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Ask Slashdot: Ideal High School Computer Lab?
First time accepted submitter dmiller1984 writes "I am a high school computer teacher and I've been put in the unique situation of designing my ideal computer lab since our high school will be undergoing a major expansion over the summer. I thought the Slashdot community might have some great ideas to help me out. I've never liked the lecture hall labs that I've seen in some schools, but I would like some way to get natural light in the room without worrying about glare on the computer screens (skylights, perhaps?). What are some of your ideas for a great computer lab for education?"
Only thing I can think of is add some vegetation. A few well placed plants does wonders for a room. Maybe some geek paraphernalia around the room to get people in the right mindset
As usual, ergonomics are important. Get chairs and monitors that adjust easily, keyboards/trays with the proper support (and again, adjustable) and maybe educate students on how they should set up their work environment before they. Oh, and a decent amount of desk space. Just because they are working on a computer doesn’t mean they won’t be working from a book or have some other reason to need a little room to work.
Of course once you’ve drawn your balanced, well thought out and researched plan, it will promptly be rejected and the school can proceed to bring in some cheap tables and place an order with Dell ;p
best of luck and have a great life!
One that runs Linux. But not Ubuntu.
To offset political mods, replace Flamebait with Insightful.
Linux
they filter out some light but still allow a view to the outside. Pretty good compromise, I have them in one lab and they work well, we leave them down all the time.
Never let a lack of data get in the way of a good rant.
Do it
Seriously. Ask THEM what they would like to see in a computer lab. School for me, plainly put, sucked. I did poorly because I never had any reason or desire to motivate or engage myself. Environment is important, as someone else said, but it also needs to be a place that doesn't feel forced. Put meme posters (that are safe for school) on the wall. Interesting trivia. Places students can go whenever they want to learn (slashdot!). Encourage them to learn and understand. Bring in computer parts for display. Show them what real world internet is like. Discuss and have information about the difference between over-security, network security, theatrical security, and how that ties in with laws. I think the ideal computer room should have all the evidence of what I would want to impress upon my own children about computers and the internet.
If they want to get used to working in a real-world computer environment: 1. Terrible and abrasive neon lights. 2. Cubicles. 3. Every 5 minutes someone in the class needs to bother another student with a stupid question. Focus is a perk not a right. 4. Randomly stand over a students shoulder and demand a demo, and a reason why the project is not done yet. 5. If the students work is not progressing, fail them and outsource a student from India.
Get something on the computers besides windows or osx. The kids should be exposed to something else, just to expand their knowledge a little. Ubuntu is fine, unlike the stated above comment, as long as it isn't gnome 3. We have some nice canvas-like cloth covering most of our windows, and that is able to bring in enough ambient light to not need the fluorescents. That along with matte screens also helps.
Complete with Cheetos bags and pictures of mommy. Oh, and throw in a Tesla coil and some Magic: The Gathering stuff. You want it to be realistic, right?
Screens towards you. This way the kids turn their back to the screen when they look at you, which would prevent them being distracted when you talk; it would also allow you to see what they are doing with a glance.
Let me guess...software architect on there somewhere?
0 = 1 + e^(Alt something)
Separate power strips/UPS for each workstation so no one can accidentally kick the reset button and kill the power for everyone along that wall. Especially after everyone has been coding on their final project for the last hour or so.
:(
Save early. Save often.
We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion.
The secret is to get some girls in there. It doesn't happen at all normally, but it's what is needed. Girls with short skirts, possibly without panties.
Make it a design that provides some privacy, because the lab may be the only place that some teens can surf porn. Stain-proof surfaces and antibiotic wipes would be a nice touch too.
... or your memory modules will walk, even if you don't think there is any opportunity for that to happen.
Someone had to do it.
What is the lab being used for?
What form factor are the computers?
What kind of connectivity will the computers use?
How many students at a time, and are these the top 20%, middle 60%, or bottom 20%?
What size of space?
These are all very important characteristics, and I've worked with all kinds of each. The one defining characteristic I can assert is that enough physical space both in the room and at the worksurfaces is important. When the room is cramped and the desks are cramped, the kids will be cramped, and will probably abuse the equipment more. It'll be harder to maintain and harder for custodial to keep the space clean.
I also suggest that the teacher's station be in the back on a raised platform, such that the teacher can easily see all of the screens.
I suggest a form factor like the "Small Desktop" form factor Dell has used for their Optiplex lines, and that the machines are mounted where with a little effort they can be reached by the user, but are otherwise somewhat out-of-sight, out-of-mind. Technicians performing maintenance will be pissed if they're on the back side of the desk where they can't be reached when in front of the console. Also, don't block too much access to the back, as the technician needs easy access to the connections.
If you won't need to reconfigure the lab, go with permanent fixture desks, run the data and electrical infrastructure in the furniture. Be sure to keep a good separation between data and electrical to minimize interference. If you will need to reconfigure, go with a raised floor like computer rooms use, that will allow cabling to be moved around as needed based on furniture configuration.
If the lab will be used for general ed computer-based learning rather than for technology-subject learning, put in short height partitions to separate students from each other a bit.
Avoid lighting on the blue end of the spectrum, go for yellower tones. Blue will make them fall asleep.
Avoid chairs that are too adjustable and on casters, they'll inevitably get destroyed. Chairs similar to those used in band and orchestra would be a good choice.
If you put up a projector, get one with the same aspect ratio as the teacher's station's screen. If possible, go for the same resolution. Put in a sound system too, at least a set of stereo speakers in the front connected to a small amp. Wire for everything on the projector even if you don't need it now- if you need to hook up a Blu-ray player or VCR or something later it's nice to have cabling.
Good luck. You're going to need it...
Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
I like to have my lab set up with tables put together in the middle of the room with computers around that wall. This allows space for lessons and planning away from the keyboards. Students like to move tables around when they are working in groups. Computers around the wall gives me a view of all the screens allowing me to keep students on task.
If you are even going to put workstations into the lab (at the university-level we are starting to think about getting rid of them in favour of student laptops) go virtual. It lets you easily switch the OS to suite the use of the room and there are cheap open source solutions available.
If possible give students some choice, I would have loved to be able to run Linux/UNIX-like OSes alongside Windows. Allow students to install things and tinker to learn rather than having things forced.
Implement some restrictions on website access and reward the first student that manages to bypass them.
Artwork will definitely be subject to school or district guidelines. Access to internet resources is probably controlled by the IS department and is out of the hands of the teacher.
Please don't take this the wrong way, but there's a real balance to strike between exciting diversions and core curriculum, and while there are some companies that encourage expression at work, there are probably ten times as many that don't want even cubicle decoration. Don't stifle the kids, but at the same time, don't teach them to expect so much individuality in expression that they experience a severe culture shock when they get into the workplace later. And since each student is different, there is an expectation that some kids simply won't like the environment, even if the majority of the kids are fine with it. Since we can't afford individualized instruction to that level this is simply going to be the case.
Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
How many students at one time, what career track (mostly)? Slackers or hackers? Important to know.
Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others.
You probably arent going to believe me now but in a few years you will figure out what I mean by this post.
A computer lab is better when its not a computer lab. The magic happens when the students collaborate rather than sit in rows behind computers. You should provide them with an active learning environment that has pods rather than rows. Pods of about 6-8 with a large flat screen or two with a switcher that allows each student to put up their screen to share with the pod and interact.
You spread the pods around the room and also have the ability to grab a screen and put it on the main overheads around the room. For instance you want to show what POD1 is doing, then you pull it on the main screens, show, talk, collaborate then go back and work, etc.
I am also a high school computer teacher, and our building got renovated about three years ago. I was able to ask for lots of goodies too, but be prepared for the contractors to ignore whatever suggestions you make.
That being said, there were a few important elements I insisted on. One is that I could see all the students' screens from a central location. Mostly that meant having all the PCs facing outward against three walls, with me in the middle. This was a huge improvement over the back-to-back rows we had before. The downside is that kids have to turn around if they need to see the board or the teacher.
My class is in the Career and Technical Education school, so I'm training kids to be sysadmins, programmers, and technicians. Due to the nature of the class, we have a central rack with networking equipment that's easy for the kids to crowd around. If this is something you need, make sure there's plenty of space on all sides, and use a cable tray to bring in the wiring. Also, I asked for power to be dropped from the ceiling to the center of the room so we could setup work benches to troubleshoot hardware. (That's one of the things they neglected to give me.)
Natural light is a wonderful thing, but I wouldn't worry too much about glare as long as you don't have shiny glass screens. If students will be sitting in front of these things for an hour or more at a stretch, good (and large) LCD displays will reduce eye strain. Similarly, don't expect kids to sit in crappy chairs for long periods of time. But don't get swivel rolling chairs; they'll just race and spin in them.
Probably the most used piece of technology in my room is the projector. I'd definitely get a decent one and install it where everyone can see it. I also like to be mobile in my lab, so I've got an iPad to walk around with and take notes on student work.
As long as you've got space to spare, give students as much elbow room as possible. High school kids need a little personal space so they don't get on each others' nerves. Also, more space per PC makes it easier for students to work in small groups, as they can gather three or four people around one PC.
I've got some software I'm partial to, as well. It's nice having something like Faronics Insight in the lab, which allows me to monitor what everyone is looking at, limit Internet access, or share my screen with everyone. I'm not tied to that particular brand (thought it's what I'm using right now, and works on PCs and Macs), but rather any software system that has those functions.
