed the ePotential ICT Capabilities Survey and set ICT professional learning goals as a result. Peer support is a strong element for success and teachers will be involved in mentoring and coaching each other to complement their growing ICT capabilities.

What if students play on the netbooks during the school day instead of going outside for recess?

The netbooks will provide additional support for student learning, and therefore students will be supervised as they would be for any learning activity. The issues of screen time limits, supervised internet use and best academic uses will be covered by the school’s Acceptable Use Agreement.

 

How will parents continue to be informed about the integration of netbook into the curriculum?

The  School newsletters and website will provide updates to the whole school community about the use of the netbooks by students and teachers in and out of the classroom. Ongoing parent information evenings on the Netbook program will be held. These forums will provide students with an opportunity to showcase the extent of their development with the netbooks.

 

 

Student safety and online privacy

 

What about safe internet use?

Netbooks offer students a tool to facilitate anytime, anywhere learning. Teachers will supervise students as they would for any learning activity as they create and maintain a safe, comfortable and learning-focused classroom. Appropriate use of the internet service within the DEECD network is closely monitored by a filtering system which allows for inappropriate content blocking by a regularly updated list of categories and sites. This does not apply to use of netbooks outside of the school network. Education and support are important for maintaining acceptable use of netbooks, particularly in relation to internet access. The Grange P-12 College already has our own policies in place such as a code of conduct and internet acceptable use policy to ensure appropriate use of technology and the internet. A specific policy has been developed to include the use of netbooks, which parents and students will be required to sign. However, it is important that teachers, students and parents share the responsibility to ensure safe and responsible use of netbooks at all times.

 

Will children be safe carrying netbooks?

Overseas research has shown that insurance companies have reported very few incidents while students travel to and from school. Students should be specifically warned not to take the netbooks out in public, and to carry them in the protective cover provided, which should be placed within their school bags.

 

Are these netbooks going to add to the heavy loads students carry from home to school?

The netbook has been deliberately chosen for a number of reasons, including its weight specifications. At around one kilogram the netbook is light enough for students to carry without incurring problems. The netbook will alleviate the need for students to carry calculators and some textbooks, further reducing the weight of items students need to carry to school. The netbook should not be packed into the bottom of an oversized backpack with other books and items, because this can lead to a compression fracture of the screen.

 

Will the student files on the netbooks be private?

Students can expect their netbooks to be periodically inspected and monitored for appropriate usage. School personnel may request access to the browser history and/or caches as well as any and all files belonging to the student resident on the netbooks as well as stored on the school servers. Students and parents need to be aware that files stored locally on the netbooks or on school servers are not private.

Software and hardware

 

What software will be on the netbooks?

With the help of classroom teachers, the DEECD has researched and designed a standard image for netbooks which incorporates both DEECD-licensed and free open source software. This image has also been developed to aid students in meeting requirements of VELS and to replicate the type of software that is used in the workplace. It is envisaged that this comprehensive and high quality software list will meet the needs of students over the life of the students may load additional software to meet their needs subject to appropriate copyright and licensing laws.

 

What type of netbooks are we using?

DEECD has entered into an agreement to provide the ACER Aspire One as the devices of choice for the Netbook

program.

 

Netbook Acer Aspire One

Processor Intel Atom N270 1.60GHz

512K cache, 533 MHz bus

Intel Atom N270 1.60GHz 512K

cache, 533 MHz bus

Memory 1024 MB 1024 MB

Memory 1.0 GB 1.0 GB

Storage 80 GB 120 GB

Screen 8.9" WSVGA LED 8.9" WSVGA LED

Weight 1.1 kg not including battery 1.26 kg with six-cell battery

Resolution 1024 x 600 1024 x 600

Operating

system

Windows Vista Windows Vista

Battery Six-cell Six-cell

 

Contractual obligations, cost and maintenance

 

Can students install their own software?

This is a personal device, school owned with a parent contribution. Students should feel free to change background images and use pictures to personalise the netbook. Software may be installed where students hold appropriate licences. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that there is enough hard drive space and RAM available to engage in all educational requirements. Music and movies will be allowed for academic and recreational reasons, provided copyright obligations are met. Downloading music, games and videos from the internet during school hours is prohibited except when directed by a teacher. The national Copyright Advisory Group (CAG) has developed the Smartcopying Website http://www.smartcopying.edu.au/scw/go to provide a comprehensive guide to copyright issues affecting Australian schools. DEECD also has information on copyright and intellectual property on its website: http://www.education.vic.gov.au/management/governance/copyright/schools.htm

If a game or scenario software is used by a class for academic purposes, the school will purchase licences and install the software for student use. Permanent changes to the netbook, such as engraving, marking, painting or drawing will not be permitted as the netbooks may be used by more than one family during its lifetime at the school. However students will be able to personalise the software interface and background.

