Shanghai American School Educational Programs Office

Our laptop program continues with rollout plans.

In the last months of the past school year and throughout the summer we have had the opportunity to speak to and write to parents from both campuses about our exciting technology education plans for the 2009-2010 school year.
Thus begins the next big step in the implementation of our Technology Plan As a Learning Community. Shanghai American School sees emerging technology as a catalyst for change and community growth as well as a vehicle to empower future generations of learners.
Our students must be taught the skills needed to compete in the high tech-rich environment of today’s universities and colleges and in the global workforce. In order to do this, SAS must build a program that will allow it to be considered one of the leading schools in the world, in Asia and in Shanghai.

The SAS vision for 2012 states that SAS “will use technology in innovative and authentic ways to enhance learning and communication.”   For the past two years, the professional staff at SAS has been working to research and develop a plan for the enhancement of teaching and learning which promotes a student-centered learning environment.  This framework — Technology 2012: The Future of Learning at SAS — has been developed under the direction of the Deputy Superintendent working with the Technology Integration Specialists and classroom teachers on each campus, including the input of the senior administrators.

This framework outlines the integration of:

• A dynamic, high-speed network for wireless, wired, voice and video communications.
• Educational professional laptops (teachers, counselors and administrators)
• Middle school and high school classroom appropriate technology such as digital video projectors and sound systems to support the 1:1 classroom environment.
• Ongoing professional development programs to address fundamental educational change and transitions to a high technology environment.

Professional Development for Faculty is Key to our Success
Over the next few weeks we will continue to work with our teachers as well as our students to help them use and understand their new computers.  Training on our computers and the new network tools began last May and was jump-started in August as the teachers returned to their classroom. With an implementation like this one, preparation is key, and as promised last year, we endeavor to minimize implementation issues by moving carefully. Thus, I encouraged a staggered approach to our student roll out to give us time to ensure the network is up to date, our teachers are comfortable with the computers and our printing and service processes are refined.

Security Plans in Place
Security concerns are justifiably on people minds. We all realize that we will be placing an expensive piece of educational technology in your children’s hands, and this piece of equipment does have a significant street value. As the old saying goes, “With great privileges comes great responsibility.”  This responsibility falls on all parties in this educational endeavor.  SAS has their responsibilities, the students have their responsibilities and the students’ parents have their responsibilities.  If we all work together, we will have a successful and loss-free one-to-one program.
Our technology security program will have two components:

1. Student and community education.  Our children will be taught how to take care of their computer equipment. They will be taught how to store, secure and keep track of their computer.  They will know what to do if they find a computer that does not belong to them, and where to take it for safekeeping.  We will collaboratively work to ensure the security of our important learning tools.

2. School Facility Security Measures. The school will do our part to provide appropriate, secure and available locations where computers can be stored when they are not in use. The school will also mark all computers clearly and track serial numbers and identification numbers associated with the computer and the student’s identification.  In appropriate locations additional security cameras may be installed.  ALL students will be given a laptop security cable which will allow them to lock the computer in a locker or in one of the many storage and charge stations in and around the school.

A special student-focused “Acceptable Use Procedures and Practices Document” has been created to provide clarity and guidelines for the use of laptops in a safe, secure and educationally appropriate manner.
The Acceptable Use Agreement that everyone will read and sign when their receive their computer clearly states:

Keeping the school assigned notebook safe is your responsibility – use common sense. Damage caused to the notebook due to negligence including the theft of the notebook is not covered by the Apple Care Warranty and may not be covered by any private insurance your family may have. The following suggestions will increase the chances of keeping the notebook safe and in good working order:

• To eat and/or drink near the notebook is asking for trouble. There should never be any food or drink around the notebook either at school or at home.
• Inserting foreign objects (paperclips, pens, etc.) into the ports (openings) of the notebook will cause damage.
• Use the notebook on a flat, stable surface. Do not remove the computer from the specially designed SAS computer bag.
• Removing the notebook from its protective bag while using it in class or moving between classes is not using common sense. The bags were designed to have the notebook remain inside at ALL times.
• After shutting down/powering off the notebook, it should be gently closed from the top center of the screen.
• Never, leave the notebook computer unattended anywhere, anytime!

Laptop Safety Initiative
Last year, we began a program in some divisions, to raise awareness of how to keep, not only our laptops safe and secure, but other personal items as well. The program reminds students not to leave their laptops unattended and educates them about procedures to follow when they find a laptop that’s unlocked, unsecured and not being attended to by its owner.  By recognizing students who return found, unattended laptops to school offices and being very firm with our discipline policies for students who are careless with the laptop and personal belongings, we believe we will be successful in raising awareness of laptop and personal security. Please note that the parents of any student who does not follow the rules regarding laptop safety, and security, will be notified and the student may lose privileges associated with the use of their machine.