My lab is due to be upgraded in a year or two. I might go with laptops if it's in the budget, but we've got to work out accountability (for theft), upgradability, and a few other issues. I certainly wish I had one or two for myself, though.
I hope this helps some.
I realize this is for high school, but get them started on dual monitors early if possible. The expense isn't bad, especially since monitors usually out-last the computers two-fold or more.
We have dual monitors in our computer labs in our engineering labs, and our students always flock to our labs over the single-monitor ones the general university provides.
I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous...
I would have loved some windows in high school. Also helpful would be to have pens/pencils, paper, and other useful things nearby. Keeping printers close to a cluster of computers is amazingly helpful, cuz I dreaded the 40 foot walk to the printer in the library next door. Useful fact posters, such as helpful keyboard shortcuts, are a plus, especially to the aspiring guru. And most importantly, a physical server for file sharing/hosting that can be accessed around the campus. This is extremely helpful, especially when doing multiple projects for different classes.
If the students have to learn about networking: redundant switches, cables, network cable pliers and cable testers. And a poster describing straight & crossed cable connections and their colors.
It is hugely more pleasant to work in a computer lab where the noise of fans isn't deafening. Actually, you can pretty much get total silence now, and I strongly recommend it. Specify computers with fanless coolers (usually this is $25 even for a high-powered i7 cooler), avoid rotating disks (use SSDs or etherboot), avoid case-fans, and use silent PSUs (these are usually equipped with fan for use when flat-out, but tend to run inaudibly; they cost a little more, but last much longer).
It would be helpful to know what the budget for the lab is, how many workstations are they hoping to accommodate, and what the purpose for the lab would be. Without that information, its hard to give any useful suggestions. I recommend LED lighting, as it is dimmable and easy on the eyes, but also saves electricity.
Could these options help focus your mind to what you need?
Please be more specific and make up your mind. This is (I am sure you know), Slashdot.
When I was in high school and was a budding sysadmin, I was really fascinated with operating systems. I didn't just want to use Linux, but I wanted to try every OS that I could get my hands on. I tried all kinds of Linux distros, and I also spent a lot of time running FreeBSD. I also tried BeOS, but it was dead by the time I got to it.
What would be really neat is if students had access to a variety of OS's that they could play with and learn to work with, such as Linux, OpenSolaris, BSD, and of course even Windows and Mac OS. You might even try getting some of the oddball systems to run like SkyOS, Syllable, ReactOS, Haiku, FreeDOS--the more the better.
Of course, computer labs are for more than just OS experimentation, but if you set aside a couple of older boxes with multiboot or maybe just install some nice VM software somewhere I think you'll attract some inquisitive students and inspire them to learn.
"Guns. Lots of guns."
Or at least with openable cases. Have a drawer with spare parts, allow student to freely play with the hardware. Or at least have some stations that are "fair game".
Have a few stations with arduinos and basic electronics linked.
Give students a homepage with a kind of dynamic pages activated (php, python, perl, cgi, whatever)
The Wise adapts himself to the world. The Fool adapts the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the Fool.
Fill the lab with Winders or fruit and students will tend to skid to a halt at a "power user" level of proficiency. Fill it with uninstalled white box PCs and Linux CDs, and they will learn many valuable things in the process of creating a usable network. Sure, they may never again need to do a lot of that stuff, but at least they will understand why it's necessary.
"You know that teacher we hated in the high school computer course? I just realized I learned something that year that prevented a corporate meltdown today."
Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: If you're seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it.
Standing-heighth desks!!! Changed my "crap, gotta sit on my ass all day" life.
Get a 3D printer, vinyl cutter, poster printer, and other fabrication tools so that the computers can be applied to a wider domain. Grab some arduinos and electronics to interface computers with sensors and motors. Consider getting some easily hackable gadgets like kinects, wii-motes, webcams. A couple DSLRs w/ fluorescent light kits & green screen?
I'd include ubuntu, OS X, and windows in your network if you can; if you're creating a budget of some sort, don't forget creative software costs (Visual Studio, Adobe Suite, Autodesk).
Make sure you will be able to grant administrator access without compromising the lab (you can use something like windows steady state, but I'd also keep backup images at a clean state). A local storage server with redundancy is a good idea to keep system images and other work safe.
Go for the skylights and vegetation; there are a lot of shade loving vines and plants that thrive with only a little light.
Opaque skylights (ie, they let light in, but not direct light), will liven up the lab without introducing a lot of glare. If you are going to have counters along the walls for the computers, instead of the holes with grommets to string the wires through, just us a trough that has a removable lid. If you are going to have tables for workstations (or other movable furniture) consider extensive in-floor wiring (perhaps even a floating floor), so the lab can be as flexible as possible. Plants are another good idea, however keep them close to any windows you may have issues keeping them alive without some direct sunlight. Make sure the walls are all white, try to throw in some color, same goes for the ceiling, if it is a suspended ceiling, make sure to use either colored tiles (you can get them in many shades) and perhaps varying textures (you can get some to make the room look like something neo-classical or post-modern). DO NOT have adjustable swing arms for keyboards, as they aren't very strong and will break down quickly. Instead make sure the chairs are adjustable and the heights of the computers are adjustable, as they tend to last longer than the keyboard supports.
Make sure the computers themselves are capable of running what you need them to run. Sounds obvious, but I'm currently enrolled in a college course that has us running IIS, Visual Studio and MS Office inside Windows Server 08, all inside VMWare. On a reasonably modern computer with plenty of memory, it would be tolerable. On the Pentium IV, 2GB RAM machines we're using, though, we spend as much time working as we do waiting for the computer to respond.
(If you're about to say "just use LAMP ffs", that's what I told the prof. He said MS is requiring the class be taught this way for them to maintain their MSAA license).
I used Ubuntu before it was cool.
While this is perhaps a bit over the top for a High School lab, I think the ideal college computer lab would be one that puts an absolute prohibition on software going into the lab. The idea here is that competent computer science students ought to be capable of writing all of the software necessary for such a lab... including the operating system and even the TCP/IP stack and even the compilers. Since it is all being done there in the school.... document it and make sure that everybody knows what you are doing.
No, it wouldn't be something built in a single semester or term, but it would do a whole lot of good for people coming out of a college being exposed to actual hardware and working out the problems of how software is built, or why certain things are being done.
Of course this concept of a computer lab is something that professors and university administrators bent on producing an assembly line of future workers for IT companies would hate, because obviously they wouldn't be able to learn the "cool" tools being used elsewhere. But it would give them exposure to actual computer science and be able to understand how operating systems actually work rather than taking it on blind faith and assuming it is a black box.
In that lab, I'd also put paper copies of most of the RFCs from the IETF (or perhaps ASCII text files), as well as copies of the ACM and IEEE journals as well as other legitimate sources of information that competent programmers ought to be reading anyway. Games would be permitted, but it would have to be games that were developed inside the lab and not brought in from outside. Give access to this lab 24/7 to students, and see what some very creative people could actually come up with. Since the OS was just something thrown together by another student, encouraging students to rewrite parts of the OS would even be encouraged (and source code would be presumably available in such situations). Depending on school policies, encourage or even expect students to release everything developed in the lab under some sort of "open source" license (preferably GPL or MIT).
A "computer lab" for teaching Spanish drills would be pretty conventional. A "computer lab" for computers should be a big empty space ready to receive about 300 late model used computers from the recycling center. That, screwdrivers, and Linux install CDs.
I don't care as long as it's clean and cleaned regularly.
One constant I've found between all school and university computer labs is that everything is fucking filthy.
And half of everything is broken.
If your lab has the software I need, the hardware I need, the space I need, it all works and it's not filthy, I don't think there's anything more I could possibly want.
Dark and dank - think mom's basement. A fridge with energy drinks, Twinkies, and supplied with dual floppy Apple IIs.
Comment removed based on user account deletion
Lots of low level lighting makes for a very pleasant environment for using a screen.
To go with the computers, it would be great if you had some sort of library. Even just one bookshelf with useful reference books: introduction to programming in Python, HTML 5 reference, vim reference, etc.
I'd like to suggest a Safari site license, if you can afford it. They might offer an affordable Safari license for schools?
http://safaribooksonline.com/
P.S. I hope the computers will have Linux available at least as an option.
steveha
lf(1): it's like ls(1) but sorts filenames by extension, tersely
In terms of lighting, I would say windows perpendicular to the rows. I there is a lecture area, the computers can be facing into a center, with desks or tables in the center. If the students are going to have to practice techniques that you demonstrate, there should be at least three projectors facing the three directions. Some people have TVs set up, but no one can read those. If you have software to take over the computer and display what is doing, that doesn't work because students just disable or ignore it. Have an elmo so that you can show documents, also connected to all the screens. If you want, get some monitors to set at seated eye level around the room so that students with bad eyesight can look at the monitors. Basically everything you do is mirrored around the room on various devices.
I would recommend something that restores the computer to a known state on restart. I would have a server for each student to store work, and for the teacher to store materials the students much access. This can be done remotely, but even today the WAN is not 100% perfect, so having a LAN in the room i really helpful.If each student can have an account with space limitations, that is also good.
