EDUCATIONAL VISION
What are the educational reasons for laptops?
It is both anecdotally true and evidenced in the research that most students already own and use digital tools on a daily basis for their educational, social, personal and learning needs. More than any other group of computer users, students push schools towards 1:1 access because they demand connectivity. Our research has indicated that 100% of students in grades 5-12 have access to a computer at home and that a majority have their own computer already.
This thirst for constant connectivity and our capacity to provide it has huge potential to extend self-motivated learning at HKIS. When students own the laptop, they have in their hands the most powerful information access and creation tool we can provide. They have the capacity to help plan and guide their own learning. Through ubiquitous access to individualized resources and engagement with interactive and multimedia software, students can have a far more personalized learning experience.
However, beyond the individualized learning possible through laptops they also provide a powerful way to collaborate within the classroom but also beyond. Connecting students across the school and around the world, helping students find audiences for their work and to work together to solve problems.
What will one-to-one look like in a few years? What is the vision?
We believe that in time we will not use the term “1:1” for computers any more than we say “1:1” notebooks or pencils. They will simply be an unquestioned tool within the learning environment. As the world changes so quickly it would be unreasonable to make specific predictions about the future technology. However, we do believe that technology will continue to become ever more available and seamlessly integrated into learning.
Why start at grade 5?
Based on the experience of other schools as well as feedback from current HKIS faculty, grade five is a developmentally appropriate age to begin a laptop program. In addition, having students in grade five using laptops as a tool for learning would aid greatly in their transition to Middle School.
There are more and more schools going 1:1 in grades as low as grade 1, although HKIS has no such plans at this time.
Why not skip the laptop stage and go right to the “next thing”?
It is more than a cliché to say planning for technology is aiming at a moving target.
A learning environment that can support development of 21st century skills must require appropriate use of 21st century tools. At this point and into the future the key tool for personal and collaborative productivity is a personal computer with Internet connectivity.
The area of the technology plan that the one to one laptop program fits is “ubiquitous access to technology.” At HKIS, we firmly believe that technology is about access to the right tool for the right task at the right time to enhance learning. Thus technology does not begin and end with laptop computers. Mobile phones, PDA’s and other devices that students and employees have of their own accord for social or entertainment reasons can also be leveraged for learning. HKIS is developing strategies and infrastructure to leverage these devices as a key component of the access strategy.
What is different from a laptop program now vs. ten years ago?
The key difference between laptop programs now and ten years ago is that today the Internet provides constant access to information, and tools for communication and collaboration. The computer has the potential to be far more than an expensive notebook. It can - and should - be one of the students’ gateway to information as well as a key means to create products that demonstrate understanding both to their classmates, teachers and audiences around the world.
Will the laptop be used in all classes?
The laptops will not necessarily be used in every class that your child attends every day, but they will be used within all subjects. The success of a laptop program is not the computer being used “a lot” but computers being used where appropriate to improve learning.
Here are some examples of how laptops might be used in class:
- Access to a wider array of interactive resources and information other than that which a teacher and a book provides in a traditional classroom.
- The ability to quickly download digital materials from myDragonNet thereby saving the time, expense and wastage of paper.
- The ability for students to expand the walls of their classroom and include other students and experts in the field through online educational discourse.
- Ready access to powerful communication tools (video and podcasting, for example) through which students can demonstrate their understanding.
- The ability to directly upload data from their heart rate monitors in P.E. class and import it into graph making programs giving them a visualization of their progress.
- The ability to simultaneously write documents with students through the use of online tools providing the ability for peer-editing of written work.
- The ability for students to quickly have their work shown on the classroom’s LCD projector.
Will students be allowed to use the computer all the time in class?
Use of the computer in classroom settings will be at the discretion of the teacher.
What happens if my child is better at learning with pen and paper?
Certainly pen and paper learning will not go away right away, or perhaps ever. Certain subject areas require pen and paper (such as Math) where inputting the symbolic notation is overly cumbersome. One of the key advantages to pen and paper has always been the ability to annotate and comment in the margins. With assignments teachers could write comments, underline and correct mistakes and then hand back to the student. However, all of this annotative ability is present in modern software applications as well as other annotative capability such as audio or video annotations.
Annotations with pen and paper can also be powerful for active reading. Research has shown that underlining, paraphrasing and commenting whilst reading text can help readers with retention and understanding. However, currently many of the resources we give students such as textbooks and literature cannot be annotated as they need to be preserved for future students. Thus in these cases digital resources will prove a distinct advantage.
