Bad+and+the+Ugly

Faculty Notice: The PLP group is compiling data regarding our successful (and not so successful) use of the netbooks with the 6th graders.  I am documenting our concerns, issues and general frustrations (if any) for the a page on our Wiki entitled "the Bad and the Ugly".  I will be sending you a direct question or series of questions about once a week to get your feedback.  Please be as specific and detailed as possible.

Faculty Responses: Nick Romero: Dan DelDuca:
 * Question #1:**
 * Have you experienced any technical difficulties with the netbook model that the students are using? **
 * Please list the problems: **
 * The battery comes loose easily. This happened more often at the start of the year, and boys have seemed to adjust to it now.
 * The track pad is poorly designed and boys have a hard time manipulting it. This happens all the time. Many boys bring in a mouse instead of using the track pad.
 * In my advisory, I have 3 boys that are no longer using their original netbooks. ( that is 3 or 9) These boys have loaners- 1 loaner netbook and 2 larger laptops) I am storing some of these laptops in my office, as they are not able to fit into the security case overnight.
 * Many of the students (including organized and serious students) drop their laptops on the ground from drops of about 3 feet onto the ground. A boy might rush and pick up the books to head out of class and then inadvertently fumble with the netbook, making it drop to the floor. (Recently this happened to two key boys)
 * Some students may slide their books onto the table. The slant of their books means the netbook slide off the binders and onto the table. Boys have no place to store the netbooks in class, so they often put them under the lab table. I have requested the boys leave the netbooks on the counters and tables at the side of the room. Netbooks on the floor can be kicked and stepped on.
 * Students sometimes bump one another getting into a class or walking down the hallway. The netbook is not always secure and drops to the floor.
 * Sometimes netbooks can be really slow getting connected to the netbook. At the start of the year, we found many of the students loading up their desktop with downloads and slowing down the computer speed.
 * Students have the idea that if their netbook is not working - they will just go to the tech department and get a new one. They may not be willing to work through the problem solving steps.
 * The part of the netbook we are using that seems to cause all sorts of problems is the battery attachment on the back of the computer. This piece gets bent easily when dropped and can no longer work properly after repeated bumps.
 * The keys are very small and the touch pad used for the mouse is very senstive. Sometimes it takes a long time for the students to learn to get to use them. We found shortcuts early in the year, like pusing f11 to make the screen size bigger or smaller. Some students take a long time to do their work as a result and the work then needs to be done at home.
 * We had lots of problems accessing google docs on computers - especially at home. We learned the best thing to do was to use google chrome to help speed the use of the netbooks. This seemed to solve some problems. When all the students got on google docs, this seemed to work out better.
 * Some boys are great at typing while other boys are struggling to get their work done. It would be easier for some boys to just write a paragraph on a piece of paper - the work would be done sooner. There needs to be a clear vision about how to help and support the boys in developing typing skills through the grades. This challenge has not been sufficiently addressed at this time.
 * <span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #0000ff; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;">We had trouble in the beginning of the year, having chargers for all the boys - they would get lost or some one would burrow them and not return them. Labeling the cords seemed to have a positive effect and limit the problems. All teachers should have a few extra chargers (labeled) and an extra netbook to help support students whose netbook is not working.

Karen Suter: =** Has there been a resolution to the problem? **=
 * <span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #008000; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;"> I am barely able to use the touch pad to control the cursor when I try to help a student with a problem online.
 * <span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #008000; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;">With the screen size, formatting issues sometimes occur in different web broswers. For example, a "submit" button may not be visible (or not there at all).
 * The touch pad is an issue every time we use the netbooks, but the boys (who use them all the time) seem to be managing okay or have attached an external mouse.
 * The submit button issue happened once, when we were using a Google Doc form. On other sites, we had problems with the boys not being able to see a whole page at once more in the beginning of the year. The boys seem to be getting used to remembering to scroll down to see everything before taking action.
 * Time and practice, and no resolution has been sought to the Google form issue - I just haven't used it again yet.

