Help with Computer Lab Setup

[compteach]

I am an experienced computer teacher in a middle school (we are 5-7). I find I am so frustrated this year I want to quit and work elsewhere. Here's why:

We remodeled our school and moved the computer lab. The administrators ignored my request to configure the lab in a U-shape or 2 long rows or a square -- some configuration where I could look around and see all the computer monitors at one time. Instead, they configured it like an adult computer lab -- 5 rows of computers with 6 computers in each row. To make matters worse, they plastered the rows against the wall, so that now I must walk in and out of every row to move around the room. If I am helping a student in the middle of the pack and someone in the last row asks me something, I can't see what they are talking about at all. And my 7th graders have more than ample opportunity to be completely off task and on inappropriate sites without my knowledge because I can't see them.

The worst is that it's SO SO difficult to give group instructions with this setup. If I say, "find your G: drive and open the file called, ...." I can't easily assess if everyone is with me unless I stand in the back of the room, looking at the backs of the children. It's idiotic.

When they first proposed this, I talked with everyone imaginable, all the way to the superintendent. All of them tell me to shut up, this is the way studies show an instructional lab should be set up and we will have it this way. I'm disgusted and I don't know where to turn.

Does anyone have a suggestion of how I might battle this further? If not, do you have strategies for teaching in this crazy configuration?

Thanks.

[LoneStar]

It may not be economically feasible, but you can put in a request for a classroom utility package. For years, our school district had used NetOp Schools, which is a lab management piece of software that is installed on all computers in your lab. The teacher is the "master" and can gain literal control over all of the other computers within the lab, provided you are networked. You can also set the teacher computer to view screen shots on your machine of every computer within your lab. When/if you see one of your students doing something they shouldn't be doing, you can gain control of their desktop, lock them out of the internet, close a program, or shut down their system completely. It's a handy little tool, but often it requires you to be at your workstation watching your screen intently.

Kids can be crafty, as I'm sure you know. They figure ways around whatever you do. I've been teaching computer software at the high school level for too many years to count (my first lab had Apple IIe's). No lab configuration is perfect. I'm dealing with power overloads and software upgrades that require the students to NOT connect to the network printer because it disables their software (try and explain the frustration of that to a non-computer person).

Our district has installed a different lab management suite now (I can't recall the name) other than NetOps, as there are many available ones on the market. They are all specifically written for educational settings. Do some research on the best one and write a proposal for that if you get nowhere else.

[compteach]

In fact, I do have NetOps. This is a big help for demonstrating. I ususually take over one student's computer and demonstrate to the class. I wish it had a feature to easily just "black out" screens. I haven't been able find that.

I also didn't mention that the network administrator decided to re-image my machines a few at a time. What they didn't tell me is that the new images have Office 2007, while the rest of my lab has Office 2002. How much fun is that when trying to teach word processing skills?

[LoneStar]

I feel your pain.

I finally remembered what we migrated to for lab management -- CrossTec SchoolVue. Our district bought a site license for it and it's mandatory installed on every lab in the district. I never use it (my lab has 25 stations, and for some reason I've become accustomed to teaching without it). Other teachers in my department swear by it, though.

When we did have NetOps, though, and I taught the intro computer class at the high school level (the MS Office suite), I did use NetOps. There is a way to lock up and disable the student machines. There must be help files with the software, or a tutorial available. Do a search on the web. I know when I found NetOps listed at Academic Superstore, these were some of the features listed for NetOps:

# Allow or deny the use of appointed applications
# Formulate and enforce policies to control use of the internet
# Lock workstations

So, it's got to be in there somewhere.

Start bugging your tech to finish the reimage of your lab to get every machine at 2007. I've learned over the years that the squeaky wheel does get the grease. Email daily. Bug your administration. Don't let up.

Brings me back to the first year that I taught. Typing: in a room with half electric and half manual machines. Wow. That was FUN. Okay, I'm dating myself.

[compteach]

Thanks! Yes, I have decided they will need to get 2007 on all of them ASAP. However, 2007 is not in the rest of the building, so the kids will run into problems there. Poor planning if you ask me. I'm still muddling with 2007 at home, but I found some video tutorials that I think will help.

It's just such a frustration. Classroom management is difficult enough when kids have a toy in front of them. To make it worse with this idiotic room design is really gaulling.

[Unregistered]

What tutorials have you found that are helpful for teaching the 2007 version? [I] could really use some help with my LD typing students.

[Unregistered]

Not sure if you have given up or not but do know that all is not lost. If doable, stand at the back of the class and project your instruction on the wall so students can follow you and touch what keys or input what data is needed to promote the learning process, this is helpful because kids will have to look up and keep up with you as you can see theeir screens from the back of the room and ask them questions about what you are doing since it is visible to all on the wall. (This forces them to stay on task and to be more accountable). We have used white paper on the wall for a screen as well as white boards (hardware/home depot store and the real projection screen) so it you can for your sanity give it a try.

[Unregistered]

Our labs are usually 3 rows of 10 each. We use an LCD projector. In the MS lab, the LCD hookups are at the back of the room. I do like this setup as I am looking at their screens and am able to see which ones are having problems. yes, I am looking at their backs and did most of the instruction from the back of the room.

In the elementary school, the setup is similar except the hookups are at the front of the room. It makes it a little more difficult but I use the remote a lot to show them things on the LCD projector. Of course, if I have to type something, this creates a problem. We do not have any kind of tablet for this purpose.

In a nutshell, relax and think about how you can best utilize this situation and then you will make it not seem so bad.