The task of managing a Computer lab is a demanding one indeed, added to it the other administrative and educational tasks that our LAN administrators are expected to do. Faced with a shortage of competent individuals to take charge of our computer laboratories, we sometimes are forced upon to force feed individuals who may need more of the technical training over a longer period of time than is currently possible.
The twin challenges of strict deadlines and the need to have our LAN administrators practising their trade as soon as they are done with the training sometimes lead to half-baked results with dire consequences for the smooth operation of our computer laboratories.
The questions are thus: Is the time allocated to LAN training too little for the content in the curriculum? How do we measure the effectiveness of our LAN training? What measures can we put in place to augment the LAN training? Are we not perhaps force-feeding our LAN administrators with too much in too little a time frame?
Monday, February 25, 2008
LAN administrator training - Is it too much ?
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3 comments:
Using educators as LAN admins I think is not a good idea. Anecdotal evidence shows that non-educators running labs are more successful. Train them to look after labs technically, since this will be the major thrust of their work. With teaching as your main job, there is too little time to do proper maintenance. There is also too little training and insufficient support.
My personal opinion is that more technical staff must be appointed by the Premier's office. I have highlighted this before. Also, outside on-demand technical assistance should be available to schools because it seems as if all other methods have very limited success. Will it cost more money? Yes. If we are serious about curriculum delivery, then technically the labs must be stable. How do we do this? Get technically trained people to fulfill this role.
Are we being penny-wise, but pound foolish?
I agree with Mark that more and better(for lack of a better word) trained technical personnel need to be used in running the Labs on a full-time basis.
Appointing educators,who are already drowning under a sea of other administrative assignments, is not the most cost-effective way of running the Labs.Specialised personnel with the necessary skills and resources would leave the educators with ample time to do what they know best-Curriculum integration.
Running the course in piece-meal,while in itself a time-consuming process,would ensure that LAN administrators are given enough time to practise what has been preached before moving on to the next level.The current crash course gives little or no time for practice.
LAN training is good and a must, but the LAN is a teacher with duties to his/her learning area, extra-mural activities, etc. Where do they get the time to do all this? My solution, take the LAN out of the classroom and put them permantly in the computer lab. By doing this we wound have a lot of problems in the lab and their is always someone to assist educator in the lab. Think about it!!!
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