What about outside of school?
While the school can do its best to secure the environment within the school gates, we are not able to do so outside of school.  Yeap Transportation buses are the exception to this rule. Laptops found on the buses will be returned to the school offices and returned to the students following school procedures that will include the notification of parents regarding the incident.

If a child’s laptop is lost away from school, the student and their parents will be responsible for the replacement of the machine.  SAS does have a bank of loaner computers to help facilitate this replacement to be free from disruption and continuity to the students educational program.

What about Damage?
We require students to use computer bags that are especially designed for school use — the machine NEVER has to be removed from the bag, essentially taking away the primary reason that computers become damaged.  Other damage including liquid spills, and misuse  — will not be covered by the AppleCare warranty.  Machines which  cease to operate due to issues with software or hardware malfunctions will be repaired or replaced.

10 Minute Turnaround?
Computers are machines and machines break down and malfunction. One of the reasons that Macintosh computers were chosen was because of their positive track record for functionality and lack of problems, but if something does happen, a service center has been set up on each campus and staffed by certified and qualified technicians who will assess the problem. If it cannot be fixed in 10 minutes, then a loaner machine will be provided until the student’s machine can be repaired.

Laptop Software
We have a very strong suite of software that will be installed on all machines that includes the Adobe design suite and Microsoft office, as well as the highly touted iWorks and iLife software from Apple.  As we get closer to the distribution period, we are beginning to have questions about software installations.  There are two key points that must be understood and followed:

1. The software originally installed by Shanghai American School must remain on the laptop in usable condition and be easily accessible at all times.

2. It is the responsibility of the Technology Facilitator to install additional software programs and files.
Students may elect to add additional software, but the school will not allow violent games and computer images containing obscene or pornographic material on any computers brought to school. Software that will allow peer-to-peer file sharing (ie Limewire, Torrentz) will not be allowed on computers.  From time to time the school may add software applications for use in a particular course. The licenses for this software require that the software be deleted from laptops at the completion of the course.  Periodic checks of laptops will be made to ensure that students have deleted software that is no longer required in class and that the school has not exceeded its licenses.  We also intend to inspect laptops.  Students will be selected at random and/or with cause to provide their laptop for inspection without notice.

Laptop Identification
Laptop identification is, of course, important. All of these machines look the same!  Student laptops will be labeled in the manner specified by the school.  Under no circumstances are students to modify, remove, or destroy these labels!. That being said, a few stickers and/or a colorful shell will make it easy to distinguish.  The bag is also the same, and thus I would suggest some stickers and tags that will help that to be easily distinguished as well.

Details, Details…
What I have written in this article is just the beginning. As you can imagine, these points and many more will continue to publicized through The Eagle in coming issues and given out at the laptop distribution day in the coming weeks.
It is the educational technology mission at SAS to provide students with the skills necessary to prepare them for post-secondary education and the workforce.  Shanghai American School will promote the use of tools and create an environment that allows all members of the school community optimum personal and educational growth through the infusion of appropriate technology into daily school learning. As directed by the SAS vision the Shanghai American School community will use technology in innovative and authentic ways to enhance learning and communication.  As with all implementations at our school, there will be challenges, but we are confident that in partnership with our parent community, we can successfully implement the use of this powerful technology tool.

LAPTOP DISTRIBUTION DATES
The Macbook Laptop Distribution of computers to our students continues through the month of September at the following dates and times:

September 14:     Grade 9 Laptop Distribution    6:30-8:00pm
September 15:      Grade 9 Laptop Distribution    11am-12:30pm
September 21:      Grade 8 Laptop Distribution    6:30-8pm
September 22:      Grade 8 Laptop Distribution    11am-12:30pm
September 28:     Grade 7 Laptop Distribution    6:30-8pm
September 29:      Grade 7 Laptop Distribution    11am-12:30pm

NO PARENT: NO LAPTOP. It should be noted that a student will not be given a laptop without a parent or guardian attending the event with their child. These evening and day events are very important and will not only introduce the new learning tool, but also review the rules, policies and privileges associated with the use of the machine. Parents and students need only attend either a day or evening event, but not both, for the student’s grade level. If you are unable to attend at the time scheduled, please contact your school principal to make alternative arrangements. The Tenth-Grade distribution occured on September 7/8.