Updates from the field on EeePC pilots

For those keeping up with the status of the ASUS EeePC pilot project, here is some feedback from the teachers actually implementing it. I have included the schools, grades, and subject areas, but not names.

We have all five eeepc's (each with a flash drive, color-coded) on a cart with a projector; [one teacher] is going to present a brief tutorial to her freshmen next week. [Another teacher] has even had success with one great big freshman guy to whom I never would have even offered one of these little computers!

Librarian
Oregon High School

I bet he made the computer look even tinier. I'm going to observe the tutorial next week.

What's been really great about having them in my room is that I have the group working on a larger project that is relatively self-directed. Then I can spend more time with the smaller group helping them navigate researching online and giving individual help with using moodle.
This may change as the novelty wears off, but I haven't seen any students keeping other screens open in the background (you know, car shopping, grades, and email).

Social Studies Teacher
Oregon High School

I like how this teacher is using multiple groups instead of trying to use a teacher-directed, large-group instruction model. Obviously, she is comfortable using electronic media in the teaching process, as evidenced by the use of Moodle.

The reaction from the kids has been very positive, and even the two students who were unsure about the smaller keyboard agreed that a small keyboard is "WAY better" than not having access to a computer at all. One student suggested that we buy a couple $5 full-size keyboards to plug into the eee pcs if one or two students are uncomfortable with the small keyboard. They all thought that Open Office was very user-friendly, and some of them use it at home, so it was very familiar to them. The rest of the class was very vocal in hoping that we get more than five computers eventually. I have had no problems getting a wireless signal in my room, which has been troublesome in the past. Given all this, I am a HUGE fan of these minis!
English Teacher
Oregon High School

This report gives me lots of hope for this initiative, because students report OpenOffice is user-friendly, and they use it at home! I realize that is not necessarily representative, but I am accustomed to getting blank looks from most adults when I mention OpenOffice, so I'm glad to hear at least some students are using it, and even those who haven't previously, think it is intuitive.

So far, these reports are extremely positive. I'm sure part of that is the novelty, but the fact that teachers are able to accomplish things they could not before is clearly distinct from the novelty effect. Additionally, the unexpectedly good wireless range is a happy surprise. The high school does not have full wireless coverage. Frankly, it has been spotty at best with our regular laptops. We were very surprised to see that the EeePCs were able to connect to the wireless network in rooms that were never able to with full-size notebooks.

I'll post more reports as they filter in.

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To view updates, click here to see all posts related to the pilot project.