Last week I had the opportunity to discuss with a group of teachers in my school about Netbooks and Cloud Applications. See my school is in a unique position right now. We are in need of moving closer to a perceived vision of what the 21st Century Classrooms are supposed be. Not to mention we are in need of new computers as well as a new model for replacing our existing computers. Currently there is no known policy for computer replacement except when one breaks completely you try to find money to replace it. Over the last few years I have steadily been replacing our outdated machines but at a snail's pace in comparison to what is needed. This year I am finding myself in a strange place where I am almost excited when a computer breaks. That means I can use it for parts. That however is not a good place to be. We need to move past our current status of outdated and non-functional. That doesn't sound very 21st Century. Maybe that isn't the correct phrase at all, 21st Century. What happens when we are past that? Then what? A different phrase is needed and I feel that 21st Century Skills and Learners just doesn't fit. These are more Forward Thinking Skills and Forward Thinking Learners.
Now with the thought of putting netbooks into the hands of my students and their work in the clouds I think my staff is seeing the solution as being one worth considering. This is just what we need to be doing if we want to prepare our students with Forward Thinking Skills and place them in Forward Thinking Environments. As our conversation started with; What are Netbooks?, What are Cloud Apps?, and How do they work? After answering those questions I began to hear things like; So, we can still do... and We can now do... This is when it was clear that they would be open to try a solution (not a band-aid) that will still allow us to carry on with business as usual and position us to support our students in a better way. Oh yea, by the way, we are going to be able to double, almost triple our spending power. You can check out the price comparison at Cloud Apps for the Recession. This not only sets us up for a potentially good model for replacing outdated machines, but for the first time we are working together to move towards the goal of 1:1 computing with on-demand access. Netbooks, Cloud Apps, and an incredible community of teachers that I work with are are in a position to make enormous strides in Forward Thinking Environments and educating our Forward Thinking Students.
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21 Comments
We are currently opening a lab of Eee PCs with the linux system. I was wondering if there was a solution to managing the tabs and the access to parts of the PC so that the users can and will be more focused on the cloud apps that we are intending access to.
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Jon Pierce Reply:
February 24th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
Jeremy-
It is too tough fro me to answer your question without knowing which Linux OS you are using. So, here is an answer that may point you in the right direction with a solution to your problem. Your goal is to have the ability to limit a Users functionality while they are using your Linux machines. Since each Linux OS uses different terms but the basics are the same you can use a GNOME desktop environment and then use Pessulus to control your desktop. You can control things like locking down terminal, desktop backgrounds, and tons of other stuff.
I look forward to hearing more of your comments..
-Jon
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Jeremy Reply:
February 26th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
Jon,
We have found a way using the OS that we have to manage the access and make the desktop look more "comfortable" for the those who aren't familiar with Linux. Kelly has also in the midst of creating a bootable flash drive to restore our settings if needed.
-Jeremy
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Loved reading that the response to your ideas was met with enthusiasm, even if it was cautious at the beginning. I think that maybe one thing I need to keep in mind is that fear of change is almost always related to fear of personal impact. Sounds like you did a good job addressing some of those fears, like how cloud apps. often accomplish most of what our teachers need apps. to do.
Out of curiosity, which apps. did your teachers seem most "concerned" about in terms of functionality?
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Jon
I took some time to check out the "Cloud" Google apps. The docs seems like a viable option for our kids to word process. I liked how it just has them saved right there on their "home" page. The Google sites app. looks good (especially for older students). I may need some training with that for more ideas to use with the primary aged students. I also don't know if the calendar app. could be used to make our own schedules (Spanish, EnCORE, etc.)? Overall though, I was impressed by what I saw and am excited by the prospect of the plans you have laid out for our school. Good luck next week!
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Jon Pierce Reply:
February 28th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
Matt-
It sounds like like you really took some time testing Google Apps out and it is great that you are excited to see it in action with your students. I wouldn't even attempt this at our school if proper training was not an option. I am really excited to put it in the hands off all our students. I have been using Google Docs for about 4 years. Now when I started using it, it was called Writely. Shortly after, Google purchased it and now it has taken the form of Google Docs. Later it morphed into Google Apps. Since 2005, Cloud Applications have been exploding all over the internet. It was Web 2.0 that made Cloud Apps possible. See, the first version of the internet had the ability to display and deliver information. It wasn't until the second version, Web 2.0 came along that we now have the ability to collaborate and contribute on the internet. You may hear people refer to Cloud Apps as, Web 2.0 tools or Web Based Applications. Just remember, no matter what you call them Cloud Apps now position us as Educators, Students, Parents, and just about anyone using the net to become more connected than before and propel us further into a 21st Century Environment.
