FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)
Note - as people ask questions, we will update this page, so you may want to bookmark the FAQs and check back from time to time!
- Whose idea was this? Whether you are looking to kiss or to punch an individual for coming up with the idea of the Laptop Initiative, there is actually no one person who can take credit for this idea. In fact, over the year (and years previous) this topic has been brought up and confirmed by numerious individuals in different settings. Our System Administrator is now in charge of getting the needed technology into place, but it will be the teachers who implement the Laptop Initiative in the classroom. Before the idea was presented to the board, all the teachers involved met to discuss this initiative. Not only did they vote to move forward, but they did so with great enthusiasm. That enthusiasm was mirrored as the Board of Directors cast the final vote to put this initiative into motion.
- Wait. Everything I'm reading is "Greek". I do not understand this stuff - what do I do?First, do not panic. One of the reasons of using the 2008-2009 school year to "phase in" the laptops is to make sure that everyone - teachers, students, and parents, has time to get comfortable with the technology. The reality is, there is a generation that did not grow up with today's technology and are "illiterate" when it comes to laptops, networks, WiFi, etc. This is totally understandable (and proves the need of educating our students to become technology literate). So again, do not panic. Find someone you can talk to who understands technology - a friend, a co-worker, maybe even your child! That person can walk you through our website and help you make a good purchase. Sometimes we all need someone to translate "Greek" to English!
- The Asus Eee PC is TOO small! How can anyone type on that keyboard? Mr. Surran has been testing the Eee PC for some time. He feels the keyboard is very adequate for how the laptop will be used. Here is why. In the classroom, the laptop will mostly be used for viewing - be it reading information, viewing an image, manipulating a simulation with a mouse, etc. We do not forsee students typing 10 page reports in class using these laptops. HOWEVER - the good news is, the Asus Eee PC will allow a regular-sized keyboard, mouse, and even a monitor to be plugged into it, so students can take the Eee PC home and plug in their big keyboard to type those 10 page reports! You might be surprised that many students won't need to do this. Watch your child sometime - they can type reports onto a tiny cell phone with their thumbs! This new generation is much more comfortable with "tiny tech" than we realize.
- Is two hours of battery life enough? You may be wondering why our minimum requirement for battery life is only two hours, not eight or more. Well, most laptops average about two hours battery life, and so our usage of the technology will take that into consideration. While the exact use of the laptop will be largely up to the teacher, most will probably not use it for the entire duration of the class. In fact, most teachers will still use more classical methods of teaching (lecture, projector, whiteboard) for much of the instructional hours. For example, a teacher may lecture for 30 minutes and then have students use the remaining 20 minutes for a laptop assignment. Another teacher might not use the laptop on a particular day. We will definitely need to manage our time to compensate for weaknesses in battery technology.
- My child goes to college in a year. Should I spend more for a nicer laptop? Ultimately, that's up to you, but it is good to consider. If the child takes care of her laptop, then it can easily serve her well in college. Most uses of a laptop in college do not require the fastest computer with tons of memory. However, some career paths require more powerful computers. I would recommend contacting the college and finding out what their minimal requirement is for a laptop and shop for that.
- I hear that children in other schools with laptops use them to look at pornography. How will you prevent this? GHCA has a very powerful website filtering system in place. However, no website filter is perfect. This is where the System Administrator comes in. Everything that goes through our network is logged, and because of the mission of the Academy, we set aside considerable resources to protect children from the "bad stuff" on the Internet. Our teachers will be vigilant in monitoring laptop use, and students themselves are proactive in reporting inappropriate content that might slip past the filter. However, there is something you should be aware of - read the next FAQ for details.
- If it's my laptop, can I use it however I want when at home? Yes. However, with freedom comes responsibility. Allow me to give a few examples. If you install computer video games on your laptop, those are to be played at home, not at school. Using a laptop at GHCA is a privilege that requires you to sign an agreement in order to have. So, if you are caught playing computer games during English class, odds are you'll have to leave the laptop home the rest of the week (and accept the consequences of how that will affect your grade). You can also use the laptop at home on your own Internet connection, however, you will no longer have the protection our GHCA firewall provides! Finally, if you use your laptop to violate your contract with GHCA (viewing pornography at home) and that becomes evident to us, you will disciplined accordingly.
- How much privacy do I have using my laptop at GHCA? Good question! We believe privacy is important, and therefore we are not going to snoop through your laptop or install spyware to keep an eye on you. However, all Internet traffic passing through our network is monitored for inappropriate activity. This activity might not even be your fault - you might have a virus "running amuck", at which time you'll be notified of such activity. Therefore it is highly recommended that you save the GHCA network for school use and do things like personal email and Facebook from home. Also, whatever is on your screen during class is "public domain". A teacher has every right to look at your screen and ask you what you are doing during class time. Finally, if you use the computer for something inappropriate at home, chances are that will show up when you use our network. For example, most pornography sites leave traces on a computer that show up even when you are going to other, innocent sites. The moral is, if you would be ashamed if your parents or teacher saw what you are doing on your laptop - don't do it in the first place.
- I cannot afford to provide laptops to my kids. What do I do? This year, and this year only, the Bike-a-Thon committee has a program in place that will allow students to earn money towards an Asus Eee PC, all the way up to the full cost of the device. In other words, by participating in the GHCA Bike-a-Thon families can earn their laptops for next year! For FREE!! We'll have more details on our home page as the Bike-a-Thon approaches.
- Laptops are expensive. What if my child's laptop is stolen? We will allow locks on the student lockers, so that students can secure their laptops when not in their posession. Obviously the student will need to take care not the leave the laptop out unsupervised. We will also have a lecture in the Fall for GHCA students about protecting their laptops from damage and theft.
- My laptop stopped working. Are you going to fix it for me? GHCA will treat laptops like vehicles in this regard. You own your vehicle, and you need one to get to school (or you share with someone), but if your vehicle breaks down, there is no GHCA garage and mechanic waiting to fix it for free. In other words, we are not responsible to fix your broken laptop. We will recommend someone for you to see to repair your laptop. If it is a hardware issue (broken screen, stuck key, etc.), then it usually needs to be sent back to the manufacturer. If it is a software issue like a virus, then there are people in town who can fix it. Our own System Administrator may have some limited availability to do "in house" repairs, however those repairs will be charged the going rate of other professional computer technicians in the area.
- It is absolutely impossible for me to provide a laptop for my child. Is he doomed? Okay, I'm sure nobody would ask me, "Is he doomed?" However, there are probably a few feeling a little stressed about this Laptop Initiative. Having a laptop is highly encouraged by not mandatory. That should be clarified a little bit. We are "waivering" those families that have legitimate reasons for not being able to participate in the Laptop Initiative. Assuming that the majority of students do come next year with laptops, those who do not can work with a partner when laptops are in use. The Computer Lab will also be available certain times of the day for those who do not have access to their own computer for an assignment. HOWEVER, please understand that if your reason for not participating is simply out of disagreement ("Laptops are stupid, you people are stupid, and I ain't doing it!"), then there might be a bigger problem to discuss. Our headmaster Mr. Jago will talk with anyone who has misgivings about the Laptop Initiative.
If you still have a question after reading through the above FAQs, contact us at laptops@ghca.com!
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