With digital resources students always retain the right to print things out if they prefer not to read from the screen, and many resources will continue to be in book form for some time to come.
TIMELINE AND LOGISTICS
What is the computer that students will use in 2012-13?
As technology advances very quickly we do not know which laptop will be selected for students in 2012-13. The computer will be a Mac and with at least the capabilities of the current MacBook students are using.
How will HKIS address the weight of school bags?
Weight of school bags due in large measure to heavy print textbooks is already a key concern and laptops should be a solution to this problem to some degree. One of the key reasons to move to one-to-one laptop access for students is to enable moving towards online textbooks in place of printed ones. Current Macbooks which link students to a wealth of knowledge and interactive possibilities weigh 4.5 pounds. A single Physics textbook (used in only one subject) weighs over 2 pounds. Aside from weight the other key disadvantage of printed textbooks is that they are out of date by the time they reach students hands. Online textbooks can be constantly up to date and contain digital text and multimedia.
What happens if a student forgets to bring the laptop to school?
There there are no loaner services for students who forget to bring their laptop to school.
What is the battery life? What will happen if the laptop’s battery runs out during class?
Laptops nowadays have an excellent battery life and if fully charged at the beginning of the day should serve the students well. There are power points in all HKIS classrooms and in public areas.
Students should bring their laptop’s power supply to school everyday and are encouraged to have a spare battery.
Will students have access to all the same services at home as they do at school?
Like now students will be able to access all HKIS website and network resources from home. Accessing personal files should be easier than before as they will be stored on the laptop and not on the school network.
Because students will have the laptop loaded with the software that they need for classes a one-to-one environment will be a substantial improvement over the current situation in which students only have access to software during class time, when the teacher is able to book the computers.
Will the files on my child’s laptop be backed up?
Students are responsible for their own backups. The primary storage location for students’ personal files is their laptop. There are a variety of backup options that can be purchased and managed separately and students will be provided opportunities to learn how to use these systems at school. Backup methods may include simply copying files to an external drive, thumb drive or using Apple Time Machine.
What happens if my laptop is lost or stolen?
As with other school property issued to students such as books, the family will be responsible if the item is lost or stolen. This means the student will need to purchase another laptop through the school. HKIS is committed to providing secure locations for laptops to be stored when not in use.
What happens if the laptop is damaged accidentally?
If there is any damage to the laptop, students should bring it to the school’s Tech center for repairs. If the student is away from Hong Kong they can bring it to a certified Apple repair center as the warranty is international. All computers purchased through the school program (whether they were purchased for a student or not) have a 3-year AppleCare warranty that covers the machine itself and the battery as well. Depending on the damage to the laptop, the costs for repairs and/or spare parts may be covered under the warranty. Attempting to repair the laptop yourself or in non-authorized computer centers will void the warranty.
FINANCE
Who pays for the laptops?
Laptops are be paid for by parents via a technology fee once every three years the student is enrolled at HKIS. In 2010-11 all students in grades 5-12 will receive an official school laptop, associated accessories and software specifically selected to support their learning.
Laptops previously purchased are not be eligible for the school 1:1 program. The school cannot legally install school-licensed software onto student owned laptops. School licensed software significantly reduces the cost of the 1:1 program. We believe, based on research and experience, that a standard, predictable platform is key to ensuring the success of 1:1 laptops in the classroom.
The computer issued by the school will be the individual student’s property to take when they withdraw or graduate from HKIS as soon as school licensed software has been un-installed. However, this software – such as Microsoft office, will be available at a significant discounts via the schools strategic partnerships with Apple and others such as Microsoft.
Is the technology fee be pro-rated for students entering grade 11 or 1?
All students own their Macbooks immediately, so Grade 11 and 12 students will still enjoy ownership of their computer regardless. However, we do realize that a studententering at grade 12 will only enjoy using the computer at HKIS for 1 year. This is one of the unavoidable issues related to implementation of a 1:1 program in a secondary school. Since students from multiple grades do study together in the same courses, the same resources need to be made available to all students.
Is the technology fee transferable, is the computer transferable?
The technology fee and the computer is not transferable from the assigned student to another student.
PLATFORM CONSIDERATION
What if my student already has a Mac?
If you have a Mac that meets minimum specifications (see above) and that is within one year old you will be able to migrate the computer into the school negotiated warranty agreement. This will give you extra battery coverage and allow you to have the computer serviced on-site. Please see the “forms” section of this site for more information on this offer.
