In response to a rising number of students with personal laptops, educators and administrators are questioning the need for computer labs. However, while access to technology is changing their function, computer labs remain relevant in today’s schools for a number of reasons. For starters, computer labs create inclusive, structured learning environments where students can prepare for a tech-heavy future.
Not long ago, school computer labs were a mainstay of the education
environment. Today, not so much. In fact, they’ve become downright
controversial. Their very existence is at the root of the controversy.
Many schools provide a computing device for every student.
Those that haven’t yet achieved this, aspire to. Budgets are tight. Time is a
limited resource. The computer lab has become a target for sparing
both. Those who favor eliminating school computer labs hold up 1:1 as the
answer to all computing needs.
They ask: Why fund a computer lab when students carry
computing power with them from class to class? Why take time from core subjects
to teach computing when students have this everywhere learning tool? Why can’t
classroom teachers integrate computer skills into their curriculum?
The impact of mobile computing on education is indisputable.
These powerful devices caused a sea change on par with that of the
microcomputer, which launched the first school computer labs. Accessibility to
computing power is no longer constrained by time and place.
Some say these changes portend the death of the school
computer lab. Yet many educators advocate for their continued use. Below, five
key reasons why school computer labs still matter in today’s environment.
1. Workstations Have More to Offer
Portable computing power offers learning advantages in
virtually any educational environment. Yet, iPads and Chromebooks have their
limitations. It’s a case of the right tool for the job. There are many things
for which PC workstations are better suited.
Full computer lab workstations deliver greater computing
power and more screen space than mobile devices. They offer better ergonomics
and full-sized keyboards. PCs with powerful processors are ideal, and often a
must-have, for subjects like advanced programming, engineering, and video
editing. Full-sized keyboards make for easier typing of long papers.
Added screen real estate lets students work smarter and more
efficiently. More information onscreen means less time needed to click and swap
among tabs and windows. This has a host of advantages. For example, reference
articles can be kept open and visible as students write a paper.
The health benefits of a full-sized monitor are not trivial.
Correct ergonomics
while computing is critical to reducing strain, discomfort, and
long-term injury like herniated discs. The top of a display should be at or
slightly below eye level. Laptops sit much lower on a work surface.
The result is often considerable neck strain, commonly
called “tech neck.” Using a full-sized, adjustable monitor keeps students
comfortable now and safeguards their future health.
Don’t need powerful processing in your school computer lab?
Does your school issue laptops or Chromebooks to all students? Gan the
advantages of workstation comfort and productivity by providing full-sized
external monitors. Include docking stations or WiFi options for easy
connectivity.
2. School Computer Labs Ensure Equitable Access
While 1:1 computing is on the rise, equity gaps persist.
Many schools still lack the resources to implement 1:1 learning.
The Consortium for School Networking reveals the extent of
these gaps in its 2018-2019 annual infrastructure survey. Forty-one percent (41%) of high school
students lack access to a non-shared in-school device. In middle schools, 37%
of the students lack individual 1:1 device access.
Elementary school students have the least access to personal
devices, at 71%. This represents some progress over the prior year. Yet it
still leaves a large portion of the US student population without a dedicated
device during the school day.
At home, the survey found, there were no gains in students
access to computing devices. This, in fact, is an ongoing trend. Since 2015,
10% or fewer school districts have reported that all of their students have
internet access via non-shared devices at home.
Until all students have a dedicated computing device, school
computer labs provide a place for equitable access to this vital
resource.
3. School Computer Labs Supplement Classroom Learning
Students that use Chromebooks or other mobile devices during
class gain digital literacy skills in tandem with class curriculum. Students
type notes. Group projects are conducted digitally. The internet is at hand for
research tasks. It’s a natural integration.
As such, some educators conclude that all aspects of
computer learning should move out of the computer lab and into the everyday
classroom. On the flip side of the debate are those who advocate for maintaining
separate computing facilities. Topping the list of reasons is limited classroom
learning time.
Classroom teachers are time-pressed as it is. Covering the
required curriculum and attending to students is a daily challenge. How would
these teachers add instruction previously covered by a technology specialist or
computer teacher? Finding time requires sacrificing something else.
Computer labs provide a time and space to develop skills not
directly related to classroom curriculum. These skills can be first learned in
the lab. Then mastered through ongoing application at home and in the
classroom.