But when I think of a computer lab I also think of maintaining the resources for all computer and providing the relative level of supervision that each student requires. That means that the teachers location is generally behind rows of computers rather than in front. Laptops are good from older or well trained younger students, but not for on level freshman. The reason is that laptops can be easily damaged, for example keyboard ripped up or screen broken, and the whole units has to be replaced. Laptops also have to be secured if they are not collected after every class, preferable with an alarmed cable.
This is an issue as students do not always have a clear way to express their frustration, and sometimes the computer seems the most obvious target, not only because it is a source of frustration but if the computer is not working then they cannot be expected to do work. Also, off task students can inadvertently or purposefully disable a computer. This if sometime done in an attempt to prove the student is smarter than the teacher, but it really doesn't. Defense is always more costly than attack, and a teacher who spends time fixing computers disabled by the smartest students is not teaching, so these smartest kids are denying educational opportunities to others. Therefore a lab has to be setup to minimize time spent on technical issues, and maximize the time the students spend learning fundamental concepts of computing.
"She's a scientist and a lesbian. She's not going to let it slide." Orphan Black
That's easy. Give every student a laptop and a copy of Ubuntu and let the world be their lab. Hire a few geeks to answer questions and help the students if they get stuck.
And please, no remote control cameras on the computers. Assistant Principals tend to be pervs.
You are welcome on my lawn.
1. Raised floor. 4", a short one. And get extra tiles. Tech changes and you'll need to reconfigure the room every couple years to keep up. With raised floor you can put network and power on flexible whips and move them around where you need them. This'll allow you to move desks, move computers, move everything. You're going to put holes in these tiles. Later you'll discover you need some of the holes filled in. That isn't possible. So you'll need the extra tiles to cut new.
2. Dedicated supplemental HVAC. A room full of computers will get hotter than the ordinary school HVAC can handle during the spring and fall. It'll get even hotter during the winter when the school heating system pumps out the heat. The normal solution - a thermostat-controlled duct damper - isn't going to do you much good. You need a small, inexpensive HVAC that can put out a couple tons of cooling supplementing the normal school HVAC.
3. Second dedicated HVAC for the server closet unless you're remoting the class servers in the school's IT room. In which case, make sure the school's IT room has a dedicated HVAC.
4. 200 amp subpanel in the room. You'll find you need to reconfigure the electrical when you reconfigure the room. Reconfiguring all the way back to a basement circuit breaker panel will be costly and problematic.
Moderating "-1, Disagree" is simple censorship. Have the guts to post your opinion.
Well as has been said, it depends on what you are teaching, but "High School Computer Teacher" may mean A+ computer repair, Programming, Microsoft office, etc. I taught computer repair, and the thing I wanted most was work space. It would be nice if the monitors could swing away under or behind the desks and have some hooks for keyboard and mouse on the side or something so you could clear the desk space for doing actual labs like tear down some donated computers and reassemble them, explore the parts etc. To facilitate this the computer should not be on top of the desk. In so many labs I've seen the computer/monitor/keyboard take up every inch of desk space so that you can't even find a good place for reference material, books, or other tools. If I go really crazy the classroom looks like this.
1. Small form factor computers under the desk or attached to the underside.
2. Pico projector and pull down/up screen built in rather than a monitor
3. Place to stow keyboard and mouse
The projector should automatically go to sleep when the screen is rolled up. Going from computers on to computers gone should take ~10 seconds. You do your lectures, labs and other exercises with the computers completely out of the way, and bring them right back up when they are required. Oh and the screens should be slightly translucent so you can see what the kids are doing from both the front and the back of the classroom.
First off, drop the posters. I agree...
You want little neon lights strings illuminating the room so it looks like TRON.
You want posts of Yori & Quora. So girls know they can be programs too!
Seriously, I'm not sure the room is the biggest deal. But I would press for the following.
Two high res projectors or better yet 55"-65" LCD screens. On opposite sides from each other.
I would use L desks. Four workstations to an L. Two students on each wing of the L.
Why?
Because this facilitates paired programming, and small group programming (2,4). And if arranged in an offset (8) students.
All computers should be dual monitor. This will allow you to present and it be viewed on one screen while they work on the other.
Suggest putting in an order for a couple of Kinects as well. As these could provide an avenue for development that the kids might enjoy.
Arrange the room so that you can have two groups, each with a large screen and a Kinect. This can allow them to compete.
****
As for GLARE, it's really simple. Put up huge honking windows. But have them be completely covered with white cotton. Essentially turning all of the windows into large "light soft boxes".
This way the room is bright but glare is reduced. Try to get "matte finish" monitors.
Ask to have all computers equipped with two hard drives. One which contains the core OS and software. A second which can contain a virtual machine software and for which students can muck around and learn.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Standard-Softboxes/ci/1337/N/4276734332
I designed a small space for 6 workstations that was used for 2 years, it was pretty popular among the students, they hung out there and worked all hours of the day and night, usually 4 or 5 of the workstations were occupied during "normal working" hours. Then, I was asked to design the upgraded lab with 18 terminals in a larger space. The main thing I asked for from a lighting/facility aspect was workspace spotlights (in those days, incandescent lights in a can which throw a spot on the desk but not on the screens - today I'd go LED), and I asked for 72" desks because our students worked in pairs. I arranged the 18 desks in a sort of random/scattered layout (both for the 6 and 18 terminal labs), which put most workstations in a semi-isolated space, usually with at most one other workstation in a "hey, can you tell me..." line of sight asking distance.
Well, it was 20+ years ago, so I don't remember if I actually got the can-spots or not, what I do remember was that the man in charge said "thanks a lot for the design, but we're going to lay them out in rows so that when a visitor looks in the window from the hallway they will see all the screens, it's impressive." Yeah, it was impressive alright. The desks shrank to 54" to make 3 rows of 6 work in the available space, people were on each other's elbows all the time and, generally speaking, no more than 3 or 4 workstations were ever occupied at a time because people felt cramped if more than half the terminals were full, so they generally stayed away except for absolutely required lab time.
One thing that I noticed in my high school computer labs is that if there was a seperate "classroom" and "computer" section, we tended to do MUCH better. You see, when you put a high school student in front of a computer, his/her mind shuts off. If they don't have an assignment, they immediately go to the internet and start looking at Facebook, Twitter, etc. This makes lectures impossible when students are sitting in front of a computer. For that reason, you should do all your lecturing either in a completely separate room, or at computer-less desks clearly separated in another part of the room. The other suggestion I have is to have all your computers at little islands in the room that you can freely move about in. Have maybe 3 or 4 computers at each island, facing outwards. Give each island a power strip, and comfortable rolling chairs. This will make it easier for you to keep track of what the students are working on, and encourages collaboration within the small groups.
I've used many layouts. For high school I am not sure. Depends on usage.
The silly typing courses many high schools have-- if that is all it is for, then old terminals are plenty good + make it more office like with typical office chairs etc since posture is part of that topic. Adjustable screens, keyboards etc should be part of it-- as the parent post suggests. possibly even have a couple styles to choose from (learning to type is a waste of time, but learning to save your hands and back is so important later...) no desk needed for such a class... Classic typewriters would outlast any computer and work just as well to build that skill. keyboards are cheap; typing programs run just fine on Apple ][s. I might have a WORKING one in the basement, probably still runs typing tutor...
The worst "lab" I've had is a normal room with a parameter of computers desks. This makes it easy to see what people are doing and stand in the center area; its horrible for college lectures because they can't use the computer and see what you are showing; on the plus side, they can't use the computer... Our newer "labs" decided upon this kind of layout to make a clean break between lecture and computer lab time physically; I hate this while others like it. For high school this may work out; despite it requiring more floor space than a normal room - its not all that disruptive to make them move during class; they are kids and likely need some moving around...and some discipline in doing so maturely. Without locked down machines you know they'll goof off and if you lock it down, a kid like myself will be distracted by that challenge... You can easily see what is going on with a parameter layout (plus equip the room far cheaper.)
The coolest lab I've seen was one with individual desks that had monitors IN THE DESK; it was odd to look downward but also really cool. takes a little getting used to-- I've not got that lab, the math dept has it. probably good for their needs.
Daylight is nice; however, a brightly lit room is more important than windows; full spectrum bulbs are enough. When I was in school it was dim all the time; now they seem to have double the lights! A board student or easily distracted student LOVES WINDOWS. I shut the blinds. Skylights waste energy in heating or cooling in most places.
Every computer lab I've used which was full became stuffy after a while; I figured it was the extra heat in the room that caused it to feel that way; except in rooms designed as labs where they had extra venting planned... Those would often seem too cold and dry (I should complain someday.) I would STRONGLY recommend some of the NASA plants... actually, a ton of them would be needed-- hang them around the parameter of the room up high and SOLID. The feeling of the room is greatly improved by this; plus the humidity will be more natural and the oxygen level will be higher. (see snake plant, I think its the best one on the list. I don't have a room of my own or I would do this.) Peppermint. Its a smell, not a taste and its a mental stimulant like ginko (it works, ginko doesn't do jack for me.) Two proven impacts: 1) mental subconscious connection to the room and past situation upon entering the room. 2) it wakes you up mentally although it has to be rather strong for that. There is no official allergy, but I sprinkle the oil around the room secretly before class. The plant doesn't smell as much but you could grow that... (I suggest putting a few drops on the keyboards, haven't busted one yet!)
