Educational Concerns

What are the educational reasons for laptops?

Our research shows that most students in Y7-12 already own and use digital tools daily for various needs, driving schools towards 1:1 access. 

Laptops provide students with powerful research and creation tools, allowing for individualized and collaborative learning experiences. 

Technology, including laptops, mobile phones, and PDAs, is seamlessly integrated into the learning environment at VSA. We believe in providing access to the right tool at the right time to enhance learning and develop 21st-century skills. 

VSA is developing strategies and infrastructure to leverage various devices for learning.

Why is the school choosing Apple computers as a standard platform?

The key criteria we referred to when selecting the platform for our school in order of importance are:

1.   What is best for teaching and learning;

2.   Ease of use, support and maintenance.

Apple has been a trusted partner in education for decades, providing user-friendly and reliable platforms that enhance teaching and learning. They offer more than just technology by supporting schools with professional development networks. The pre-installed software on Macs is ideal for fostering creative expression, allowing students to focus on their outcomes rather than the process itself. Apple's commitment to education and its user-centric approach make it the best choice for schools looking to integrate technology seamlessly into their learning environment.

Why not just let students bring in any laptop? Why do they need to all be the same?

A robust support system is crucial, especially considering the large number of computers on campus. Our strategic partnership with Apple ensures an onsite service center for students and families to receive computer maintenance. If a standard school computer breaks, it will be immediately replaced with an identical loaner unit, allowing users to continue their educational pursuits uninterrupted by the need to learn a new system. 

Moreover, a common platform ensures that everyone speaks the same "digital language." Teachers can expect standard features and laptop capabilities, enabling them to plan lessons accordingly. Students can also collaborate seamlessly both within and outside the classroom. Research shows that 1:1 schools that did not enforce a standard platform experienced significant problems that negatively impacted learning, highlighting the importance of this point.

Will the laptop be used in all classes?

Laptops will be used within all subjects, although not necessarily in every class every day. The success of our laptop program lies in the appropriate use of computers to improve and maximize learning, rather than the mere presence of the computer itself. Here are some examples of how laptops might be used in class:

1. Access to a wider array of interactive resources and information beyond what a teacher and a book can provide in a traditional classroom.

2. Quick downloading of digital materials from VSA Learning and other portals, saving time, expense, and paper waste.

3. Expanding the classroom walls by including other students and experts in the field through online educational discourse.

4. Ready access to powerful communication tools (e.g., video and podcasting) for students to demonstrate their understanding.

5. Direct uploading of data from heart rate monitors in science or physical education classes, and importing it into graph-making programs for visual display.

6. Simultaneous collaboration and writing of documents with students through online tools (e.g., Google Docs) and peer-editing of written work.

7. Quick display of student work development and understanding on the classroom's projector or an inline area

The use of computers in the classroom will be at the discretion and direction of the teacher. Pen and paper learning will not disappear, and students will retain the right to print things out if they prefer not to read from the screen. Many resources will continue to be available in book form for some time to come.

How will VSA address the weight of school bags?

Weight of schoolbags due in large measure to heavy print textbooks is already a key concern and laptops should be a solution to this problem to some degree. One of the key reasons to move to one-to-one laptop access for students is to facilitate the moving towards online textbooks in place of printed ones.

VSA has started utilizing online resources in reducing the need of books and printed materials for student learning.  Our long term goal is to build up digital school bag for student in order to reduce their burden.