However, the school will not be able to install school-licensed software on the computer and thus the computer cannot be used as part of the school 1:1 program.
Why is the school choosing Apple computers as a standard platform?
The key criteria for platform selection in a school (whether moving to one-one or not), in order of importance are:
- What is best for teaching and learning and;
- Ease of use, support and maintenance.
In a way these criteria are related. The easier to use and more reliable a platform is, the better it is for teaching and learning.
Apple has been a proven partner for education for many decades. They go beyond the normal vendor relationship by supporting schools with professional development networks. Further, the software that comes pre-loaded on Macs is the best choice for its inherent creative expression capability.
Why not just let students bring in any laptop? Why do they need to all be the same?
Having a support system in place is key. Our strategic partnership with Apple will mean there is an onsite service center that students and families can access to receive computer maintenance onsite. If a standard computer breaks it will be immediately replaced with a loaner unit identical to the original computer, allowing the user to continue in their educational pursuits uninterrupted by the need to learn a new system.
Furthermore, with a common platform, everyone is speaking the same “digital language.” Teachers can expect standard features and laptop capabilities and can plan lessons around them. Students too can collaborate with each other seamlessly both within the classroom and outside.
The importance of this point cannot be understated. Our research tells us that 1:1 schools that did not enforce a standard platform experienced significant problems that negatively influenced learning.
OTHER QUESTIONS
Can I buy other Apple products through the school?
The school agreement with Apple will allow the following:
- Employees may purchase one computer per year;
- Families may purchase one computer per year per student enrolled at HKIS (in any grade);
The selected computer for the 2012-13 will most likely differ from the current hardware on offer. Computers purchased now will not able to be used in the school laptop program, primarily because we are not able to install school-licensed software on student-owned hardware. School site licenses significantly reduce the cost of software and thus the total cost of ownership for the community overall.
Why not create more computer labs or laptop carts?
Technology would not be available where and when it was needed. Computer labs and laptop carts generally require that you take students to the technology rather than the technology being a seamless tool that is available when it is needed.
The nature of institutional computing that requires login, locking away in carts makes use of computers more difficult and time consuming and inevitably takes away from valuable class time.
Bottom line, 1:1 allows all students access to the computer at times in which they need it.
What about the environmental impact of the laptops?
HKIS is fully committed to environmental stewardship. There are several points to consider with the implementation of the 1:1 program
- 1. In terms of power usage Laptop computers are more efficient than desktops. Laptops only consume power when they are charging and modern smart adaptors do not consume as much power when batteries are fully charged. In comparison desktop computers tend to be left plugged in all day running
- Although the 1:1 program will absolutely increase the number of computers on campus it is bound to reduce the number of computers in the HKIS community overall because students will have the same computer at home and school. Currently the school purchases computers and families purchase computers. As the number of computers in home and school has increased over the years to provide greater access to the the tools of technology for students the 1:1 program is in fact a way to help stem that tide.
- HKIS has strict policies in regards to technology that has reached end of life on our campus
- All computers are assessed at the end of the school year. If they do not meet out minimum standard they are refurbished and sent to deserving charitable and educational institutions that are in need of technology.
- Printers and used toner are returned to the manufacturer where they are recycled
- Computers are configured to use power efficiently by turning screens and hard drives off when not in use, as well as automatically turning desktop computers off all-together in the evenings
- HKIS servers are being, where possible, virtualized, which reduces the number of physical servers (servers use a lot of power)
- Batteries are recycled rather than thrown into the trash
- Apple is a company dedicated to reducing its environmental footprint
- For the old product or dead spare parts collected by Apple Services Providers, they ship them back to Apple’s warehouse and Apple responsibly recycles them.
- Customers can also properly recycle Apple-branded waste electronic equipment through Li Tong Recycle at free of charge. Please check out the below link for details.
- http://www.apple.com/hk/en/recycling/
- For general environmental concerns, customers can visit the following page on the apple website.
Chinese version: http://www.apple.com/hk/environment/
English version: http://www.apple.com/hk/en/environment/
What are the considerations around ergonomics? For instance posture and eye-strain?
Safe use including ideal posture and appropriate times to be behind a computer monitor will be a part of the computer roll outs to students. These will also be part of faculty education. These messages will be reinforced in classroom environments.
During school hours students are not likely to be behind a computer monitor for extended periods of time. Laptops will be used in class when necessary and closed when not necessary. The rapid time that the Mac returns from sleep mode makes this all the more possible.