Metalic PAINT... I hate cell phones... the kids these days (girls) can text amazingly fast... if you could only get them to properly type gossip to each other under their desks...
ANY kind of development work can use LARGE monitors! actually, 2 cheaper ones makes a lot of sense... since most people are going to laptops and will hook up a 2nd display... If you do any graphic work, get nice monitors; if its just typing any crap will do. DO NOT get all-in-one computers. that is just stupid. Also if you do developm
Democracy Now! - uncensored, anti-establishment news
Make sure for every one computer you have 1.5 Ethernet jacks (also make sure its at least cat6) and 3 power plugs, don't think about what will suit today, think about the possibilities of tomorrow and what you will need before you have to throw extra power strips and ethernet switches in. Also make sure your desks are as free as possible underneath (no dividers between stations) so when you buy new equipment 5 years from now, if its larger or smaller you can easily adjust.
Skip the projector screen and get the wall it will be pointed at painted for the projector, or look at the promethean or smart board setups. Wire a sound system in.
As for windows just make sure the sun doesn't shine directly through them in the morning or afternoon on to where the computers will be or be line of sight for students looking at their monitors. Also if its in the budget get the remote operated blinds for all the windows, for when you need that extra darkness.
Do all of the support for the lab so you can truly understand how it all works.
Our computer lab was awesome until the district fucked it up. The computers all autoreimaged themselves from a seperate partition on reboot, so you could fuck it up hard and nothing bad would happen. Everyone was admin. It worked great! Need a program installed? No problem! Seriously, do this.
Ever seen anything about Academy City?
A good way to start is to ask current and former students, and teachers at other schools. Also think about the type of environment you would like to learn in.
When I was in high school ( class of 1972; IBM 1620; punched cards ) I loved my computer course so much that I came in before first class to read manuals and do stuff on my own. I was not aware of my physical environment.
Also, please make sure some attractive, physically mature, but reckless young women are in each class.
Don't mess with The Phone Company. Piss them off and you'll be using two tin cans and a piece of string.
One of the lovely things about IT is that (theoretically) one person can make something that can instantly be used by millions.
Possibly that's a little bit optimistic, but the best motivation for anything I've made is somebody looking at something I've built and and just saying "I like that"
Or maybe even better - "I would like it even more if it did x", then building "x" and then getting the feedback (mainly when you realize not including x was a retarded over-sight).
I'm not quite sure how you support this in the design of the room, but maybe find a way of allowing those not in the class to see what's happening. Windows into the room, something that people can look at if they just wander in - maybe even just a 40" screen outside pointing to stuff available to all on a site of what's been made in the room that day.
I guess my point would be that the room shouldn't just be for people making things (50 ergonomic workstations are lovely - but they'll only ever look like 50 ergonomic workstations) - it should help show the rest of the world what's being produced in that room. 'Selling' what's being made isn't really for the people they're selling to, but to provide encouragement to the creators.
I haven't read all the comments that have been posted, but...
I think having very long white boards (or even entire walls painted out with that "whiteboard" paint) would be a great way for the kids/instructors to be able to communally hash out ideas in meatspace. Most rooms don't seem to have enough spaces like this to jot down ideas, draw, write, and think out loud...
Dual projectors that are hooked up to the teacher's(your) computer, or a overhead projector of sorts, and a lot of those desks that can hold an entire computer system ( monitors on arms that hide inside the desk, drawer under for keyboard and mouse, and a little platform for the actual tower). This makes it easy to see if people are cheating (if they can't use the computers on a test) because it is obvious that the monitor is up and out.
And not just one at the front for the teacher to use. Several of them, on all walls, for the students to use.
Whatever it is they are doing on the computers they can benefit from some planning and collaboration first and whiteboards are great for facilitating this.
Don't go with smartboards either. A plain low-tech whiteboard will work much better.
Ryans Tutorials - A collection of technology tutorials.
... and all the other very creative software companies out there. A couple of other posts have already mentioned to make it *not* look like a computer lab. That's the best idea. Make it a space that allows creativity, not a bland white room with rows of boring machines. (or at least try and limit that as much as possible.) Also is there a chance that folks will bring in their own systems? (laptops, etc?) Allow room for this, either with extra desk space or couches and beanbags.
We want coders who can collaborate, and think creatively. Think about making a space that helps foster that.
Start with the Infrastructure: wiring, power, desks, layout etc. Computers come and go, and even if you buy brand new computers, they will be gone in 5 years. Infrastructure will last, so make sure it is done RIGHT!!
Second, think about HOW you're going to teach "computers", and what that really means. You asked about "computers" and I'm thinking you don't know what you are teaching. Probably "Word", "Excel", and "Powerpoint", but if you want to do your students a favor, don't teach "Programs" or "Applications" teach what they do "writing", "spreadsheet", and "presentation" ... and make them use a variety of programs to accomplish the assignments.
Finally, make sure you have something like VISION in your lab.
Agent K: A *person* is smart. People are dumb, stupid, panicky animals, and you know it.
Clients w/small SSD boot drives (32-64GB should be fine). Load w/ 8GB RAM. CPUs could be dual core, maybe quad for editing workstations. GeForce 240 gfx cuz they're cheap modern and powerful enough for most use. Maybe better gfx for editing workstations GigE from clients to switch, 10GbE switch to server, all client storage hosted via Thunderbolt or FibreChannel RAID (dual 4Gb should be fine) attached to server. RAID 6 configuration, backed up to second RAID. User accounts managed and hosted on server. Keep it off main school LAN. Optional: tape backup/archive.
Load clients with free software of all stripes. Productivity, design, audio, development, editing, etc.
I am the entire IT department for a private K-12 school. I also teach an accelerated C++ class to high schoolers in that lab over the summer. We have one computer lab with 25 PCs. Here are some of the things I've done or plan to do to make it a pleasant and productive work environment, in no particular order:
1) Have a good projector. Our projector does not support resolutions above 1024x768 and it can be a pain when the working window is needlessly smaller because of large static elements like the taskbar and toolbars.
2) Install in-ceiling speakers connected to the teacher workstation to distribute sound evenly. I recommend in-ceiling speakers from Monoprice.
3) Have a free-for-all shared network drive for students. We have three shared drives: one for students, one for all staff, and one for just office workers. This is probably one of the features that's easiest to set up yet appreciated the most.
4) Use centralized logins. At my school I have a passwordless "student" account with a mandatory profile, while all other accounts are roaming profiles with redirected folders. I've not heard any complaints about this. Students get the same desktop experience on every computer, and teachers love that their settings are shared between computers. I also offer (through the logon pop-up message) to create roaming profiles to students who want this feature, but no one has yet taken me up on this. Probably because no one ever reads that message.
5) Set up Fortres Grand Clean Slate or Faronics Deep Freeze on at least a few computers and configure them such that every account is an Administrator. There will always be students who'll want to install a legit program you haven't foreseen. Let them.
6) Keep software up-to-date. No one likes using Firefox 2.0 or MSIE 6.0 on locked-down PCs. Do this either through group policy (if you're fearless) or by reimaging PCs on student breaks. Reimaging works because everyone's documents and settings already live on the server.
7) This is controversial, but allow students and staff to attach any personal device to the network. We have a schoolwide wireless network, so this allows everyone to stay connected no matter what part of the building they're in. This has been tremendously popular at my school, and so far haven't had any issues.
8) Use standby. No one minds it, and it saves a huge amount of energy. Use something like Faronics Power Save Enterprise if you want fine-grained control, or just configure Windows power settings to go on standby after X minutes of inactivity. As a bonus, standby is also quick to reveal defective RAM. (Bluescreen, "hardware problem, contact manufacturer")
If anyone reading this is in Cedar Rapids / Iowa City of Iowa, I am an IT consultant and would love to implement this at more schools. :-)
deep freeze is good and you don't need lock down to the point of braking app's and makeing it hard to do stuff.
Just one comment: our lab had computers (Windows) that were lease-purchase from the vendor. The school system was saving money by going the lease route. We came back the September of the 3rd year of the lease and found that all the previous computers had been replaced with newer ones over the summer. Sounds great, except that all our instruction files were missing along with all our purchased software that was special for the math/science environment we'd battled to get funding for. Whoops!
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Periodic tables you should be worrying about and adding to it ;-) How are you going to make progress as a scientist if you are worried about you computer system or network.
Just a few deep thoughts to help you think about something far more important.
All cows eat grass!
My private high school had no concept of computers. There was one in the library. (Which I amused myself on the way out of the school by setting all files on the disk to hidden. Hilarious, and more importantly, didn't break anything - but I think they ended up reinstalling. :p)
When I switched to public school, there were two different takes on computers. The lab, in the main high school, was a mix of 286s and 386s, which were so horribly out of date it was ridiculous. (Meanwhile, there was a verified room full of not-top-of-the-line-modern-but-fuck-me-286s-really? Pentium II-based systems, in boxes, locked away, doing nothing. As far as I'm aware, they stayed in that room, doing nothing, and are probably still there.)
So the hardware I used in my "Programming" class was shit.
The instructor was worse. She was a generic math teacher. You know the chick on The IT Crowd?
Yeah. We're talking that level of technical expertise.
The school - a pretty decent sized school - had no concept of hiring anyone with IT experience. No, computers involve math or something, so clearly, a math teacher would do.
