FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)
Note - as people ask questions, we will update this page, so you may want to bookmark the FAQs and check back from time to time!
- Whose idea was this? No one person who can take credit for this idea. The topic of easy access to computer technology in the classroom has been brought up and confirmed by numerous individuals in different settings. Our System Administrator spearheaded the creation and deployment of our wireless network, but the teachers are the key implementers the Laptop Initiative in the classroom. Before the idea was presented to the board, all the teachers involved met to discuss this initiative. They voted to move forward with great enthusiasm. That enthusiasm was mirrored as the Board of Directors cast the final vote to put this initiative into motion.
- Wait. Everything I'm reading is "Greek". I do not understand this stuff - what do I do? First, do not panic. Find someone you can talk to who understands technology - a friend, a co-worker, in fact, your child may be your best resource! That person can walk you through our website and help you make a good purchase. Sometimes we all need someone to translate "Greek" to English!
- Netbooks are TOO small! How can anyone type on that keyboard? Mr. Surran has owned a netbook for some time now. He feels the keyboard is adequate for how the netbook will be used in our classrooms, where it will mostly be used for researching and viewing information - be it reading documents, viewing photos, manipulating a simulation with a mouse, etc. We do not forsee students typing 10 page reports in class using their netbooks. For home use, netbooks allow regular-sized USB keyboards, mice, and monitors to be plugged into it, so students can use their netbooks as they would a full-sized computer! Of course, you can opt for a full-sized laptop, especially if your child is soon entering college.
- Is two hours of battery life enough? You may be wondering why our minimum requirement for battery life is only two hours, not eight or more. Well, most laptops average about two hours battery life, and so our usage of the technology will take that into consideration. While the exact use of the laptop will be largely up to the teacher, most will probably not use it for the entire duration of the class. In fact, most teachers will still use more classical methods of teaching (lecture, projector, whiteboard) for much of the instructional hours. For example, a teacher may lecture for 30 minutes and then have students use the remaining 20 minutes for a laptop assignment. Another teacher might not use the laptop on a particular day. We will definitely need to manage our time to compensate for weaknesses in battery technology. UPDATE - battery technology is improving and new devices like the iPad are able to last all day, so we are able to expect even longer battery life and enable even more integration in the day-to-day classroom setting.
- My child goes to college in a year. Should I spend more for a nicer laptop? Ultimately, that's up to you, but it is good to consider. If the child takes care of her laptop, then it can easily serve her well in college. Most uses of a laptop in college do not require the fastest computer with tons of memory. However, some career paths require more powerful computers. I would recommend contacting the college and finding out what their minimal requirement is for a laptop and shop for that.
- I hear that children in other schools with laptops use them to look at pornography. How will you prevent this? GHCA has a very powerful website filtering system in place. However, no website filter is perfect. This is where our teachers and even you come in. Everything that goes through our network is logged, and weekly reports are generated for each teacher showing the detailed activity of our students. Parents can also request these reports as well. UPDATE - recently there have been open wireless networks popping up in our neighborhood, and some students can occasionally connect to these open networks and thus bypass the school's firewall. If you are concerned about this, please contact us so that we can discuss this further with you.
- If it's my laptop, can I use it however I want when at home? Yes, and we are not going to police how you use your own property off-campus. However, students of the Academy do sign an Honor Pledge which serves as a contract between the student and the school, and if using your laptop "however you want" violates this Honor Pledge or other school policy as outlined in our handbook, then obviously that will need to be dealt with. One example is viewing online pornography. Another example is illegally downloading music or software.
- How much privacy do I have when using my laptop at GHCA? Good question! We believe privacy is important, and therefore we are not going to snoop through your laptop or install spyware to keep an eye on you. However, all Internet traffic passing through our network is monitored for inappropriate activity. This activity might not even be your fault - you might have a virus "running amuck", at which time you'll be notified of such activity. Therefore it is highly recommended that you save the GHCA network for school use and do things like personal email and Facebook from home. Also, whatever is on your screen during class is "public domain". A teacher has every right to look at your screen and ask you what you are doing during class time. Finally, if you use the computer for something inappropriate at home, chances are that will show up when you use our network. For example, most pornography sites leave traces on a computer that show up even when you are going to other, innocent sites. The fact is that most students freely "give away" their privacy by their own online activities, like posting private and sensitive information to services like Facebook.
- I cannot afford to provide laptops to my kids. What do I do? The Bike-a-Thon committee has a program in place that will allow students to earn money towards a netbook, all the way up to the full cost of the device. In other words, by participating in the GHCA Bike-a-Thon, families can earn their laptops for next year! For FREE!! This opportunity ends June 6th for the 2009-2010 school year.
- Laptops are expensive. What if my child's laptop is stolen? We will allow locks on the student lockers, so that students can secure their laptops when not in their possession. Obviously the student will need to take care not the leave the laptop out unsupervised. We will also have a lecture in the Fall for GHCA students about protecting their laptops from damage and theft.
- My laptop stopped working. Are you going to fix it for me? GHCA will treat laptops like vehicles in this regard. You own your vehicle, and you need one to get to school (or you share with someone), but if your vehicle breaks down, there is no GHCA garage and mechanic waiting to fix it for free. In other words, we are not responsible to fix your broken laptop. We will recommend someone for you to see to repair your laptop. If it is a hardware issue (broken screen, stuck key, etc.), then it usually needs to be sent back to the manufacturer. If it is a software issue like a virus, then there are local people who can fix it. In fact, Barrett Quint, an IT Professional, has offered to pick up and return student laptops at the GHCA office!
- It is absolutely impossible for me to provide a laptop for my child. Is he doomed? Okay, I'm sure nobody would ask me, "Is he doomed?" However, there are probably a few feeling a little stressed about the Laptop Initiative. The new school year is different in that laptops are mandatory for students in grades 9-12. It is extremely difficult if not impossible to effectively integrate technology into the classroom when only a handful possesses that technology, as became evident early during our "phase-in" year. Ultimately it comes down to why it is "impossible" for your family to provide a laptop or netbook to your child or children. You will need to discuss this further with our Head of School, Mr. John Bishop.
If you still have a question after reading through the above FAQs, contact us at laptops@ghca.com!
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