Some thoughts on room design

It has been a technology whirlwind in the last several weeks.  One of the topics that I have not pitched my 2 cents in on is the concept of room design.  I have been blessed to work in many different computer labs, all of which had different designs, and presented different challenges in teaching.

The first one I will bring up is my former classroom. Here is a picture I took:

As you can see, it is a long room, with lots of space for each computer.  This concept works well for student comfort.  It does pose some problems for seating charts and student management.  I was always conscious of student needs, and potential problems.  And there was always a change to be made.  The students in the back seem to get further and further away......  I liked the room, but would not design one in this layout, because it is difficult to scan the room easily.

The next pictures are of the professional development labs at the technology center.  These are smaller labs, with about 17 computers per side. 

Notice the room dividers - it is possible to open the room up for a larger professional development group.  Both sides are identically equipped, with projectors, speaker podiums and Dell computers.  I enjoy PD classes in this lab.  The tech center has a few labs set up this way.  You always feel within reach of the instructor, yet you have enough room to get comfortable.  Management is easier, because this layout is more circular than long aisle.

I do not have pictures of my favorite lab, but if I ever get the chance to design a computer lab, I promise to model it after this one.  In the 200 section of Homestead HS in Mequon there is an iMac lab that is the most manageable I have seen.  The computers sit on the perimeter of the room, with an instructor desk in the middle, equipped with a projector, and desktop sound system.  I say desktop sound, but it was a good one, with decent throw.  There was never a problem hearing a video.  I like the room for its immediate manageability.  All the instructor has to do is scan the room to make sure everyone is on task.  The only problem with the room is the computers are very close together. 

3 rooms with the same purpose, but very different designs.  Interesting......

Diigo

I'm attending the Milwaukee Digital Media Conference this week.  Fun!  I get to play with on line toys - quickly becoming a favorite way to spend my time - but more importantly, I get to learn about how to manipulate the toys to help kids.

I have come to the conclusion, despite all of the recruiters I have talked to in the past months, that I really do enjoy working in the schools.  I am looking forward to a new start, and I am interested in using the great tools I have learned about in the last 2 years to really help kids.

Diigo is one of them.  You can bookmark, tag the bookmark, so you are looking a subject, rather that page title, and annotate.  I can see where this could be incredibly useful for kids who need help getting focused and organized.  Place this one in the user folder!

More tomorrow -

On-line assessment

MPS is in the process of adopting a new online tool for reporting test scores and student assessment.  The tool is the Network Test Environment Administrative Tool.  It will work in concert with the Northwest Evaluation Association.  The whole package allows the district to collect test data from mandated and benchmark testing, which the students will take on line.
In a staff meeting with the Network administrator, the phone support staff and trainers, many questions were raised about data entry errors and keeping accurate records on students.  Issues questioned included:

• What is the default ID - student number? last name? 
• What happens if a student is duplicated in the system?  Accurate information is a necessity.
• What happens if a student transfers to a different school mid-year?  Can teachers find the student data to keep the records accurate?
• How do you handle students new to the district mid year?  Do they have to make up the testing the missed?
• Each test has a window in which the data has to be collected to be considered.  How will this affect the district network?  Will there be specific times for schools to test, for network traffic management?

The phone support people are amazing.  They have great insight into problems that may arise.    I'm sure this is due to the fact that they, as a team, solve many issues and keep the computers and networks running smoothly for all.  It was a productive staff meeting, because they were quiet, listened when they needed to, and asked relevant questions.  If I were to work in a department with phone support people, they would be my best friends! 

NTE and NWEA have very good websites, outlining their product and mission.  You can click on each acronym for further information.

Curriculum planning - Intel in the Classroom

Intel Essentials is a program provided through Intel's partnership with the state of Wisconsin.  It is funded by a formula grant.  Intel provides funding for the training to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.  The Grant Department notifies the technology trainer/grant writer that the funding is available, and the grant is written to the needs of MPS. 

Each participant in this program is given a book from Intel, outlining the following in Module format:

1. Teaching with Projects - setting up good instruction design
2. Planning Units using curriculum framing questions
3. Making Connections  - connecting technology with the curriculum
4. Creating Samples - how to help students adapt to using technology
5. Assessing Projects - creating teacher based and student based assessments
6. Planing for Student Success - reaching all types of learners
7. Facilitating with Technology - using questions to engage students
8. Showcasing Portfolios

The teachers who participated in this course completed 32 hours of training and received a projector for classroom use.  This program is open to teachers from schools in the 1:1 laptop program. Click here for more online information.