Ugh.
Also, no sky lights. For the love of god, Montressor - no sky lights. There's nothing worse than a line of light in the middle of your goddamned monitor.
If your students are learning to be sysadmins, get them removable hard drive cases for each PC (about $20-30 each - and you don't need hot swap units). Give each student a HDD in a caddy that they are responsible for and they store in a locked cupboard in the room when they are done. This way they can partition the drive and install whatever OS they need on it (or multiples). If they screw up the drive then they will soon learn to fix it.
nevermind you can do everything faronics does with linux + ntfsclone for the cost of labor
and farnoics is a gigantic vendor lockin clusterfuck to the twin houses of money wasting and mysterious breakage.
what matters is that the students have the freedom to build things and explore their creativity and imagination.
other than that, it doesnt matter if you have a bunch of old pentiums or a $500,000 artist designed "dead tech post modern bullshit" decor.
education is about the relationship between people, not about gadgets, whiteboards, network policies, projectors, natural light, or any of that other bullshit.
Didn't bother to read all the comments so maybe this has been covered. But just in case:
Speaking from experience. Make sure that there is a comfortable place in the room from which you, or whoever is watching over the lab can see every monitor. Do not depend on tools that allow you to look at the screens one by one. You want to know what is going on in your lab, who is having trouble, what forbidden conduct is going on, etc. You don't have to pounce on every transgression BTW. If an otherwise OK student wants to play Freecell toward the end of the lab period, maybe it's OK to overlook it. Your call.
But you want to try to make sure that the "troublemakers" -- who may well be smarter and more computer savvy than you are -- have not bypassed the firewall and are not adding pornography as an optional feature on the school's website.
You can't see ANYTHING from a car, You've got to get out of the goddamned contraption and walk...Edward Abbey
Thats the way it really should be. Can anyone here hack Frozen State ???
About 5 yrs ago, the Fortune10 company where I worked was tired of buying developer licenses for literally thousands of dev desktops. Setting up development desktops was a hassle, take days to complete, the devs would install unapproved tools and violate license agreements. They'd use IDEs that weren't approved and use languages that the company didn't want used. Instead, they deployed server farms for Windows, Sun, AIX, Linux, HP-UX and others - yes, others (not Mac). Even the Windows devs got used to it pretty quickly. We were able to outsource some of the development to India by creating a VPN between each group and their specific servers. The outsources wasn't actually cheaper long-term, but trying it was pretty easy.
Developers should get used to working on development systems that they don't setup or run or maintain. Basically, they need to understand RDP and X/Windows and ssh access to shared servers.
We did this for a number of reasons, too complex to explain here. Security was at the center.
The plan for our high school is to get rid of all labs and each student gets a tablet (Android). Will use Citrix for Win 7 desktops an other OS.
Please don't focus on making a lab with rows of desks. Research is showing that if you want students to engage with ICTs in the learning process, it needs to move away from how the ergonomics of the room is setup. Will the lab be used across all KLA (subjects areas)? If it is, consider what these subjects need to really engage with the technology. Desks which can be reconfigured to collaborate in breakout spaces should be considered. Read up on some of the stuff that Stephen Heppell has to say about agile learning spaces. Some of the stuff from the UK future labs should be considered also. Consider putting up LCDs on the side walls to replicate what is shown on the front screen. Also if students can collaborate in groups and project on the screens in small groups. Sure, wired Ethernet is king for management. For collaborative learning it's hard to beat ubiquitous wireless. Kids arent tethered to locations. Power pits in floor if you can afford it. Does your school run a 1:1 program? We are slowly phasing out labs, and turning them into general purpose areas. Keep asking. Sure, Ubuntu and the other suggestions might be good, but what's the total cost of ownership? If non-tech teachers are trying to engage in there, make it as simple as possible. Good luck!
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Natural lighting is good if strategically placed and diffused to raise the general ambient level. In general though keep those obnoxious old-school fluorescent tube lights to a modest minimum (if at all). They're hell on the eyes, especially if not bounced off a ceiling first. Let them do the job of minimal ambient and save the workspace lighting tasks for point lighting fixtures.
As for environment, light colored wood (think bamboo), some greenery, and pictures--actual props even if possible--themed from the history of computing. Avoid long rows of computer stations. Think small groups or short lines. For instance lecture space up front, short lines of three workstations facing angled to the outside on either side of an aisle such that you can walk up and down and easily see the screens but the students don't have to unnaturally twist all the way around to follow you up at the front.
Two of my imaginary friends reproduced once
Triple Boot OS. Mac Linux and Windows.
A rack with switches and patching so kids can learn the hands on basic network stuff.
A Webserver where kids can build there own websites.
Work bench so kids can pull apart hardware. hopefully be able to put it together again.
Computers around the outside of the room so the teacher can stand in the middle and see every monitor.
4 Projectors one for each wall so every kid can see while looking at their own monitor.
Wireless access so kids and teachers can use a laptop as well as a desktop.
Lots of surge protected power outlets.
I ran a Network at a High School (1400 kids & 13 Labs) in NZ and these are the things I found would have made life easier for the kids and teacher.
We had 3 labs of dual boot iMacs was in the process of adding a third OS. Having more than 1 OS was brilliant!
Please contact DHS K12 ... they can help you with this.
We used Deepfreeze for awhile but they tried Clean Slate because it was cheaper. Now we're going back to Deepfreeze because Cleanslate won't let us install Ie8 or Office 2010 even when disabled.
I wish they'd just spent the money to train someone how to set policies, but they never did and probably never will.
Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
The University of Kentucky has done some great research combining natural light and artificial light. See their site http://www.uky.edu/solarhouse/light.html
Large glass windows, preferably on the second story on up.
Don't put any windows on the first floor, as someone will put a brick through them and make off with the machines in the middle of the night. Repeatedly, as experience recalls.
I am John Hurt.
You should take a look at Grattan primary school in the San Francisco school district. The link is good, and googling will turn up more. It's outrageously good. The kids love it. Yes, those are live plants and live bugs. Yes, several of the computers are in a tree house and several are in a huge canoe.
Many of the ideas could apply to a high school computer lab, though probably not every detail is appropriate.
The ideal computer science lab is actually found in 3 other places: your math class, your english language class, and your logic class (usually a sub part of your math class).
All the computers in the world don't mean jack if you can't string together a logical argument, reason about your algorithms, and be able to communicate your ideas.
Keep the machines themselves pretty open - let them dink around with settings, install junk, play around with stuff, etc... But have a steady-state client locked down and active in the pre-boot environment, so every time they log out and/or reboot the machine everything gets wiped and you start fresh. Keeps down on the viruses, too.
My Other Computer Is A Data General Nova III.
Please have a look at this concept of a window / ventilator http://www.flickr.com/photos/46922157@N00/
Not only are good keyboards good for ergonomics, but wear. These keyboards will take a beating. If you get the cheap $10 keyboards, you might as well get 5 for each workstation so when one breaks, you get the next out of the closet.
Fight Spammers!
If you use Aqua Connect you can provide each student with a Mac desktop, but be able to lock it down, eliminate fan noise (most thin clients don't need fans, and reduce power consumption. Or if you want to force the students into a Windows environment, there is Windows Terminal Server.
Fight Spammers!
Overbuilt that shit, if you have the money. Reason is that as the GP says it'll outlast, it is a pain to replace, and demands will probably go up. The one I'd try for sure to over-spec is the network. Put in Cat-6a cable. I know it looks like 10 gigabit is something totally unnecessary but will it still be that way in 20 years? Because the lab will still probably be there. If you put in Cat-5e in 10 or 20 years, there is a reasonable chance the wiring will need to be replaced or the speeds will be "slow". Put in 6a and maybe it takes more like 30-40 years to get to that point.
I'd also go heavy on the power provision. While I hear plenty of people say "Computer aren't going to keep using more power, they already use too much," they keep finding ways to use more power. While a dedicated circuit per station is probably too expensive, go as close to that as you can. Try and make sure there is at least 4 amps per station for computer and monitor and extras. That means just 5 stations per 20 amp circuit. Yes that is a lot of extra power, but it means that in the future someone won't be cursing because new systems use more power than the setup can handle.
Also on the power lines, make sure each station has more than two outlets. Have at least one in easy reach for a laptop or the like, and have two to four extras for other stuff. Maybe it is speakers, maybe it is a tool for learning (like an NI-EVVIS) whatever the case, life will be much easier if the outlets are there and there doesn't have to be tons of power strips laying around haphazardly.
In terms of furniture, think durability. Like most things it won't get replaced often, so it needs to last. Get fabrics and designs that can stand up to abuse. That will probably cost more and will certainly exclude some "designer" crap but that is what you want.
In terms of computer hardware only thing I'd say it look at getting some decent monitors. Monitors tend to outlast computer a good bit, so long as they don't fail, are large enough, etc. It can be worth it to spend a bit more on good monitors so they can last through 2-4 computer replacements.
We had two ASR-33 Teletypes and a CRT dumb terminal.
Everybody vied to get on the CRT terminal because it displayed upper case and was 300 baud. The teletypes were 110 baud.
It was good enough for us. 640K? You're kidding, right?
...if you are considering what should be included in a high school computer lab, the obvious answer is....