4. A Computer Lab by any Other Name…is Still a Computer
Lab
Many schools have rebranded their computer lab rather than
remove it altogether. This typically involves some degree of space and
technology build-out. It often includes an all-new name, such as:
- Learning
commons
- Learning
lab
- Information
commons
- Information
station
- Scholar’s
commons
- Maker
space
- Stem
lab
- Innovation
center
- Digital
commons
Integrating workstations into the school library is a
popular approach. These diverse spaces are often known as the “library commons.” Increasingly, school libraries are less about stocking print
materials and more about collaboration and creating meaning.
They’re an ideal place for rows of individual-use
workstations. Tech-rich collaboration spaces. Or any combination of tech for
your school’s ideal 21st-century learning
space.
Want to keep things calmer in the library proper? Have
limited staffing resources? Try this recommendation for elementary school
computer labs:
- Put
25-30 computers together adjacent to the library
- Use a
glass partition to separate the two rooms
- Staff
needs are minimized, as they’re able to watch both areas
- If
school funding is cut, the close proximity of the library/lab minimizes
the chance both will be closed.
The STEM lab is another up-and-coming approach. These dedicated high-tech
learning spaces are designed to empower students to explore, build and create.
STEM labs typically include individual workstations and decked-out
collaboration spaces. In well-funded schools, STEM labs often supplement
student devices and a robust library commons. The St. Thomas School, for
example, provides each student with a laptop and has two dedicated STEM
spaces.
Another option is to refurbish an existing school computer
lab. The lab remains in its current location but gets an overhaul of its
furnishings, technology, and décor to better suit today’s learning approaches.
5. Modern Computer Labs Promote Collaboration
Traditional computer labs were designed to facilitate one
thing: large classes of individual students engaged in similar tasks. They were
often windowless rooms with workstations lining the walls to accommodate wiring
and cables.
Today’s computer labs, library commons, and STEM labs look
nothing like their ancestors. They’re also designed to facilitate a myriad of
learning activities. Solo learning and testing, to be sure. But also, and
perhaps foremost, collaborative group work.
Just as classrooms
are being redesigned to accommodate today’s constructivist learning
styles, so too are computer labs being redesigned to facilitate working
together to explore concepts and create meaning.
Designing a 21st-Century School Computer Lab
There is no one right way to design a 21st-century
computer lab. (Whatever you may call it.) Beginning with the end in mind is a
good place to start. What are your objectives for the space? How many students
do you want it to accommodate? What are the ways in which will it be used?
Often, commons-type spaces combine an array of technology
and furnishings to facilitate several types of learning. These include remote
or online learning and research. Content creation and collaboration. Testing
and studying. Individual and group work. Tutoring, studying, and socializing.
Even esports
club practices.
No two learning commons or computer labs will be alike.
Flexibility and the ability to evolve along with technology and pedagogy are
key. Breaking the space into activity-based zones can be helpful.
- Individual
work zones. These can include an array of tech options. Smaller
cubbies for use with individual devices like tablets and laptops. Larger
spaces with external monitors to connect to personal devices. And fully
decked-out PC-powered workstations to support STEAM learning and other
specialized project work. Including some type of partitioning for privacy
is helpful.
- Collaboration
zones. Modular furnishings are key to accommodating many types of
project-based and group work. Ideally, students can easily reconfigure
tables to suit their needs. Power access, connectivity, and charging are
important considerations. Sizable, 24-inch+ monitors with wide viewing
angles help students see content easily for group projects and
presentations.
- Social
learning zones. Providing less structured areas lets students
collaborate and learn casually. Comfortable soft furnishings and café
tables set a relaxed tone. Expect conversation and a degree of noise in
these areas and plan acoustics accordingly.
Monitors with an
IPS panel offer the best features for supporting collaboration. These
include the maximum possible viewing angles, both up/down and side-to-side,
without shifts in color and contrast. When budget permits, 4K resolution
provides the greatest visible detail. Ultra HD makes a particularly notable
visual impact at the close viewing ranges common for collaborative project
work. Content-sharing capabilities are another important aspect of
collaboration zones. Whether wired or wifi, students should be able to quickly
connect and share content.
Call it by any name you like, the computer lab may well be here to stay. The creative conversion of school computer labs is a smart way to meet evolving educational needs. These tech-rich spaces equitably accommodate more students, with more computing power and greater screen real estate. They provide a place for students to explore, create, connect and develop digital literacy–cornerstone skills for college and career readiness.