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Jon,
Currently I am testing out Google Apps. and I am completely floored by what it can do. I didn't even know the possibilities and now both Alissa and I are playing around and figuring some things out. I definitely believe that this application could be widely used by our students with the proper training and understanding by both students and staff. Your plans to move our school forward in technology is a large undertaking that should be shared by our entire community. Hopefully all of us can be involved in the training and it won't fall entirely into your lap. Good luck to you next week and please let me know what I can do to help you make these plans and dreams a reality at our school.
Dave
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I’ve read a few of your blogs and I am also a fan of cloud computing. While I have never used a netbook I can see the appeal of them. I am however concerned to hear a school district using Google Apps for what seems like all of their work. Unless things have changed, when you post something on Google, Google has the right to access, preserve and disclose all of the users’ information. What happens when a staff member, for convenience makes a spreadsheet with staff addresses and social security numbers? As far as security goes, when you talk about Amazon Cloud it probably does have great security measures and the ability to control users, it also costs money. Your district probably isn’t paying for Google Apps. How much control and security do they really have when using Google Apps? Is there anyone in the district monitoring what kids post on Google Sites?
These are just a few of my concerns. When talking about Google Apps and many of the cloud computing options.
I agree Netbooks are a cheap way to replace computers. But sometimes you get what you pay for. When you talk about a 1:1 ratio, what is your plan for when batteries that are only designed to last 3 hours are dead by lunch time? I guess no more cloud computing until they are charged again. Unless you have extra batteries or a bunch of electrical outlets how can you maintain a 1:1 ratio?
You also talked about how there is no replacement procedure setup for old computers. That sounds like the bigger issue. On average a normal laptop should last 3 maybe 5 years, however most of the time they will last longer with good care. What is the lifecycle of a netbook? No one really knows because they haven’t been around long enough. If you end up having to purchase new ones because they are getting old or the processing power is not enough, did you really save any money by going with a $500 netbook?
I’m not trying to down play cloud computing. I am just trying to bring some reality to a new idea.
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Jon Pierce Reply:
March 5th, 2009 at 10:03 pm
Neil-
I first want to say thanks for commenting on this important topic. I hope all of your concerns can be put to rest. So, let's start by addressing the Google Apps concern. My entire district has not adopted anything yet. Currently there are isolated groups testing out Google Apps Education Edition with students and teachers. Right now they are not in lieu of the apps we are using but in addition to the apps. However, it is possible to replace our current stand alone apps. Other Higher Ed and K-12 learning environments have already. Check them out. Security will always be an issue when dealing with sensitive information online. That is why schools districts like mine for example, use Secure Student Information Systems to hold sensitive data.
As for the rogue faculty member you mentioned that puts faculty addresses and social security numbers in a Google Spreadsheet it could happen even if the school were not using Cloud Apps. The point is that by offering Cloud Apps as an option does not necessarily increase the possibility that someone from the school will post sensitive information on the web. Those two pieces of information (my address and SS#) are in my wallet and arguably as accessible. An employer, whether it be a major corporation or a school district, they cannot control everything their employees do but they can mandate policies that position themselves to hopefully prevent things from happening.
When using Google Apps Education Edition you actually do have a certain level of control. Such as turning on and off applications within the set of apps. For instance, if you do not want your students to have access to gMail then you can turn it off.
To clarify, Netbooks can be cheap. Just as anything can be. There are definitely more affordable Netbooks and the MSI Wind that I am personally considering happens to be an affordable, logical, practical solution for what my school needs. It just so happens that when you package together the flexibiliity of the Netbook and the functionality of the Cloud Apps you get a solution that is great for schools. Let's take for instance, the MacBook my school district currently uses, it will cost me about $1242.00 for one and they are lasting me about 5years. The MSI Wind if only lasts 3 years will cost about $429.00 for one Netbook over 3 years and $858.00 of the course of 6 years. That is still a savings of $384.00.
Also, you mentioned that the batteries are designed to only last 3 hours or so. That is true if you are purchasing 3 cell batteries. However, it is standard now for many Netbooks to come with a 6 cell battery and are lasting around 5-5 1/2 hours. The Wind comes with a 6 cell battery and I am currently getting about 5 1/2 hours of battery life. It also comes with a 120GB HD, web cam, wireless, blue tooth, 3 USB Ports, SD card slot, and more. So, for $429 my students are getting a quality Netbook and On-Demand access to projects they are collaborating on with real time multi-user editing apps. Netbooks and Cloud Apps are being used at home and are hitting the schools. If for $429.00 I can allow my students learn the way they live then my community will be in a better position for overall success.