Girls.
paintball
I look for three things in a classroom: can the students collaborate, can I freely move around the class to work with each student, and can I present information to the entire class. The lecture hall layout with the rows widely spaced is the easiest way to do that.
When the desks are in rows, the students can work with their peers to the left and the right. They can see each other's monitor and talk face-to-face.
Widely spaced rows allow the teacher to move around the classroom to assist students, and offers the teacher a clear sight-line to other rows to monitor progress.
Finally, the students are always facing the front of the room when you need to present information to the class.
The only real problem with the lecture hall layout is that it is stigmatized: it is old school schooling, therefore bad. That attitude is silly. Modern teaching methodologies are about human interactions. As long as the teacher has the freedom to move around the classroom and students have the ability to work with each other face to face, you are facilitating those human interactions.
(Note: I usually use a different layout, but I teach children. Their small bodies allow me to use "L" shaped pods with clearly defined groups for activities.)
We're renovating (well adding) a computer room this year. What we're doing is making the whole room modular. The desks will have metal plates that the PCs (AIOs) will mount on. The tiling on the floor will allow for the desks to be moved into any sort of grid arrangement that will fit in the classroom, and then posts will secure the desks to the floor. The server is in a separate room and the PCs connect through the network through wi-fi. Also each student is able to log on to the system using their NFC student cards. The desk themselves allow for either standing or sitting since the monitors can be angled back and brought down or up if needed. The entire room will be covered in white boards as well, allowing for brainstorming anywhere in the room. This is great to allow students to brainstorm in groups around the room, then go back to the PCs to do their work. We will also have a 5 foot touch wall for interactive demonstrations and teaching. The desks power system will be piggy backed, so we don't spend too much money on setting up plugs everywhere.
Physics is imagination in a straight jacket. ~John Moffat
I worked in a high school that had gone through a massive investment in computer technology under the assumption that the mere presence of PCs in every classroom was some kind of education panacea. And, they were on the way to buying laptops for *every* high school student with just as little preparation.
The first thing you need to start with is having a game plan to make use of your computers as well as a way to educate all the teachers that will be accessing your labs to craft lesson plans. Second, you need to make an honest assessment of how much access your lab(s) will have. Then, and only then do the normal network admin issues come into play.
I will say this; high school kids will do the damnedest things in your labs and you better be prepared to deal with them. Some posters here think that jacking with a school IT network is a geek's rite of passage, but it's not fun scrubbing systems after a bunch of pimply wannabe hackers have clumsily manipulated your configurations:
* A 16-ish girl looking at lingerie catalogs online to apparently entice the 30-ish boyfriend I saw her in town with. :(
* Kids stealing mouse tracking balls because they were "neat".
* Porn downloads of course. I even found a beastiality mpeg on a machine once
* Expect zero sophistication when it comes to downloading files.
* Usual script kiddie crap.
I'd say the one advantage you have is with well-communicated policies, you can convince your superiors to enforce stricter policies than in other environments because you're dealing with children at their most devious.
I swear to God...I swear to God! That is NOT how you treat your human!
Hi, I just retired from 15 years at a community college teaching NetWare then NT derivatives and finally, Internet delivered classes in Linux and network security. For me, VirtualBox (or similar) has been the most valuable advance in the hands-on lab assignments so common to teaching about computers. First, virtualization allows the quick and easy creation of virtual hosts with any common O/S and a suite of configured applications. You can clone a host, make snapshots, play with networking, etc. Note that Apple software may not be used on non-Apple hardware. Second, if a students own machine can run the virtualization software, everyone in the class has the same platform for doing the homework. -no more incompatible hardware. -less lab to buy and support. -computer labs have drawbacks as a place to learn. Third, virtualization is hot. No more dual-boot or removable drive trays. With USB-3, it's practical to carry a dozen virtual machines in your pocket. Plus, students learn about virtualization. See youtube videos by wetlinux. Cheers
If you want to inspire, you should use clean colors and buy apple imacs.
we have done this resently at our bachelor university with great success.
Pictures can be found here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/CMD-Haagse-Hogeschool/261803927187625
if you would like more information contact me jhfvanderbie at hhs dot nl
Kind regards,
Joey van der Bie
Teacher at the Hague University of Applied Sciences, the Netherlands
Dude, seriously. I know rooms like these. Go for
1) SILENT PCs
2) non-glare Displays
3) Windows to let in fresh air once every hour
4) excellent projector
5) if possible do the layout in a way that doesn't permit students to plug cables, this is a major time saver
6) PXE boot, major time saver
7) if possible install a noise dampening ceiling material
8) two to three PCs == one electrical circuit
I have seen rooms that weren't designed like this. Sucked major donkeys. Especially points 1 to 3 are important IMHO.
What are some of your ideas for a great computer lab for education?
The Perfect Educational Computer Lab
Shai Schticks:"You don't make peace with friends, you make peace with enemies"
Do what I saw at one school: Place it in an old meat-processing hall, with ceramic tiles on the walls, and a minimum of light.
The humm from the computers and printers will reverb nicely off the tiles, and with help of the artificial light will induce the right kind of headache to steer any student away from using computers - ever!
The kids will be grateful later on for the opportunity to break out of MS lock-in, and Python is a fun, easy language to learn, though surprisingly powerful. Design the classroom so that a pair of students (as in pair programming) sit opposite each other so they can look each other in the face, not each others monitor. Give assignments per pair, not the same assignment to the whole class. Use source-code control. (So you can check on their progress after class). Give them assignments that span several school-hours, to occupy them. Not just stupid hello world/word counter programs that are too boring and don't do anything useful. Design the classroom so the pairs all see the whiteboard/projection place, yet have space enough to stretch out. Award collaboration (not cheating kind of collab), but also award individual flashes of insight. Do base your CS class on programming as it is a useful skill even for those who won't work as IT people. Meaning really, most of these kids today know how to use word processing and/or spreadsheet software, and if you captivate them with something interesting and fun, they'll be less likely to cause havoc in the classroom. If you must use Windows, somebody mentioned Faronics ... good choice.
If you want to go with some fancy stuff like VDI or Thin Client enviroment (which I highly recommend) ... use something like https://fedorahosted.org/k12linux/
or even better the SUSE version http://en.opensuse.org/LTSP because of Yast (management tool, not all powerful, but just enough).
Configure thin clients with LXDE or some hybrid containing Awesome WM, deploy Firefox, Thunderbird, Eclipse, OpenOffice (apps that use local workstation resources, but boot over network) and you're be set for another 4-5 years.
If you must use Windows, everything here applies but you change the server from Linux Terminal Server Project to this... http://www.xpunlimited.com/ ... and deal with the clients accordingly ... probably with WPKG (http://wpkg.org/).
You can do everything, even on a tight budget, you just have to have some imagination, and a good working knowledge in tinkering with various open-source software.
Imagination is more important than knowledge. Having both makes one a genius.
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I cannot comment on infrastructure/layout/interior design, but what I can comment on from experience is - create opportunities for your students to hack. Put restrictions that they will feel compelled to hack around - maybe like prevent access to youtube, in a way that if they learn how DNS works, they will be able to actually go an youtube. This will teach them a lot more hands on experience that you can possibly give.
I suggest placing computers around the perimiter of the room so you have a clear room. Make sure you have plenty of lockable cabinets and draws, if you can, have your own office space. Up front have a ceiling mounted smartboard with AV linked in (DVD player). Have them install overhead power and ethernet connections. If you want students to be able to use thier own laptops/netbooks install a central wireless access point. In addition, a good air filter can go a long way to prevent a room getting stuffy, especially in winter.
In my experience, the best IT classroom layout tends to be a "horseshoe" layout with the computers all on the walls and the pupils facing away from the teacher to use the machines. The teacher can then easily see what each pupil is doing. You need swivel chairs (with feet, not castors) with this layout so the pupils can be told "right, look this way..." and you can be sure you have their attention because you can see them looking at you. This is the layout that takes the most space, though, so it might not be practical in your case - various software exists to let you view / control / lock pupils' workstations (see iTalc for a free one).
As pointed out already, make sure you give each pupil a decent bit of elbow room, and figure out something sensible to do with the dead space in the corners - putting the printer there is a popular choice. I'd avoid any extra clutter if you can as a little bit of clutter tends to attract more, and before you know it somehow your IT suite has turned in to a sea of old text books, printouts and pencils, with the occasional computer poking through the mess. If you have the room, you can add some tables in the centre of the room for non-computer based work to be done, although as you're getting a new room I'd make sure to put power and network points in the floor underneath so you can put computers in the center there if you want.
For actual hardware, I'd go for a modern all-in-one. Several companies (I'm in the UK, so telling you Stone Computers and RM probably won't help) do cases that allow you to put a standard VESA-mount monitor in front of a standard-sized motherboard, all hidden away from prying fingers. When it comes to upgrade time you can simply swap the motherboard out for a new one, and if someone mangles a keyboard or mouse it's a simple swap - laptops are great for space-saving, but more difficult to upgrade or repair.