I found it interesting that the program enrollment was limited to the 1:1 laptop schools.  MPS has full computer labs in every school.  Having read the participant book, it offers a great outline for pulling projects together and teaching how to organize an entire unit.  There is alot to offer teachers and administrators alike, with regard to 21st century learning.

Grant Writing - the MPS way.

MPS has a grants department.  Their job is to monitor grand and funding sources, both competitive and formula.  Due to the size and economics of MPS, the district is automatically entitled to 11% of DPI grant funds.

Our grant department works as advisers to various departments.  When a grant opportunity comes in, the appropriate department is advised.  The grant is evaluated for effectiveness within the scope of the departments goals.  If there is a good fit, then they will write for a program that will benefit the district.

Today I am sitting in on an Intel Essentials class.  This is training offered through grant money, offered to 6th grade teachers who will be in the 1:1 Laptop initiative.  They undergo 32 hours of training, receive a projector, and each one writes a lesson plan at the end of the training.  In the grant proposal for this training, the grant writer,  who is a National Board Certified Elementary teacher, followed the grant requirements, and developed a budget that included salaries, benefits, projector costs,  and other administrative costs.  The grant writer will write the specific parts of the grant, while the Grants Board will fill in the district statistics.

Money from this grant was given to DPI by Intel, as part of a partnership, so this is considered a "formula" grant.  The total grant award was $308,000, a number calculated by the grant writer. It was very interesting that in the grant proposal, salaries and benefits had to be calculated in.  Even more interesting, the grant department fee $15,000 also had to be listed in the budget.  I guess everybody wants a piece of the pie!
 
Click here for the website for Intel's K-12 Education Initiative. 

The Help Desk

The Help Desk is the specialized call center for staff, to use for any problems from the Staff Application Portal to eSis password resets.  Should the need arise, any teacher can call 438-3400 and the operator will be able to help you with most computer issues, unless they are hardware related.  Hardware issues get the coveted "heat" ticket (still don't know what that acronym stands for.)

The operators have a diverse background, from education to computer field.  This is a classified job, meaning they are employed by the City of Milwaukee, not the school board. 

Although eSis is the #1 call generator, some of the computer  issues include being dealt with included:

• A secretary wanting to know how to set up school opening data bases.
• "Why won't my old version of word open this new version document?"
• "I forgot my eSis password."

Software used to help solve problems includes Net Meeting and Remote Desktop, so control can be taken of the end user computer if necessary.  The employees in this department also do school opening and end of school year in services for secretaries, so files are saved for the new school year, and other computer generated reports and eSis information is in place for the opening.  Report card training is another responsibility, as MPS moves to an intermediate report card, generated from Gradebook in eSis.

Retro-fitting for computer labs

Today's field trip was to the building formerly known as Sarah Scott Middle School, on 12th and State St.  The is a 20 year old building.  Nice wide halls, open spaces, computer labs, health/science labs, fully ADA compliant.  It will be a great home for the offices and non-student programs that are moving in, as I write this. 
Because this building is being converted from use as a Middle School to use for professional development, some retrofitting of rooms was necessary.  I explored the band room - now a PD computer lab!  Being a former band director, I had to take a big breath on that one.....

It was very easy to see how the room had been retrofit.  There were conduit poles fit around the room, with data and electrical wires  installed, so computers would have the district mandated 2 electric sockets and one data port per computer.   There were 8 drops in the room, with six electric sockets and 3 data ports per drop.  As the move continues, computer carts will organized around the drops.

One thing I did not notice is a drop for a projector - I would have put that in with the retrofit. I also did not notice any type of audio system.

The other concept I somewhat question is the shape of the room.  I do understand that this is something that cannot be fixed, but I question the sight lines of the room, and how comfortable they will be in regards to technology use.  There is a diagonal wall, with a whiteboard - I do not remember seeing a pull down screen. This was where the band directors podium would be.  The other walls have the classic band storage cages installed.  The walls are in the shape of a right triangle, and the drops are in the middle of the room, limiting the space computers could take, when you factor in cable length.  I do not know how many workstations will be set up.

I will take a trip to this facility later this fall, just to see the finished product.