School Laptop Programs

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#1552085 13-May-2016 11:50

shk292:

That's not the old days! We had a computer room with one computer (a PDP-11/24 IIRC) and four terminals. One of the terminals even had graphics!

Geektastic:

Sounds like it was better in the olden days when we had a computer room with two dozen machines in and went there for class.

LOL, the year I left school was the year our school had its first computer delivered. In my first job, I was the only person on the whole floor (of around 40 staff) who had access to a computer. It had those huge floppy disks - we used it to dial into McNair surveys. Those were the days.

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#1552095 13-May-2016 12:02

solival:

Our school didn't enforce us to buy Chromebook. They just told that we can buy chromebook from their partner or otherwise they will provide it, but our kid will be sharing chromebook with another kid. We decided to buy it. Also price BTW was pretty much average according pricespy

That's pretty much a perfect model in my opinion.

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#1552097 13-May-2016 12:07

solival:
Our school didn't enforce us to buy Chromebook. They just told that we can buy chromebook from their partner or otherwise they will provide it, but our kid will be sharing chromebook with another kid. We decided to buy it. Also price BTW was pretty much average according pricespy.

Though, I would strongly oppose idea of buying laptop for $1.2K. That's price of my work laptop, and there no reason to get so expensive piece of hardware for their needs.

It is more than the laptop:

Article: "It is a package deal including the high spec laptop with a three year guarantee, on-site warranty repairs, two years insurance, all the licensed programmes including Microsoft that you would usually have to pay for separately, and a protective bag," he said.

The laptop model is not identified. The article also notes in that school every classroom has desktop machines for students without laptops. I assume they are not sharing those.

So insurance etc that particular school has decided the students are best served by covering every base. Explains the total price.

The obvious alternative is three Chromebooks over three years ; ). There are likely reasons this particular school did not go for that option but that is just guessing without further info.

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#1552104 13-May-2016 12:16

jmh:

shk292:

That's not the old days! We had a computer room with one computer (a PDP-11/24 IIRC) and four terminals. One of the terminals even had graphics!

Geektastic:

Sounds like it was better in the olden days when we had a computer room with two dozen machines in and went there for class.

LOL, the year I left school was the year our school had its first computer delivered. In my first job, I was the only person on the whole floor (of around 40 staff) who had access to a computer. It had those huge floppy disks - we used it to dial into McNair surveys. Those were the days.

A friend of mine had a BBC Acorn in about 1982 or thereabouts, on which we played Elite for hours. Happy times. We had no computers at school at all until I got to University in 1987. Even then, we had only one class a week for the 3 terms of the last year I was there!

To this day, I would uninvent them and return to 1990 or thereabouts in a flash if I could.

Paul1977

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#1552109 13-May-2016 12:23

gzt:
solival:

Our school didn't enforce us to buy Chromebook. They just told that we can buy chromebook from their partner or otherwise they will provide it, but our kid will be sharing chromebook with another kid. We decided to buy it. Also price BTW was pretty much average according pricespy.

Though, I would strongly oppose idea of buying laptop for $1.2K. That's price of my work laptop, and there no reason to get so expensive piece of hardware for their needs.

It is more than the laptop:

Article: "It is a package deal including the high spec laptop with a three year guarantee, on-site warranty repairs, two years insurance, all the licensed programmes including Microsoft that you would usually have to pay for separately, and a protective bag," he said.

The laptop model is not identified. The article also notes in that school every classroom has desktop machines for students without laptops. I assume they are not sharing those.

So insurance etc that particular school has decided the students are best served by covering every base. Explains the total price.

The obvious alternative is three Chromebooks over three years ; ). There are likely reasons this particular school did not go for that option but that is just guessing without further info.

True, it is more than just the laptop, BUT if the article is to be believed the $1120 was the RRP of the laptop by itself, and I would hope the school would get a far better price than RRP. I don't know the numbers, but MS Office etc is pretty cheap for schools isn't it? Onsite warranty repair may well be standard if it is a ProBook or similar. If the 3 year warranty isn't already standard then it should be an optional extra, as should insurance as it may already be covered by the families existing contents insurance.

Also, this is an intermediate school... so student is only there for 2 years. By the the schools own admission it is a "high spec" laptop, which they may not be able to use once they go to highschool (if that school has a different policy).

I'll concede the point to those who have argued the merits of all students having the same hardware setup by the school, but maintain that a "high spec" laptop at $1120 for 2 years at intermediate seems too much.

EDIT: For clarifcation - the school refers to it as a high spec laptop, but the supposition that the student may not be able to use it in high school is mine.

gzt

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#1552137 13-May-2016 12:38

I'm not really disagreeing. Those are excellent points : ).

$1120 may or may not be RRP. The total price given of the package is $11.50 per week for two years.

You may be absolutely correct about overkill in the spec dept but without knowing the exact spec and reasons for selection it is hard to know. Ie; if everyone is trained on application software x and application software x requires spec y to get any productivity out of it..

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Paul1977

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#1552149 13-May-2016 13:02

gzt: I'm not really disagreeing. Those are excellent points : ).

$1120 may or may not be RRP. The total price given of the package is $11.50 per week for two years.

