LIT2T Leadership Guide

42 TO: TABLE OF CONTENTS 8.7 Scheduling And Rules A schedule and the rules of the computer lab should be posted outside the computer room. The rules should also be posted in a clear space inside of the room. Signage prevents misunderstanding as well as providing instructors with a tangible regulation of behavior in the computer room. It is important that all instructors are included in constructing these rules. A sample list of computer rules is located in Appendix A9. 8.8 Training All instructors should be trained on issues related to the computer room–such as upgrades, software acquisitions and recently discovered Internet sources. Training sessions also offer the opportunity for instructors to discuss ‘pain points’ and share best practices. There are several types of training possible with TELL. Online websites offer training through animated tutorials or videos. Skilled instructors can locate and share these resources. There are dozens of free, online conferences related to TELL each year. Canadian TESL organizations and local affiliates offer face-to-face TELL workshops. Many of these workshops can be viewed through the TESL Ontario or Tutela webcasts during or after the events. In many cases the presenters’ handouts can be downloaded. As a result of training, instructors will become aware of the importance of managing a computer room and the learning experience in blended situations. 8.9 Desktop Desktop management is usually a technician’s responsibility. One item that is often ignored or left to a non-teaching technician is the layout of the software items on the desktop or in the Start menu. It is a good practice to solicit instructors’ and learners’ opinions on this. Many of the Start menu items a technician may deem to be important have no relevance to language learning; these items can be hidden or removed. It is a good idea to group software into consistent and logical blocks and then alphabetize all of the items in the menu. Again, it is important to involve the instructors in this process. Once the workstation desktop is approved the technician should lock it, so that each time a learner sits at any workstation in the computer room there is a consistent organization. 8.10 Internet Resources Instructors and learners often find Internet resources and set them as favorites or bookmarks on one workstation. To ensure that all of the good relevant links are available to all instructors and learners, appoint a volunteer to create a basic webpage with links. This webpage can include all of the links grouped by language proficiency level, and can be easily accessed by all workstations through an Internet shortcut link on the desktop. The webpage can be updated on a regular interval to keep it current and interesting.