It took me by suprise to read this blog post from Wes Fryer in Oaklahoma and realize that we are both reading the same comic on the same day.

I wonder if that provides anyone with ideas for global projects? I know that I can think of a few. Comments welcome.

Hong Kong , and probably the greater Asian region, seems to be in the grip of laptop programs at the moment. Surprisingly, this is not really spurred on by the emergence of the cheaper laptops on the market as the majority of schools are choosing the premium priced Macbooks as the laptop of choice. Can’t say that I am too surprised in this really as Apple still seem to be the only ones on the block with any idea that a 1:1 program involves more than just box dropping.  The PC vendors so far do not get the concept of kids and laptops. Surprising seeing that it was Toshiba who lead the way on 1:1 back in Australia in the late 80s.

The thing that most surprises me is the lack of “noise” in the HK education community associated with these initiatives. I am trying to be fair to the schools and the administrators when I say that I really hope that the programs are premised on all of the right goals and ideals. Any laptop program needs to be seen as the catalyst for the school to move from schooling model “A” to schooling model “B”. Sure, the change is not, and should not be expected to be, immediate but it needs to be acknowledged that this is the reason for the initiative and that it is where the school is heading. I have known of schools who have introduced laptops hoping that the school will be Schooling model “A + laptops”. All too often, schooling model “A”  was one that was content based and teacher directed and not really conducive to every student with a laptop all day every day. In many cases, this sort of program has resulted in a lot of frustration for teachers and students. In a number of celebrated cases, it has even lead to the school dropping the use of laptops in the school so that the school can return to doing schooling model “A” more effectively.

I know that many of the schools who are going 1:1 have a “walled garden” Learning Platform that allows for sharing between the schools in the Authority but not to the “outside world”. I am really hopeful that this has a lot of dialog on it from the schools to make up for the lack of blogging and general sharing of issues and ideas that is necessary for a program such as this. I know from my own experience, that the backward and forward discussion on a myriad of issues such as handling the kids who repeatedly put games on the machines, to insurance issues, to effective multimedia apps, to complaints from parents about teaching (or not teaching) typing, was fantastic and allowed for great, authentic exchange of ideas, documentation etc.

I for one, could not imagine having access to the tools to build a great Professional Learning Network around the area of Laptops in International schools in Aisa and not using them to share and reflect.