For front-of-class display I'd go for a short-throw projector (and modern ones are getting very short throw these days) or a large LCD display - large LCDs are almost getting to a reasonable price now. Remember to budget for a computer to control the display, and you're probably best off having a second monitor for it so the teacher doesn't have to display everything they're doing up for everyone to see. An interactive whiteboard (£2,000-odd in the UK - is that $3,000?) might be nice if you have money spare, but I'd go for a iPad or other tablet to control the front-of-class display via VNC - the teacher can roam the classroom while still controlling the display, and they can have their own stuff (class lists, etc) on the tablet without having to have them displayed at the front. It's also always worth getting a half-decent ($30?) wireless keyboard and mouse that you can pass round the pupils for them to control the front-of-class computer.
If you want more detailed advice on how to set up a classroom, and further general advice on how to run a school system, then join the community at www.edugeek.net - lots of people there with variously assorted setups who will be glad to help.
Schools shouldn't waste money on computer labs, (Keep a few computers in the library for real research on the net) because schools don't teach kids how to really use computers. They teach them the lameo stuff over and over again. How to use Word, Excel, Powerpoint and look up crap on the web.
Back in my day, in 4th and 5th grade we had computer classes and what did they teach to these 9-12 year olds How to program in Basic or Logo, how to use the computer to solve problems.
Today computer education is a wast of everyone's money.
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
I literally work in a box, with all the imagery that the phrase elicits. My take on designing a computer lab is to:
1) include a wide open window area
2) Let the students design the layout
3) include a strong sense of ergonomics
1) Having a window may induce daydreaming but the benefit of natural light will go a long way to "softening the edges" of classroom management; also, getting students in the habit of taking a break and physically focusing on objects farther away and a computer screen will instill good ergo habits later on.
2) Make it a class project to design the room; let them make it their own to increase the desire to keep it nice; include plant design, routing power, and network design as most IT folks that have not been taught the "rules of the road" make horrible cable techs.
3) Give the students the option of standing workstations; there are many testing and grant programs that will give this type of equipment for free or reduced cost; ergonomics should have an emphasis in the class as companies are looking at ways to keep workers healthy and productive
All in all, keep it simple but include some feed back from the students. If this means tearing the room apart the second week of class to redesign, let the students make it their own (under your guidance, of course). I feel that this will make the room more flexible for all avenues of computers (i.e. programming, typing, applications, CAD, etc.)
One quick addition, contact the music department and the art department to see if there may be some 'cross-polination' between the subjects for additional projects.
1. Invest heavily in high speed network infrastructure. I would go for 10Gbit ethernet today.
2. Separate noisy network copiers/scanners from the main part of the lab facility.
3. For demonstration purposes, invest in a high resolution projector, and a good quality screen.
4. Use some variety of UNIX/Linux, instead of Windows or Apple. Centralised software installation and management is much easier, and much lower effort. There is also a MUCH lower ongoing maintenance cost. I know, I have supported all of these platforms professionally.
Linux/UNIX platforms are also ideal for teaching the fundementals of computing/programming, without the distractions of crap-ware. Linux is also the ideal development platform.
5. Avoid virus checkers. The computers might as well have the virus, given the performance impact of most virus checking software. This also means avoiding windows, and apple, unless you like major security problems.
6. Provide good blinds, and high quality upward facing lighting.
7. Invest in high resolution screens (at least 1600x1200) for all workstations.
8. For development workstations, invest in multi-monitor. Teach students to use one screen for documentation, and the other for development.
9. Provide at least 1 computer per student for the largest class likely, with some workstations to spare.
10. Provide a common application server for centrally installed software.
11. Mount user home directories from a common storage server, so that users have the same experience/data from any workstation.
12. Design a scalable SAN, that can hold all data for the entire student body (including large video edits etc). Ensure that a robust backup solution is in place. Design for hot failover and redundancy, and use a parallel global filesystem like Lustre as the foundation, to give maximum performance (even if your clients are only connecting with 1Gbit or 10Gbit ethernet, several can concurrently hit the different storage nodes in your storage cluster). Link the storage infrastructure nodes with Infiniband. I have experience with such systems. A parallel file system is essential if you want centralised storage, with this kind of bandwidth, and a lot of concurrent clients!
13. Provide climate control/air conditioning that is quiet, and satisfactory to cool the number of workstations present.
14. Implement a content management system (or wiki) for internal documentation, collaborative content development, content history tracking, and content versioning. Implement an email/collaboration server, and a source control system to store work.
15. Ensure that ergonomic seating is available, with adjustable backrest and lumbar support. Monitor height and angle should be adjustable.
16. Provide a separate room for the server, storage, and backup infrastructure. This should have temperature monitoring/alarms, and a redundant cooling system.
17. Make sure that all servers are on UPSs.
18. Provide a library section with plenty of copies of relevant reference manuals. Computing is a complicated subject, that needs significant documentation. Make it available. Provide large library style tables to study the documentation.
19. Allow plenty of space around each terminal. There is nothing worse for concentration and focus, than having high density packing of a lab room.
20. Provide separate seating away from work stations, for non-practical parts of the course. Since computing is actually quite theory heavy, you DO NOT want running computers distracting the students. Alternately, provide lectures in a separate space.
The main thing is to plan for change. The computer equipment that will be used in five years is not the computer equipment with which you will start. Therefore:
I used the word "try" above because I unfortunately have to agree with an earlier post that suggested that your input would be ignored. Unfortunately, I have twice had the experience of being consulted about designs and had my input totally ignored both times. In one case it was a safety issue, quite bad, and that was ignored anyway in favour of the original design. So don't be too disappointed if nothing comes of your efforts–that would be normal.
Only thing I can think of is add some vegetation. A few well placed plants does wonders for a room. Maybe some geek paraphernalia around the room to get people in the right mindset
As usual, ergonomics are important. Get chairs and monitors that adjust easily, keyboards/trays with the proper support (and again, adjustable) and maybe educate students on how they should set up their work environment before they. Oh, and a decent amount of desk space. Just because they are working on a computer doesn’t mean they won’t be working from a book or have some other reason to need a little room to work.
Of course once you’ve drawn your balanced, well thought out and researched plan, it will promptly be rejected and the school can proceed to bring in some cheap tables and place an order with Dell ;p
best of luck and have a great life!
So a shameless plug, but no doubt worth looking into when you want low-cost, high-quality professionally refurbished Dell Optiplex or Dell Latitude computers for your school. TKOEDucation.com actually provides a "buy 30, get 2 free" offer on top of a 5yr parts replacement warranty as well. The prices are outstanding, but the service and support AFTER the sale are what will keep you coming back for all of your computer-related purchases. Check it out - you won't ever buy brand new again.
With processing power what it is today, there is no doubt that refurbished computers from a reputable company are the way to go. Many of these folks provide full warranty and support and you actually get better service than you might if you were buying direct from Dell or HP or whatever. The off-lease Dell Optiplex are a great buy. HP/Compaq's units are OK too, but with HP announcing they are pulling out of the PC market (and reversing that decision a few months later), I sure wouldn't go with HP.
Us too. We bought refurbs and we've been very happy as well. We have over 100 employees in our call center. Each station has dual 19" LCD monitors. We purchased refurbs and saved about 65% versus buying brand new - and we got a 5 year warranty. Hell, that's better than new. TKO is our supplier (coincidentally) as well. We started buying refurbs from Dell's Outlet site and then found TKO though a Google search - refurbished Dell Optiplex. A great company (as noted earlier).
Nasa has a list of plants that actually clean the air. A PDF of the original study is here, or you can go to a simplified list on Wikipedia. I think we are all aware of "sasquatches", individuals who while technically gifted are hygienically challenged. Having been 'squatched (trapped in an enclosed area by a sasquatch with precious little fresh air rejuvenation) far too many times, I also offer up a list of scented plants that can help. Humans tend to respond most favorably to rose-scented flowers (hence the popularity of roses). Sickly-sweet perfumes (such as lilies) can be unpleasant to some people. Miniature roses and rose-scented geraniums are probably the easiest to care for. Avoid poisonous plants (e.g. Angel trumpet) as at some point, a teenager (with little or no impulse control) is going to think it's funny (or for revenge) to slip a few bits of the plant into someone's drink or food without giving much thought to the potential outcome. If your high school has a gardening club, it would be wise to involve them. This could be a good lesson plan for students interested in biology and interior design.
Remove all fluorescent light tubes and replace them with LED banks. Preferably full spectrum or with a blend of colors. Make sure the lighting is always indirect and that the source points (the LEDs themselves) are not directly viewable. This makes for good, soft all-around lighting with little or no glare. Very easy on the eyes. Fluorescent lighting is very harsh on the eyes. I would build the banks based on five LEDs: cool white, warm white, red, green, and blue. I would also sprinkle in a couple of black-light purple LEDs. Turn this into a lesson and have the kids build such banks with an Arduino to control them. The kids could learn to program various light levels and colors to simulate various natural lighting situations. You could program the LED banks along the walls to actually change the color of the room. Also, full-spectrum lighting is good for the plants, just as it is calming for the humans in the room.
The room design is important as well. I would have the walls painted white with a slight bluish or cool grayish tint to it. Neutral grey colors are best for rooms where computer graphic design or image processing are taking place, to avoid the eyes being fooled about the color balance of an image. While greys are a cold and sterile color, the room can be warmed up by adjusting the color balance of the LED lights mentioned above. One wall should have a 16:9 rectangle painted in reflective paint to be used as a screen or have a retractable screen in front of an optional chalkboard for lessons. In a computer class, the teacher can then show code samples on the screen and demonstrations of changes to the code. Outgoing vents should be placed along the chalkboard or whiteboard, so dust from chalk and fumes and dust from the markers exits the room via the vents to protect the computers from dust. Good ventilation is also important due to the incidence of 'squatches mentioned above.