Q ** uestion #2 ** **What has your experience been in starting up a class with using the netbooks?** Dan DelDuca: **Nick Romero:** Delia Turner: Karen Suter:
 * The boys would like to come into the classroom and get right on their netbooks. I have tried to maintain a routine in the class where the boys come and sit down, write down their assignment, and then open up their binder to look over their homework. A lot of times I need to remind the students - no it's not time to be on your netbook, close your netbook now. For some students the netbook is an extra distraction when they start class. I do not use the net books everyday. I think they are used at least 40 - 50% of the time. I never begin the class with the netbooks turned on.
 * The netbooks actually get in the way of the science experiments. I tell the boys to put them in a safe place away from the lab table. I have turned off all the sinks in my room because water could easily spill on the computers.
 * Frustrating when some boys' netbooks or replacement laptops don't work or will not access certain sites
 * Some boys are now without netbook or laptop so they need to share
 * ** I like that the boys come to class with their netbooks. Most have already logged in and just need to unlock their netbooks. This is better than having a class set since there was always more time taken to distribute laptops and log in. The only issue I have had is with students getting to a few sites (like Moodle). For some reason, if the whole class tries to get on it, it takes a long time. **
 * **<span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #800000; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;">Boys are not permitted to start the class with their netbooks open. Nonetheless, a number of them do. I have begun taking their netbooks and putting them at the front of the room when they are open. **
 * **<span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #008000; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;">The boys come in and open up their netbooks immediately, which is actually a problem as we don't often start out the class with them and I then need to ask all of the boys to close their netbooks! When we do need to get started, it doesn't generally take too long to get them on and ready to go. **


 * Can all the students access their applications, files or documents promptly and accurately without too much disruption to the flow of class? **
 * Not all students have success using the netbooks. We learned early in the year that Google chrome allowed the documents to work a little better. So we downloaded google chrome on all the computers. Students need a lot of practice in the beginning of the year learning how to save a document, save a graph or picture as an image, insert the image into a document. It was very frustrating on how slow the process was early on in the year. As the skills are mastered, the boys spend less time on these tasks. I feel they really know how to use a computer now.
 * Some students have had trouble with broken netbooks and slow computers. Our team uses the term "finding a plan B" to encourage the boys to seek creative alternatives rather than just stopping in their tracks.
 * There are a handful of boys that blame the technology for not getting work done, but in fact their problem solving skills are more of a reason for not getting work done..
 * <span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #500050; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;">Yes. We use Google docs the most, and they work with it fairly well. At the beginning of the year, it was a bit harder, but since it is used so much, the boys have improved and there are fewer questions.
 * There are some sites they go to that have usernames and passwords. Most of them have saved them in their netbook so accessing them is not too difficult. Occasionally boys need a reminder of what their password is.
 * <span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #800000; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;">Most of the time the boys have no problems accessing their applications, files, and documents when it comes time to do so. At the beginning of the year, the boys frequently had problems because they had somehow disabled their wireless connectivity, and until we were all familiar with the various ways of turning it back on that was a bit of a problem. Generally speaking, a very few boys have problems because of equipment malfunction, forgotten passwords, and the like, and I'd say my biggest issue with that is forgetting which boy is having the persistent problems -- sometimes I have to be reminded over and over again that a particular boy can't access his documents. More of the boys have problems at home, sometimes because they have forgotten their passwords but also because of firewall or virus protection software.
 * <span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #008000; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;">Yes, they are able (at least when I have them in Delia's room) to get online or into documents quickly. Usually if I come across a boy who is behind the others, it's because he'd forgotten a password for one of the sites we use (Shelfari, my blog).


 * How often do you discover students playing games, widgets or watching youtube etc... **
 * Yes, Constantly. Some of the boys have actually taken some of these activities and put them to good use. For example, when we make a wiki page - the boys may find a good game to illustrate a concept. They may find a good video to share with their classmates on the wikipage. It's hard to talk about teaching in a 21st century world and pretend these diversions are not part of the learning process. We need to teach differently and address these issues. We need devise ways for the students to create games and videos themselves that help contribute to the learning.
 * Some students the extra stimulation makes them more productive. Other students get way to distracted with a computer in front of them. How do we teach to both groups?
 * Difficult to monitor the "game use"
 * Boys have learned how to remotely turn off and access other boy's machines
 * ======** It happens rarely during class. The boys only use their netbooks when I give them an assignment on it. They do not use it for notes and cannot have it open without permission. If I do find them on the wrong site, then I take their netbook away. **======
 * <span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #800000; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;">During class, some boys repeatedly open their netbooks when I am speaking to the whole class and when they are not supposed to have their netbooks open. It's usually no more than four boys. I tell them to close the netbooks, and they half-close them or else slam them shut, and then one or two of them often will open the netbooks up again, whereupon I take the netbook. I plan to talk to them about that formally very soon. Sometimes they are playing a game or watching YouTube, and sometimes they are just checking their mail or looking at their documents.
 * During independent work time when boys are working on their documents, I am flexible about listening to music, but I circulate through the class making sure they're actually working and not watching videos or playing games.
 * At least 2 or 3 boys a class period. They are usually pretty quick to get back to work when discovered, but they are definitely motivated to find time to get onto YouTube or into a game. If they have real "down time" they'll sit together around a computer looking at stuff rather than just sitting around talking.