 

What kind of contract or agreement needs to be signed?

 

During the Netbook Trial rollout, these forms must be signed

• Acceptable Use Policy – student AND parent

• Lease agreement – parent

 

Can students bring their own netbooks from home instead?

Students will not be able to bring their own netbook to school instead of the netbook supplied.

Home netbooks are not configured to the school network, can be a source of viruses and are often not enabled with the licensed software. Home netbooks cannot use the school image due to licensing arrangements and maintenance issues may not be resolved in an appropriate time frame.

 

Will textbooks still need to be purchased?

Yes. Many books are not yet on CD. When they become available and it is advantageous, we may put such textbooks directly on the netbooks hard drive. Some book suppliers who have CD-based textbooks require the purchase of the book in addition to the CD or charge more for the CD than the book. In these cases it is cheaper to continue to use the textbook.

 

Is the netbook password protected?

The Grange P-12 College requires all students and teachers to be prompted to log on with a password when turning on the netbook. A password-protected netbook may help protect students’ personal information in incidents of loss or theft.

 

How much is this going to cost?

The 1 to 1 Netbook program is being supported at all levels of DEECD. DEECD is providing an upgrade to school infrastructure to support a 1-to-1 wireless environment, additional technical support, annd professional learning opportunities for teachers. A long-term goal is to make 1-to-1 learning affordable and sustainable across our college. DEECD will make a contribution and individual schools will also make a contribution. Parents will also be asked to make a contribution. This will be an amount payable over the program. Accompanying project documentation contains actual costs.

 

What about flat batteries? Will students ‘plug in’ in the classrooms?

Students are expected to charge thenetbook overnight and to bring it fullycharged to school each day.The netbook has a six-cell batterywhich lasts approximately 10 hoursbefore needing recharging; this will besufficient for student use during theschool day.

Who is going to handle warranties and repairs?

The Acer warranty service level provides DEECD with on-site next business day response for three years. This applies to locations within 300 km of CBD or GPO. An authorised agent will either repair or exchange the failing netbook at your location and verify its operation. Acer will be able to supply a three year onsite exchange warranty for all notebooks within 50km from the nearest service centre. For all sites outside this radius a ‘Pick-up, Repair & Return’ warranty will be offered.

 

What happens with theft and non-warranty repairs?

An excess payable by parents for theft and non-warranty repair will consist of $100. A notification of loss must be accompanied by an appropriate police report.

 

Where do the netbooks go when not in use?

When not in use, the netbooks should be in a student’s locker or locked classroom. An unattended netbook around buildings or school grounds will be picked up immediately by a staff member and treated as a lost item. This may incur a penalty such as confiscation of the netbook for a period of time as unattended netbooks invite theft and/or damage.

 

Home use of netbooks

 

How can students access the internet from home?

Home internet connection is not supplied by the school or DEECD. There is no mandated expectation that internet access is available at home. If there is an existing internet provision at home, a netbook is able to be configured for access.

 

How can netbooks be used at home?

Examples of home use for which internet access would be required include:

• using online collaborative websites such as class blogs, wikis and potential online conferences

• using school email if available

• using online resources such as digital learning objects located in DigiLearn

• completion of homework using online resources.

 

Examples of home use for which internet access would not be required include:

• using any of the Microsoft applications or open source software provided

• using any subject-specific software

• working with audio, picture or video files on the netbook.

 

 

The school monitors usage at school, but who monitors it at home?

That is the responsibility of the parents. When off school grounds, parents have full authority to monitor netbook usage.

Examples of this include:

• encourage use in a family room and not in the bedroom

• restrict use at certain times of the evening or weekend

• advise not to take on long trips, and

• examine the documents and other contents of the netbook.

 

What does it mean to ‘reimage’ a netbook?

Reimaging a netbook wipes out everything on the netbook and installs a new software image. The netbook is set up again, just like the first time the student received it. In some schools, netbooks will be collected at the end of the school year and reimaged over the summer. It is the responsibility of the student to backup and restore any of their personal documents, music, pictures, software programs, home network settings, etc. before the netbook is reimaged. Students are also able to reimage their own netbook.