You may be absolutely correct about overkill in the spec dept but without knowing the exact spec and reasons for selection it is hard to know. Ie; if everyone is trained on application software x and application software x requires spec y to get any productivity out of it..

You're right, I don't know the specs, but could hazard a fairly good guess based on the price point and make (assuming the $1120 RRP is correct).

It's hard to imagine an intermediate school student needing to use software that required more than fairly minimal specs, but I'll admit I really don't know that.

Geektastic

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#1552182 13-May-2016 13:23

So, why is not simply cheaper and easier to make the pupils have their lessons in one room where a set of computers are and have them log on like employees do?

shk292

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#1552217 13-May-2016 14:31

If it's like my kid's school, they are not using devices for specific lessons to learn computing; they use them in most lessons for most work. So one room with computers is not a solution.

Our school "encourages" iPads (and was in the news for this) but in reality the kids mostly use browser, WP and presentation software. Google docs heavily used for sharing and assessment by teacher, which I think is great. A variety of devices in use and IMHO a chromebook would be the most suitable device - partly because kids seem to spend a lot of time on the family laptop at home doing tasks that are not tablet-friendly

I'd be fairly negative about buying a $1120 laptop for this purpose - as well as the cost, and dubious value of "extras" (household insurance and CGA, anyone?), a "full fat" 15.6" laptop is quite a heavy thing for a 10-12 year old to be lugging to and from school every day, especially those who walk/bike/scoot like mine

Geektastic:

So, why is not simply cheaper and easier to make the pupils have their lessons in one room where a set of computers are and have them log on like employees do?

antoniosk

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#1552240 13-May-2016 15:30

My youngest's school is late to the BYOD world, but has been using computers in and out of lessons now since my eldest went there. It's all chromebooks, but in a school of 200 of-age kids there isn't enough to go around all the kids to work 1-1, and it is not atypical for at least 20% to be out of commission for various reasons directly related to PEOPLE WITH COMPUTERS. BECAUSE LIFE.

I don't agree with pushing this into primary schools at such an early age, but equally you can't exclude your own kids because they will miss out as the teaching method shifts.

Just think back to when you were kids in school and everyone else seemed to have something you didn't, and they let you know. It's brutal, it's kids, and you can't just dismiss it as life because it is damaging.

Back on topic, these kids are entering a trial. The school with support from the provider has settled on Acer C730's, which means I have to settle for it too - because of power packs, and because you don't want your kid to stand out from the others etc. $499. Harumph. HP models were $319 at Noel Leeming before the holidays.

But the programme has been temporarily halted because the 'provider' said there was ALSO a $99 license fee. This was challenged mightily by the PTA because it was a surprise, and because it makes no sense during a 'trial' period. I'm still trying to understand what the $99 actually gets us.

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#1552274 13-May-2016 15:43

antoniosk:

But the programme has been temporarily halted because the 'provider' said there was ALSO a $99 license fee. ...

It might be Google Chrome Management License:

https://support.google.com/chrome/a/answer/2717664?hl=en

I suppose it is included into $499 bill isn't it?

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gzt

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#1552292 13-May-2016 16:07

The management figure quoted seems high. It is available for less elsewhere.

But this is an infrastructure item like WiFi or LAN.

It is network management and therefore somewhat in likeness to a windows server CAL

Parents should not be paying for this.

antoniosk

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#1552296 13-May-2016 16:21

solival:
antoniosk:

But the programme has been temporarily halted because the 'provider' said there was ALSO a $99 license fee. ...

It might be Google Chrome Management License:

https://support.google.com/chrome/a/answer/2717664?hl=en

I suppose it is included into $499 bill isn't it?

Apparently not.

________

Antoniosk

Aaron2222

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#1552329 13-May-2016 17:17

School students can actually get office for free. And schools get Windows and office for free on computers they own or lease. Whether this would apply to computers leased to students through them or not I don't know. If not I could see costs here as Windows 10 Pro is an extra upgrade on top of the included OEM license. But other than Windows 7 / 10 Professional and Office I can't really see much other software that they might use that would cost money. Photoshop maybe? I'm not sure.

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#1552332 13-May-2016 17:46

shk292:
If it's like my kid's school, they are not using devices for specific lessons to learn computing; they use them in most lessons for most work. So one room with computers is not a solution.

Our school "encourages" iPads (and was in the news for this) but in reality the kids mostly use browser, WP and presentation software. Google docs heavily used for sharing and assessment by teacher, which I think is great. A variety of devices in use and IMHO a chromebook would be the most suitable device - partly because kids seem to spend a lot of time on the family laptop at home doing tasks that are not tablet-friendly

I'd be fairly negative about buying a $1120 laptop for this purpose - as well as the cost, and dubious value of "extras" (household insurance and CGA, anyone?), a "full fat" 15.6" laptop is quite a heavy thing for a 10-12 year old to be lugging to and from school every day, especially those who walk/bike/scoot like mine

Geektastic:

So, why is not simply cheaper and easier to make the pupils have their lessons in one room where a set of computers are and have them log on like employees do?

Ok. Schools hand out text books. Why not loan school iPad as well?

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