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I would like to point out the difference between a teacher using a secure Student Information System and an administrator using an on-line 'cloud' to store data. A student's Social Security Number is such confidential data that most SIS's don't store or use it to track students. If an administrator is not permitted to use the 'cloud' , then we needn't worry about 'rogues' accidentally publishing confidential information on the Internet very much in the day to day. I prefer to limit where administrators save their data is to a secured monitored server. If you want to have a copy of YOUR ssn in your wallet, (dumb) or on the Internet (dumber), that's your business. What the rest of us object to is you keeping OUR ssn's in your wallet or on the Internet. You don't, and I'm willing to bet that no-one reading this blog would give you that responsibility either. There are good reasons why network data security experts are considered experts. There are also good reasons why there isn't a single example of a k-12 district-wide implementation listed on Google Apps link. This is only one of them.
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Jon,
Sorry I sounded so negative in my last post. I wouldn't want the general public to get the idea that student confidential information is routinely saved on the Internet. I would add that employers in general and school districts in particular have a variety of State and Federal laws regarding data security that they must stay in compliance with. They don't do it for fun, or to be mean or old fashioned or even just to be cautious. It is the law. And school districts hire security experts to follow that law. A far more interesting note of Neils is regarding what students post. If they are posting 'what bus they ride on and where they get off at 2:45 every afternoon' and other personal information that could be used to approach them or endanger them I hope someone is responsible for monitoring that information. If they post that from home on their facebook page there's not much a school district can do about it other than try to teach students what is proper material to blog. But I wouldn't want to be the teacher that failed to carefully monitor what my students were posting should the unthinkable happen. Yet another reason why school districts don't run right out and adopt the latest technology. Responsibilities need to be clearly defined and solutions need to be thoroughly thought through before implementing the latest fad.
chotzi
P.S. Just thinking about FaceBook makes me wonder, "What ever happened to MySpace?"
Curt
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I recently got my first job and I was planning on purchasing a laptop with the money I save up. A few family members suggested buying a netbook instead. Would this be a good idea? All I'll really be doing is going on the internet.
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jwilliams16 Reply:
June 25th, 2009 at 7:32 pm
I think that it is a good idea. I have been using an Acer Aspire One for about 2 months now and there are very few things that I can not do on this that I do on my full laptop. It is faster than my laptop, a lot more portable, the battery lasts longer (6-cell), and I have just as much storage as my laptop.
Most of the current netbooks come standard with 3 usb 2.0 ports, vga port (some with HDMI now) wireless network, and a couple (like the dell) pretty sweet touch pad with multi-touch functions. They are definitely worth you time to research them!
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I'm thinking of becoming a Special Education teacher for Primary School K-8. Or just a Primary School teacher..I hear the demand for Special Education teachers is high? So i would have a higher chance? What is the Education like, and working conditions of this profession?
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There's a new graphics chip coming out called the Ion that has hardware HD decoders to handle that stuff a bit faster -they claim about 10x faster. It's set release quite soon, if you're willing to wait.
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I know of the select hp and asus netbooks can have a life of 9.5 hours and a Samsung model that has 11 hours.
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Religion is something to be studied, not cured. There is something that attracts the human mind to contemplate the divine. Is it delusion?
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I want to buy a netbook for when I go traveling would it be a good option to download my photos onto it...ie. would it have enough space? As I have heard that they are very simple and small operating systems. I guess I could use the netbook as a means to get photos from a camera to a USB device.
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OK...Today went well again. I started out my day checking and responding to emails then creating a short list of Cloud Apps for some people in my school district.
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The Canonical project comes as Microsoft and Intel have reportedly taken steps to carve up the netbook market to suit their product roadmaps and business-unit plans.
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The only down side is the small keyboard and small screen size. If you get one i recommend that you get another gig of ram for it as they usually only come with 1GB.
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The thing is that the smartphones are getting “smarter” all the time and I see parallels to the old Psion PDA. If you get an USB memory stick with your most used programs and bring your mobile phone with a memory card, your computer doesn’t have to be pre-loaded with so much stuff.
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With the versitility of netbooks, they will work fantastically well. A lot of netbooks now-a-days are very good spec, meaning you can get more done in less time.
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You might try your local arts and crafts store. They have artist's notebooks there with higher quality paper, though I'm not thinking that they would be ruled..
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I've found the more a person believes in theories yes, the more liberal they are. Yet the more real world experience a person has the more conservative they become. It's an interesting contradiction. But of course there are always exceptions, and yes I did go and graduated from college, working on a masters and know enough to know that theories are just that, theories. They rarely work in the real world as a person thinks they should.
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I went to CES last week with the primary objective of learning about where we are headed with apps. After walking the floor and talking to a number of app developers and marketers, I find it very remarkable how fast other players are getting into the mix after Apple proved that native apps (versus cloud apps) can still be lightening in a bottle for the hardware manufacturers who are able to woo top app developers. For my full thoughts on app trends in 2010, check
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