Chairs should have gel padding in the seats. There should be footrests beneath the desks. Being comfortable is vital when coding. Cheap, hard, plastic seats become uncomfortable very quickly and that becomes distracting while trying to work out some code.
For equipment, I would suggest Unix-based computers with a centralized administration console. Students should only have non-administrative accounts on their computers. Windows could be run via WINE or Parallels or Fusion, depending on the parent OS of the computers. Virtualized environments can easily be cleansed should a student introduce or create malicious software. Students should be encouraged to try and figure out how to escalate their permi
Whew! This water sure is cold!
Dont just ask the kids what they want, let them design and build the lab. At my highscool(when I was a student) we not only built the computer labs but built and ran the entire schools network. It was the best learning experience possible. The school district did not approve so we had to raise all of the funding to buy all of our own resources but once in place all of the teachers wanted to be on our network and computers because the students ere much better at tech support than the disricts understaffed tech department.
About 10 years ago, my high schools CAD lab (about 25 machines) had one feature that impressed me. There was a power circuit setup just for the monitors that was controlled by a switch in the front of the room (I think it was a keyed lightswitch). So whenever we were supposed to be paying attention, the lecturer would announce that we had 10 seconds to save our work, then he'd turn off all our screens. Very effective from what I remember.
Ten years ago when I was in high school we build a "computer lab" years ahead of everything else. Take a look at the photos in this link:
http://www.pbase.com/torres21/the_c_i_s.
It's very important. People so often forget to include that in office designs, and I think it's absolutely essential when working on computers, and people that use them. So think sky lights, and nice tall windows. Also, low glare flat screens, nice big low glare matted flat screens. Those would be good too. Also, don't forget to spend some actual money on these machines. Go to geeks.com and ebay to get the most computer for the money, but come up with a good spec that'll be relevant for awhile. I'm spending a lot of time on these sites today, as I'm looking to build a Hackintosh (yes, totally giving up on desktop Linux, thanks Ubuntu) in 2012. I'm finding that it's gotten a lot easier to build a really nice system, if you're conscious about how far your budget can go.
This signature has Super Cow Powers
Hannspree/hanns-g make a cheap 28" monitor, check newegg
I work for a power plant which requires a decent sized team just to manage it's physical i.t. assets, my personal job is salvage. we love to give away cmputers to local schools, and a computer that's two years old can still do quite a bit. Check companies that are struggling to improve their reputation, they probably have a program.
I'm n tucson by the way if you're in arizona send an email to tucson electric power.
also if youre looking for a solid business opportunity, we need a good chain of community based computer salvage shops. I'll get to work on it when i an but anyone could do it!
from our experience if you are building a new room you may want to use idea paint it is the coolest thing to draw on the walls with dry erase markers. http://www.ideapaint.com/ we are beginning to use it at our schools. AND, if you are going to be doing computer science the computers i would use in the lab would be linux based or apple computers(BSD), and include the topics scripting, functional, programming and object oriented.
Not one in several thousand computer labs are built with any regard for a little known problem capable of causing a mental break for long-hour knowledge workers. It was discovered in 1964 and solved with the office cubicle by 1968.
Computers are placed side by side without a privacy screen between. When computers are used they require full mental investment so that the user engages a primitive brain system that will subliminally detect movement in peripheral vision to trigger a vision startle reflex. Humans can assign a zero level of attention to that movement when we decide it is safe. But we don't have control over the primitive part of the brain that functions below thought, reason, and consciousness to subliminally detect threat-movement that will cause an attempt to trigger the startle reflex. It continues to function but the startle is blocked and does not happen. With enough exposure the subliminal appreciation of threat will begin to color thought and reason.
The subliminal detection of threat-movement combined with your brain's subliminal failed attempt to execute the vision startle reflex are a Subliminal Distraction. This is explained in first semester psychology. But it is treated as something that happened only once, long ago. My instructor said, "Subliminal sight caused a problem in the early days of modern office design." It's a part of everyone's physiology and will happen anytime and any place the conditions for it exist long enough.
Exposure is cumulative so that exposure at home or in a video game playing venues adds to total exposure for the mental break that can happen.
Go to my site and read the "Letters" page for a simple presentation of the unrealized history of these metal events. The Virginia Tech, Redlake Tribal school, Jokela Finland school, and Atlanta day trader killers all created this problem.
There are two suicide clusters in China and France as well as an incident in Ontario, Canada to show how serious this problem is. The school children in Canada did not have enough exposure for serious or fatal outcomes. There are pictures on all the links at the top of my Home page.
http://VisionAndPsychosis.Net.
When this happened to my wife she heard voices and had depressive crying episodes about delusional situations she hallucinated. That's what happens to cause the suicide clusters. The workers without Cubicle Level Protection accumulate enough Subliminal Distraction exposure for the mental break then hallucinate a unsolvable, unbearable outcome for a local situation rather than an imaginary one. Connie's story as well as pictures of her workstation are on the "Personal Experiences" page.
Any student diagnosed with ADD or ADHD is a prime candidate to have exposure from side by side classroom seating. There have been three psychotic break suicides in Australia associated with a seminar, LGATS, that holds ten hour classroom lectures for three or four consecutive days. (See the Letters page. Google Rebekah Lawrence + suicide + Australia or +Turning Point.)
To test classrooms for Subliminal Distraction exposure have the teacher get a pair of safety glasses with wide temple arms opaque or blacked out for any student diagnosed with ADD or ADHD. That should block peripheral vision so the student cannot subliminally detect the movement of the student sitting beside them. Remember to warn any such students that home computer or video game playing situations also require this protection. Computers are the most likely source of exposure today but the problem was discovered and solved before they existed. So any thing such as doing homework or studying for exams also requires Cubicle Level Protection, the side vision blocked safety glasses, if there is anything in peripheral vision that supplies repeating detectable triggering movement. .
Examples are large mirrors in peripheral vision, ceiling fan blade shadows on walls, blinking lights on computers, people or pets walking around, or objects disturbed by the air from a fan. There are two pictures about this on the 'Letters" page.
First Focus on the Lab Layout and its adaptability.
0. Network is completely isolated from the main Teacher's Network. Direct access to the Internet such that any connection to the Teacher's Network will have to be done through the ISP.
1. Make sure that the back of the Computers do not need to be pulled out to access the back panel to attach USB Devices and Network Cables.
2. Allow the Towers to be moved out and serviced by the students but not be able to be removed from their cradles.
3. Have all the Lab computers be setup as Dumb Terminals such that the OS will be reloaded upon reboot from the Server. Have each student have a network share on the File Server.
4. Have ports to plug in Laptops and other Network cabled devices but be on a separate VLan to the lab computers so a Firewall/IDS/IPS can be protecting the Lab computers.
5. Any Wireless is treated as coming from outside the school regardless the authentication to the network.
6. Have one or more Servers able to work with Linux in addition to Microsoft or Apple. This is for the Tech Geeks and Programmers. Also have a set of Live Linux CD/DVD's laying around the lab.
7. Create a set of Projects which the Computer Geeks can work on which will benefit the school's other students.
Make sure any new building is a "net-zero" addition, with LEED Platinum level energy efficiency, and enough renewable energy to make the building energy neutral or energy positive. http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CategoryID=19 Include things like SolarTubes for natural light: http://www.solatube.com/ Include lots of plug-trees in open spaces for laptops (that's where you can put plants). Include a secluded quiet zone, for serious programming or study, and a glass walled meeting room for discussions and media development. Personally, I like a library with all the tech manuals, programing books, software manuals, etc. even out of date books give us valuable perspective and unique understanding. Remember you are teaching the spectrum of computer skills, from basic literacy to specialized science, include areas for business, programing, and creative visual arts. (A serious lab for robotics, AI, and smart phone apps wouldn't hurt).
Maybe universities have dedicated the most effort into making the ideal computer lab system.
http://vcl.ncsu.edu/
Build your own energy sources from scratch. http://otherpower.com/
Find a nice spot of wall, put down something comfy to sit/lay/lounge on, think soft carpet, and odd shaped pillow things. Then on the wall glue on a bunch of green lego plates, then add a box of basic bricks. better yet, put it in a corner, make sure the soda machine is next to it.
Slashdot, where armchair scientists get shouted down and armchair theologians get modded up.
Refurbished, corporate grade computer equipment - like the Dell Optiplex - is the way to go. While they might not have the processing power that today's new CPUs have (Core i7 and the like), I'm certain that any Core Duo or Core 2 Duo is going to provide enough processing power to keep even the most computer savvy students satisfied for years to come.
There are a few trustworthy suppliers in the business, but one that gets two thumbs up is TKOEducation.com. They are a California-based organization that specializes in Dell to K-12s nationwide. They offer full warranty (5 yr coverage on the PCs, 3yr and brand new batteries on their notebooks). They also offer a 30-day test drive that allows a school to "Try Before You Buy. Lastly, they also provide FREE HDD imaging (you send them your master HDD and they clone all the machines with all the software you need loaded).
There are others that sell refurbs, but TKOED is very specialized and very good - the 5yr warranty is better than new.