Pioneering the One-to-One Laptop Approach at QA

[Sam Liberto]

I have begun teaching all my classes trying to use a one to one laptop approach in the senior school. The room I use has no computers, but all the work is being done digitally, 75% of the students bring their laptops. That's where the fun begins.

This is a forum for those who wish to jump into this challenge. I will try and update it with my experiences and problems and solutions.

[Sam Liberto]

Let me say that we have a challenge ahead in establishing this program. My experience so far is that we have operating system compatibility problems, power issues, and password problems to approach initially. Each class so far is taking 20 minutes just to get on the same page (literally). Hopefully, these are just start up issues.

[Julie Lindsay]

Sam
I am most interested to read your regular updates on this. It is one thing for us as Technology teachers to be saying this is the way to go...easy as we continue to hide in the computer labs. However, to be out there in a room with students and laptops determined to make this work is going to be inspiration to others. Our aim is to support all teachers with this and develop it to a full 1:1 program.
We have allocated laptops in the senior school to be booked out by teachers to supplement what the students own this year. We may also look at senior students booking these out themselves eventually.

[Sam Liberto]

Well, a month into total laptops with my 11th and 12th graders, it's been a world of passwords and wires, but no paper.

It's obvious that we have to speed up the wireless network, unify our online sites, and find longer life batteries. But the good news is that the kids have no trouble with this world. They move from site to site and all follow with their browsers. It's pretty clear that they can handle the environment. What we need now is to have a united instructional commitment to the approach.

[Cheri MacLeod]

I have been through the introduction of laptops to the classroom (in the UAE) and the first term everyone, instructors and students, struggled with logistics. After that things settled down and took off. I also did my PhD research on perceptions (of students, instructors, admin and parents) regarding the use of laptops in the classroom.

You are correct that you need a united approach - but that probably will not happen until the instructors feel they can rely on the technology and that they won't have to waste time with lots of management. Students learn to fly easily, instructors take more time because laptops add another layer of management issues to the classroom.

I would be interested in talking more about this. I'm at CNA-Qatar.

[Julie Lindsay]

Hi Cherie

Thanks for contributing to this discussion. Pardon my question, but what is CNA? What is your position there? Are you working with a 1:1 learning environment? Have you been to Qatar Academy?

Julie

[Cheri MacLeod]

Hi Julie

CNA-Q = College of the North Atlantic-Qatar

We are a technical college right beside Qatar University in Doha, a satellite of a Canadian college. The Qatar campus opened in 2000 and has over 2000 students at this time. Our webiste is: www.cna-qatar.com/

I work in the CNA-Q Teaching and Learning Center (TLC). The TLC provides support to instructors and promotes practices that enhance learning. My official job title is 'Teaching Specialist, Learning Technologies'. I do 1:1 as needed (mentoring) but I am planning workshops and events to promote sound IT use here on campus. I have note been in this position very long although I have been at the college for 2 years.

I have been to Education City for events but not during the day when classes are running. I would like to visit to see what you are doing and talk about laptops and IT use in the classroom learning environment.

Cheri

[Cheri MacLeod]

Sorry, the above is confusing - I did 1:1 laptop use in the UAE for 7 years and went through the intro stage. At CNA-Q we currently use computer labs so it is a different environment.

Cheri

[Julie Lindsay]

Sam, can I suggest you pilot a backchannel in your laptops classes?
This may sound a little radical but I would like to see how this may work, particularly at the senior level. I use this when I present (eg at Learning 2.008 last week) where I create a chat room for all participants to join. I use chatzy.com for this. It is free however I pay for the non-advertisement version ($9). The purpose of the backchannel is as follows:
- to foster a sub-level conversation based around what is being presented or discussed in the classroom
- provide a means of adding resources as they are discussed eg URLs
- provide a means of asking questions that can be referred to periodically during the class but that do not interrupt the main event at the time
- as part of engagement and reflection 'assessment' for students in class
One other advantage of this is the text can be saved and posted on a blog, discussion tab of a wiki etc for everyone to refer to later.

Let me know if you are interested and I can demonstrate what I am talking about.