It is important to consider that the key “content delivery” mechanism since the 14th century until this day, the book, is hardly an ergonomic technology. The key is that despite whatever tool we have students using we encourage students live healthy and balanced lifestyles.
To what extent is the 1:1 program an attempt to go paperless?
Whilst the 1:1 program certainly should help us move towards a more paperless environment it is not the intention to remove all paper from the teaching and learning process.
The key term with technology in education is the “right tool for the task.” Reading and reviewing text on screen can encourage active reading via the various annotation tools as well as promote both active reading and collaboration with peers. Digital “textbooks” can include multimedia and interactive elements. However, often paper is still the best “tool of the task” as well.
What about my child’s handwriting?
The computer will not replace handwriting. Many subjects such as math, which involve a high degree of symbolic notation, are much easier to do on paper than via a computer keyboard.
What tools will teachers have to monitor student computer use?
The best tool to monitor what students are doing on their laptops is walking about the classroom and observing individual or group behavior. The relevant question is not so much “what are students doing on the computer” but rather “are they on task?”. A teacher will know if students are on task and facilitate students to be engaged in the learning regardless of whether the task is on the computer or not
In addition there are a variety of tools installed on the laptop that allow students to focus including time management tools, software that can shut of the Internet and other distractions to focus on one application at a time.
Will students be allowed to install software onto the laptops?
Yes students will be able to install software on their laptops and may be asked to do so by the teachers to suit a learning task they have in mind.
What accessories will be useful or necessary with the laptops?
There is not particular tool or accessory that is required to use the laptop. ETS is working with the HKIS DragonShop to provide some accessories with the laptop.
A variety of other accessories are also available via our retail partner Senco-Masslink via their order form.
What about bags for the computers?
HKIS is not providing a bag with the laptop because the majority of students already have bags to store their belongings when they are at school. Feedback from the community and research into peer schools that are 1:1 has indicated that it is not ideal for students to carry another bag in addition to their regular school bag. Parents should evaluate their childs school bag to ensure that it provides adequate room and protection for the laptop and consider getting a protective case if they deem such a case necessary. Such cases which will help individualize a student laptop are readily available in Hong Kong or via our retail partner SencoMasslink via their order form.
What about security for the computers?
Students should have the computer either with them or in a “locked locker.” HKIS is committed to providing secure storage for students during the school day.
As a parent can I login to the computer?
Parents will not have accounts on the computers by default. However, if parents wish to have accounts on the machines in order to use the computer or to use parental controls the school will support this via scheduled parent education sessions. These sessions will be focused around supporting student learning and setting up appropriate parameters around the use of computer.
Has HKIS considered the iPad?
HKIS is actively looking at the iPad and has iPads carts in the lower primary division.
SUPPORT
What happens if a computer malfunctions or is lost?
Loaner units would be available to students from the library for the duration their computer is being serviced. The number of loaner units would be determined by the expected hardware failure rate which we expect to be low.
How will teachers be supported in the use of these computers such that they enhance student learning?
Robust and personalized professional development for all our employees will be critical in supporting teachers in the use of technology to support their students.
Professional development in the use of technology will be led by the HKIS Digital Leadership working group comprised of Technology Facilitators, Teacher Librarians as well as a group of lead teachers who are advocates and mentors to their colleagues.
The kinds of Professional Development this group will lead out on is expected to include:
- Collaboration in unit review meetings in designing curriculum
- Pre-term training to support teachers in meeting the minimum expected standard
- Pull out intensive training in working groups
- Time during school-wide professional development days
- Courses in the HKIS Learning Academy
- After-school training sessions
- Teachers Teaching Teachers” opportunities
- Online video library of best practice
- Online training videos
Won’t the computers be a distraction?
One of the key reasons to go 1:1 is to reframe the role of technology tools in students lives away from being simply a means to connect with friends and personal entertainment and orient them towards thinking of technology as a tool for learning.
If one thinks of computers as enabling a kind of “distributed intelligence” between the user and the computer - in other words the computer is an extension of your own mental faculties then there is a profound difference between what happens in schools now and what can happen in 1:1. In a 1:1 setting, the students literally carry around their distributed intelligence in their backpack.
We’ve heard significant debate about digital natives and digital immigrants. Can young people today multitask better than previous generations? Is the way they consume information and communicate superior, and is that something we as educators and parents need to take note of? These are important questions: opinion and research is available on both sides of the issue.
