WELS: [Welstech] Wireless lab

Wed Jan 23 12:43:19 CST 2008

Good thoughts, Sue.  

We wanted to add a second wired lab due to scheduling issues with the first, but space in the building made that impossible, so we went with a mobile lab and in a sense now have two computer labs.  Teachers schedule the mobile lab for use during classes they are
teaching, using the computer/Internet as another tool during the
instructional process.  A bit more of a headache for me, tech-wise, but now that we have notebook computers, the benefits to the education process have become evident.  

I am sure others have examples as well, but here are a few examples of how the mobile lab enhances instruction in our school - 
- A 4th grade teacher uses the mobile lab in her math class as her students work on simple formulas in OpenOffice Calc.
- A 5th grade teacher uses them to type/edit/print friendly letters during his grammar/writing class.
- I use them during science class for my 7/8 grade students to research photos of earthquake damage and answer a journal question that I've posted on Moodle regarding ways to prevent future damage. (Grade 7/8 use Moodle for History and Science classes as well as for journaling in Math.)

We still use our wired lab regularly, but the mobile lab has changed the way our teachers teach and, we feel, also fits better with the way students today learn.

So, security, speed, expansion and cost are issues that need to be weighed, but with limited space and increased class sizes a mobile lab might just be the way to go.  If you implement it correctly, you will like the results it can bring to the whole education process.

Michael Plocher

Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2008 06:25:59 -0800
From: susan_fager at yahoo.com
Subject: Re: WELS: [Welstech] Wireless lab
To: ewashburn at hotmail.com; mplocher1 at hotmail.com; jninmann at new.rr.com; welstech at messenger.wels.net

Just from a technical and cost perspective, I would not personally recommend laptops and wireless; however, that also reflects my personal perferences for service. I would rather fix and/or upgrade a desktop than a laptop. Once the original expense is laid out, the desktop can be upgraded significantly by replacing the motherboard and processor (of course you also have to upgrade memory periodically...and then there are also the optical drives). Ok. So I'm not sure if there is a savings but can definitely be spaced over time. Also, wireless offers many more problems () and is more expensive ...in my opinion. It really doesn't cost that much to run conduit to switches and wiring closets and the computers come with NICs. 

Ease of installation in the beginning might be easier, but if I had to maintain the computers and network, I would go with desktops and cables.

Sue

----- Original Message ----
From: Eunice Washburn <ewashburn at hotmail.com>
To: Michael Plocher <mplocher1 at hotmail.com>; Justin Ninmann <jninmann at new.rr.com>; welstech at messenger.wels.net
Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 8:19:03 PM
Subject: Re: WELS: [Welstech] Wireless lab

Justin and all,

The program through ShopWELS for HP Computers is good.  We have purchased laptops for the Seminary and for David Star through it.  DVI, the firm providing HP Computers, is run by a former KML Grad like yourself, Mark Robinson. 

Barry Washburn
Technology Director, WLS

From: mplocher1 at hotmail.com
To: jninmann at new.rr.com; welstech at messenger.wels.net
Date: Tue, 22 Jan 2008 14:42:22 -0600
Subject: Re: WELS: [Welstech] Wireless lab

Justin, 

In February 2007 we purchased 26 notebooks from HP through the WELS purchasing program.  These were mid-level notebooks running around $700 each as I recall.  We also ordered a Bretford 24 unit mobile charging cart for about $1200 including shipping from Buy.com  We opted NOT to get a timer on the cart as it was another $300 and instead rewired the wall outlet the cart was going to be plugged into, with each plug in the outlet now on two separate circuits to comply with the electric code.

We then went with thick access points to keep the cost down in that area, installing 6 due to the configuration of our building.  They were bought from Provantage.com for about $50 each.  We did go 802.11g with the APs instead of 802.11n.  We continue to look at thin access points for easier wLAN management, but they are
 still a bit out of our reach for us price wise.  There is one thin access point solution we did come across that was within our price range, D-Link DWL-3140 AP with PoE, but it has yet to be released by D-Link - 8 months and counting.  When I contact him, the regional sales manager for D-Link always seems to have another reason why they aren't being released yet.  If it does ever get released it looks to run about $80+ per AP and about $400 for the switch to control it.

Michael Plocher
Director of Technology
St. Paul's Lutheran School
New Ulm, MN

www.splnewulm.org

From: jninmann at new.rr.com
To: welstech at messenger.wels.net
Date: Tue, 22 Jan 2008 13:30:50 -0600
Subject: WELS: [Welstech] Wireless lab

Hey everyone,

We are looking to upgrade a few computers at our school and we realized with the class sizes coming up and our lab space, we might be better off looking into a mobile wireless lab set up with laptops instead of desktops. Has anyone done that recently or have any information about companies, or pricing? I am just looking for a place to start.

Thanks for your time!

Justin Ninmann
Technology Coordinator
St. Peter Lutheran School
Appleton, WI 54913
920.739.2009
jninmann at new.rr.com

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