THE COMPUTER CENTRE TODAY

Me My centre Problems

MY BACKGROUND

25 years in teaching• Mainstream education• Gifted child education• Computer centre manager• Computer studies – HG & SG• Lecturer – UOVS and CUT

Working with computers since 1984 Bloemfontein computer study group Author – AngliaCampus.com (have died under Granada)

Author – web content

OUR COMPUTER CENTRE

22 machines (upgrade to 35)- Windows 2003 NT server

All machines - access to Internet

Adjacent lecture room with 4 Benches

MY SCHOOL

Willem Postma primary school, Bloemfontein

http://w3.wpps.co.za(only in Afrikaans)

chriss@wpps.co.za

WHAT SOFTWARE ARE WE USING?

MS Office pro 2007 CAMI math's The Math's Story The English Story Free- and Shareware Online content –

AngliaCampus, etc.

Encarta - research

Internet content - research

THE PROBLEMS

Time-tabled period x 2 Centre manager = ICT and Curriculum specialist No staff involvement Concentrate on ICT skills training No progression Don’t allow for assessment, etc. Does enable transfer of skills

THE RESULTS

No real accomplishment Boredom Negative tendency No optimum utilization

WHAT SHOULD WE BE WHAT SHOULD WE BE DOING?DOING?

Optimum utilization Facilitating Planning - what to use and how? Co-ordinating

OPTIMUM UTILISATIONOPTIMUM UTILISATION

Human resources Hardware resource Centers are extremely

expensive Short term aims Medium term aims Long term aims Budgets

FACILITATING

Facilitator (no all rounder specialist) Direct the process

– the staff– the learners– the events

PLANNINGPLANNING

Centre Management Time Resources – learners, hardware, software Staff

MANAGEMENT ISSUES

Assignments set by subject teachers Need for manager to support, not be the

substitute Need for curriculum context to allow for

ICT skills progression (example)

PROGRESSION

e.g. spreadsheet progression (Excel) gr 1-7Gr.1 reading data from table produced by

teacherGr.2 pupils enter their own dataGr.3 pupils enter calculations and formulasGr.4 pupils produce graph(s)Gr,5-7 pupils re-order data, and check for

inconsistencies

EXTRA CURRICULAR USE: TIME

Computer centre manager: Before school Breaks After school

Requests: Staff Learners Parents(??)

EXTRA CURRICULAR USE: RESOURCES

Need to burn CD’s of – common applications and games

Winzip DirectX Games Utilities media player Typing tutors Educational programs

• Math's, Language, etc.

Use same at home as in school

INTERNET ACCESS ISSUES

Content security – NetnannyCyberpatrol

Appropriate programs – AngliaCampus, Brain Builder, Typing tutors

Access speed Ease of use and navigation Control - wandering off

HOW DO I MANAGE FACILITIES

Use a facility booking form All facilities – full working order Necessary programs Staff and students - skilled Priority subjects Balance

HOW DO I MANAGE STAFF

Compile forms• Plan lessons together –

quarterly• Model lesson plan• Area mapping

Training Understand Buy in

CO-ORDINATION

Co-ordinate management– curriculum and ICT – integrate – project

based– staff and the centre usage– learners and centre usage

ASSESSMENT- RECORDING AND REPORTING

Assessment• Ability• Progress• Achievement

Pride Profile – reporting

– Evidence of :• Work – e-portfolio

Which begs the big question; ; What What isis the job description of the computer the job description of the computer

centre manager ?centre manager ?

Not to do administrative jobs – secretaries are there to do that

Not to teach all ICT lessons – subject teachers To support the delivery of the school curriculum

by facilitating the optimum use of the school resources – maintain the vehicle– staff – co-ordinate a programme of teacher training– facilities – monitor its use– curriculum – manage integration