There are times in which students (and teachers too!) will multitask. This seems to be a reality of modern life from which one cannot escape, and one which schools would be foolish to ignore if we are serious about 21st century learning. On the other hand, some activities require deep focus. Students need to be supported in being able to engage in focused learning in a variety of ways. One way, in school, is to provide engaging and authentic learning experiences that are in and of themselves motivating for kids. Another is by modeling good use of technology - both student to student, and also teacher to student. Finally, some technological aides can help, including tools that allow users to “self monitor” Internet usage, turn off the wireless for a period of time and others.
One thing for is for sure - that we should not look at these issues in a “black and white” manner. Certainly, there are occasions that students (and adults) use technology in ways that are neither educational nor directed at learning objectives. There are times when this is appropriate and other times when it is not appropriate. In classroom settings the use of computers is for the most part teacher driven. If a student is using the computer for tasks other than specified by the teacher, the student may be asked to shut down an application or close the lid of their computer.
Outside of the classroom technology is certainly changing the ways in which students socialize with one another. Facebook, IM and other social technologies in many ways make our students more connected with each other in very positive ways. However, the flip-side can also be true, students may become so absorbed in their online world that they become disconnected from the physical. HKIS pastoral care programs including homerooms, PCG groups, counseling departments exist to help students find ways to interact with each other in positive ways. Certainly a 1:1 program exists in large measure to help students to learn to discover individually how it can improve their own learning. However, they also need to know when not to use the laptop as well.
Are other schools 1:1 schools?
There are numerous schools both international and local that are 1:1 schools now. Some schools went 1:1 as early as the 1980’s. More recently there has been an acceleration of schools moving towards 1:1 for three primary reasons:
- Affordability of reliable and fast wireless internet
- Falling cost of hardware.
- The number of tools, accessible through computers that have the potential to enhance the learning experience and make education relevant and engaging to 21st century learners including multimedia tools and online social and information tools.
Will my child’s eyes be adversely affected by looking at a laptop screen all day at school?
Your child will not be using the laptop in every class so there will be ample downtime in which students eyes will be able to rest. In order to avoid eyestrain, the school will include instruction in proper use of the laptop, including the proper distance to best view the screen and the setting up of the suitable screen resolution and viewing angle.
How will parents be supported?
One of the key reasons for implementing a laptop program is recognizing that learning happens anytime, anywhere - meaning at home as well as school. HKIS is committed to having a constant dialogue with parents about how they can support their child as a learner as well as broader issues of technology and internet use.
Can the HKIS network handle the load of every student and teacher having a laptop?
HKIS has a wireless access point in each classroom. In the 2011-12 school year bandwidth is being upgraded to over 10 times its previous speed to accommodate increased demand. Network usage is constantly monitored by our network services team to ensure that students and teachers have access to the connectivity they need.
How will the school deal with prevalent social networking and “inappropriate” non educational use of the Internet at school?How does the school internet work - does HKIS block sites?
The school does employ a firewall service that serves two primary functions: 1.) a security firewall that protects against viruses and malware, 2.) a content filter. The content filter blocks particular websites in categories the school chooses. The websites in these categories come from a subscription service. The school can choose to make exceptions to the websites in these subscriptions (white-list) or add sites manually to the list (a black list).
On occasion we add white list and black list entries to the web filter.
A major component of HKIS’s mission is inquiry driven and self motivated learning. We believe that students need to be provided reasonably open access to the Internet. Various reasons behind this include:
- Even if the school blocks sites at school they will not necessarily have them blocked at home.
- Students learn responsibility by being given the opportunity to be responsible.
- Many of the sites that are used for “non educational” purposes during the school day are also powerful educational tools - sites including YouTube and Facebook, amonst others.
- The times that these tools are truly inappropriate (e.g., during class), the teacher is in control of the lesson and can ask students to close programs that are not supposed to be on during class or close the lid of the laptop, much in the same way that the teacher can instruct a student to close a comic book.
Will there be education/training on how to use software?
At HKIS, we know that best practice technology instruction takes place in context with the learning. For example: if students are studying data input and analysis in a science class, they learn how to use Excel for this purpose. To internationalize this the school employs dedicated Technology Facilitators that work with classroom teachers to integrate technology into their lessons.
Specifically for teachers, numerous professional development opportunities exist for teachers including department collaboration times, weekly training sessions and regional conferences (note: a technology conference is being hosted at HKIS next school year).
Parents are supported in this journey though parent information sessions and student led tech training sessions.