Will do, but won’t be for two weeks now. Cameron

Chris Betcher wrote:
> Yes that’s true. I was keen to try this mode, thinking it would be
> the ideal solution for our teachers… they could have the IWB up on
> the secondary screen, and their own work on the local screen.
>
> We tested it and found it didn’t really work as expected. ActivStudio
> did not play nicely in this mode and was constantly moving the
> toolstore back to the main screen for no apparent reason. Floating
> palettes would not do what you expected them to do, and there were
> other niggly issues that I can’t recall in detail right now.
>
> Basicaly though, it was a solution that sounded like it should have
> solved the problem but we found in practice it didn’t.
>
> Let me know how you go though, as I’d really like to find an answer to
> this one…
>
> Chris
>
> On 21/03/2008, *Cameron Bell* <bell.cameron.p@edumail.vic.gov.au
> <mailto:bell.cameron.p@edumail.vic.gov.au>> wrote:
>
> Most newer laptops should have a dual screen mode where the LCD is at
> native res while the VGA output can be an independent resolution to
> match the output device. The Lenovo R61 does and my Macbook does.
> We have just got in some widescreen R61’s (yesterday) and I look
> forward
> to trying this feature on the IWB’s.
> Just make sure you have dual independent display in the specs.
> Cheers
> Cameron
>
>
> Chris Betcher wrote:
> >
> > Hi Berkeley
> >
> > Great question. I don’t agree that any modern laptop will do,
> in fact
> > I think most modern laptops are a pain in the neck if your
> primary use
> > for them is to drive an IWB… here’s why…
> >
> > Early PCs ran a screen resolution of 640×480 (VGA), and then we
> moved
> > to 800×600 (SVGA), and then to 1024×768 (UVGA), then 1200×1024
> (XGA),
> > and so on as the specs on computer rose… Many modern, late model
> > laptops run much higher than that. This is a problem, because many
> > projectors will not run much higher than UVGA, so the higher
> > resolution laptops have to downsample their output to run on the
> older
> > (or cheaper) projectors. You can buy high res projectors but
> they are
> > typically quite expensive. What you’ll notice about all these
> screen
> > resolutions though is that their size is 4 units wide by 3 units
> high,
> > often referred to as a 4:3 format. This works well because IWB
> screen
> > are also 4:3 fomat. So if you get a 4:3 format computer, and a 4:3
> > format board, and a projector that matches the screen res of your
> > computer’s output, it all looks fantastic.
> >
> > But here’s the other big problem you’ll face… Most current
> laptops
> > run a widecreen WS-XGA screen… meaning they are not only a very
> > high resolution, but they are also not a 4:3 format… they are a
> > widescreen format that does not match the 4:3 format of the IWB.
> > Problem here, because either the projector will have to project
> a wide
> > image (and many won’t) and you’ll lose a strip at the top and bottom
> > of the board, or your screen will resize itself to a lower, more
> > stretched mode and while the IWB image will look great, the computer
> > screen looks crappy. If you are like my school, where teachers are
> > connected to the IWB all day, this makes working on the computer
> (for
> > checking mail, typing documents, etc) a real pain. The computer
> > screen looks awful.
> >
> > We just upgraded some laptops from ones that had a 1024×768, 4:3
> ratio
> > screen, to new tablet PCs with a widescreen, high res display, and
> > most teachers will tell you that while it’s nice to have a new
> > computer, the new machines are not as good for using the IWBs as the
> > old ones.
> >
> > Also, developing teaching resources using ActivStudio on the
> > widescreen models often means that it looks quite different when
> > projected on the IWB.
> >
> > Not sure what the answer is… the newer computers are nice to work
> > on when not connected to an IWB, but are not as good when you do.
> >
> > just something to think about.
> >
> > Chris
> >
> >
> >
> > On 19/03/2008, *Berkeley Fitzhardinge* <edgecb@gmail.com
> <mailto:edgecb@gmail.com>
>
> > <mailto:edgecb@gmail.com <mailto:edgecb@gmail.com>>> wrote:
> >
> > Hi everyone,
> > I have been asked to buy 6 notebooks for use with IWBs in a
> > Kimberley Aboriginal school.
> > I remember a few years ago hearing that a school was having
> > trouble getting a notebook to display via their Projector. At
> > that time I was buying a couple of notebooks for use with IWBs.
> > At the time advice was I should purchase a notebook with say an
> > Invidia or AYI graphics adapter rather than say the Intel one.
> > This meant purchasing a more expensive notebook – but there were
> > no problems.
> >
> > The school’s budget is around $1400 per notebook for the 6 new
> > ones. The requested operating system is Windows XP.
> >
> > What’s your experience and advice?
> >
> > Berkeley
> >
> > –
> > http://www.westcourt.wa.edu.au/home/berkeley

Hope someone finds this of use.

I wonder if the message is getting out there to school leaders? It appears that we may be destined for a class of schools that are going down the 21st century learning line and those that will firmly resist this until the inevitable forces them to change.  You can find many postings like this on the internet about Hong Kong Education.

Another thing that set me thinking was the webcast last night from digital chalkie. This may not be posted yet but I loved the introductory notes copied from this site. The main part of the dialog runs like this:

Let’s have a little competition at school and get ready for the future. I will use a laptop and you will use paper and pencil. Are you ready…?

I will access up-to-date information – you have a textbook that is 5 years old.
I will immediately know when I misspell a word – you have to wait until it’s graded.
I will learn how to care for technology by using it – you will read about it.
I will see math problems in 3D – you will do the odd problems.
I will create artwork and poetry and share it with the world – you will share yours with the class.
I will have 24/7 access – you have the entire class period.
I will access the most dynamic information – yours will be printed and photocopied.
I will communicate with leaders and experts using email – you will wait for Friday’s speaker.
I will select my learning style – you will use the teacher’s favorite learning style.
I will collaborate with my peers from around the world – you will collaborate with peers in your classroom.
I will take my learning as far as I want – you must wait for the rest of the class.
The cost of a laptop per year? – $250
The cost of teacher and student training? – Expensive
The cost of well educated citizens and workforce? – Priceless

For me, this just about says it all. I wonder how we get the word out to school leaders? I spend my days knocking on doors that are mostly closed to me!