What Would You Want? September 27, 2007
Posted by SuperTech in General.trackback
When planning for new classrooms, there is always the great debate, laptop or desktop. We always provide a computer for each teacher, but should it be a laptop or desktop? There are many pros for laptops. They are more mobile, provide greater flexibility. Teachers can move them around the room, take them to meetings, take them to professional devlopment activities, and take them home when they need to. There are cons. Security is a problem. Some teachers may worry about students taking them. Who will be liable if the laptop is damaged? What would you rather have? Why?
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this is a good topic. I look at does the computer user need something that will be mobile and then I think of the over all cost and number of computers that need to be bought.
Also feel that a desktop the most bang for the buck when needing to buy for the school for many teachers. To me the biggest question is does this teacher need to be mobile l.
I have both in my classroom and I must say that my desktop collects dust. I enjoy the flexibility that comes with a laptop. I can go anywhere and take my work with me. I’m honestly surprised that we are still spending money on desktops. The future is laptops and handhelds.
As far as security goes, you can buy an inexpensive lock (think a bicycle lock) that you can attach to your teacher desk. So, for someone to take your laptop, they would have to take the desk too!
Damages??? Who’s responsible if a desktop is damaged? Laptops are susceptible to the same problems as desktops, such as viruses, spywear, adware, and general misuse. Most laptops these days are built to resist accidental drops. I think this is a non-issue.
I think that Laptops are the only way to go. Teachers commming into our system are going to be students who carried laptops all through their college experience. They will expect nothing less. Our older teachers who don’t know how to use and care for one will just have to learn. As to the problem of teachers forgetting them etc. Teachers are Adults and Adults should be Adult enough to keep up with their tools. If they can not do that perhaps they should find another career.
I think new teachers and all teachers should be furnished with both. That way when they need a laptop to use with the Promethean boards, projectors, taking them to meetings that they are not taking them from the students who also need to use the laptops for projects and not taking them from sets. I do not think that the desk should be built to the classrooms so they can be moved around. I think that teachers need a desktop computer so they can put in grades, let students use for classroom stations or centers, and other numerous other reasons. That is my opinion but if I had the choice of the two I would like the laptop.
Laptop pros…. all that you mentioned.. you can take it home, take to another teachers room, etc. Wireless is nice.
Laptop cons… much harder (impossible for me) to fix hardware issues. Seem to get less for your money with a laptop.
I know it seems like laptops are the way to go in the future, but it still seems better for a student (especially elem. students) to be sitting in front of that sturdy desktop that they will have a harder time damaging. If they mess up the keyboard, I have one in my closet to replace it with.
What would be great would be if all teachers could have a desktops for students and a laptop for their personal use.
I like the flexibility that comes with a laptop. I like being able to take it with me to workshops and have all the programs installed that I will need. I like being able to locate it anywhere in the room.
I do share the concern for security. As Rick Shirley pointed out, there is not much that we can repair on a laptop if it is damaged–other than software issues.
Maybe I am old school, but I prefer that we have a desktop computer available. The laptop can be an add-on.
That’s just my two cents.
There is definitely a plethora of variables to consider when differentiating between the need for a laptop or a desktop teacher computer. Personally, I do not think that this is an issue that can be resolved by establishing a policy. Each situation has to be carefully examined because every school is as unique as the people within. Now having said that, I prefer laptops as teacher machines. As the person respnsible for computer maintenance with a gajillion other things to do during the day, it sure is easier for teachers to bring me their machines rather than me going to hunt them. Also, laptops give teachers more freedom of mobility to use their computers for a variety of tasks within their classroom during instruction or outside their classroom during data or faculty meetings, or at home working on lesson plans. Obviously, mobility brings along with it the potential for damage. There could be gray areas, but I would think that if a laptop is irreparably damaged due to teacher neglect or abuse, the teacher pays for it. Administrators would be the decision makers in these situations. Overall, there are many sides to this dilemma, but I have seen this work. I’ve witnessed an increase in technology integration in several different schools directly because of teachers being issued laptops….isn’t that what we want?
I have had both and I prefer laptops. All my computers at home are laptops. It is much easier be able to take it with me when I need it. It definitely comes in handy when I have a workshop or meeting. I can pack it up and take it with me. When I attend a training or workshop that requires me to do something using my computer, I learn better when I can do it as I’m being taught. It would be much harder for me to sit there and listen and then try to come back to my desktop and attempt what I had been taught. It allows me to have a more “hands-on” experience and I learn better that way. Plus, sometimes it gives me something to do if the meeting is boring. : )
If I had a choice, I definitely prefer laptops. My own children at home fight for time at the laptop. My students at school also are thrilled when they get to use the laptop. I believe the schools of the future will use laptops. The students are already using them at home so it will be a natural addition to the classroom setting. I know laptops are not as durable, but let’s be honest, as quickly as technology is changing, any computer bought today will be need to be replaced relatively quickly (within 5-7 years). So we teach our students how to take care of the laptop just like we do with all our supplies. They understand the value of technology even more than many of our teachers. They are growing up in a Digital World. So our schools need to be Digital schools. Laptops are what we (teachers) prefer, students want them too!!