**<span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #ff6300; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal;">The machine itself seemed to have several problems with durability, use-friendliness, and function. ** **<span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #ff6300; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height: normal;">Please list your concerns and possible suggestions for next year. **
 * Question #3:**

<span style="border-collapse: separate; color: #800000; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Delia Turner: John Suter: <span style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;"> > <span style="border-collapse: separate; color: #008000; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Karen Suter:
 * <span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #800000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;">The display screen is very small, the touch pad is small, the batteries come out easily. I like the idea of an iPad with its bigger screen but we would need a set of reliable keyboards.
 * The machines should <span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #008080; font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal;"> have real programs loaded on them. Is there anything bullet proof ? Can we share carts or allow students to purchase their own computer? The keyboards and screen size is an issue.
 * <span style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;">** I don't know about suggestions for next year, but I am worried about the next 3 weeks. I had the boys use their netbooks for something yesterday and about 5 boys simultaneously said, "I don't have a netbook" due to loss or damage. I did see a quote about the death of innovation is incrementation (or something like that). I interpreted it as taking small measures rather than jumping in and really making a change....which makes me wonder if we should just go for iPads. (MacBooks?) **

<span style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;"> <span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #ff6300; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">**Has the one to one system worked well for communicating with all the students, organizing assignments and working online? If not what are the problems or things that need addressing?**
 * Question #4**

<span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #ff6300; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">
 * **<span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #800000; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">As with last year when I worked with Google Docs, there's a period where some of the boys just can't manage to figure out the e-mail and assignment system, no matter how often I walk them through it. However, by this time of the year the communication system is much better and I'm able to get in touch with students easily. It's about the same whether it was one-to-one or not. **
 * **<span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #008000; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;">The boys don't check their e-mail. I'm hoping that if they check the 6th grade Google site, we'll have a way to get info. to them? Working online was fine when our connectivity was good, but often it ended up being frustrating because something was slow, boys couldn't connect at all, etc. It did help some with organizing assignments - I liked using Google docs, and I also liked having a blog for/with the class. As for things that need addressing, for me it pretty much comes down to sturdier machines (w/ a bigger screen and better touch pad) and better connectivity. **

<span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #000000; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
 * Question #5**
 * <span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #ff6300; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">Have you noticed improvement in the way in which the students use and manage their netbooks, now that they have had them for the school year? **
 * <span style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">**<span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #000000; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="display: block; display: inline !important;">** The boys are less responsible not more. They still need to be taught how to use the computer tools- unless it is something they should not be doing which they figure out how to do on their own. ** **


 * <span style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">**<span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #000000; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="display: block; display: inline !important;">**<span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #008000; display: inline !important; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">No, surprisingly. ** **
 * <span style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">**<span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #000000; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="display: block; display: inline !important;">**<span style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #008000; display: inline !important; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">**<span style="color: #800000; display: inline !important; font-size: 12px;">No, I think they manage them worse. They're leaving them out in the classroom after class or after school a lot more. I would really prefer classroom carts rather than giving the kids their own. ** ** **

<span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">

__ *****Ownership issues Voiced at one to one meetings:** __
 * School purchased the computers - as of now, there is no student "buy in" - many are not taking care of the computers in the way that they should be
 * No parent/ family responsibility in place
 * Need to offer insurance plan of some sort
 * Parents/students need to sign an agreement form before this happens again
 * Teachers are responsible for carts, organization, storage etc

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