The decision has been made and we’re going Dell. Wait! Wait! Before you start complaining and think about throwing rotten fruit at me, let’s look at the positives.
The new Dells will be so much faster than the computers we have now. Our computers are 8 years old and run very, very slowly. You can see this any time you open up Word or Comic Life and the spinning beach ball of death appears. Videos from Vimeo playing on our computers sound like a plane preparing to take off.
So now you are reconsidering the rotten fruit but still looking at me with a defiant look in your eyes that says, “I don’t care about that! I want and it only runs on a Mac.” True, there are a few programs that will only run on a Mac, but most programs now are cross platform. Programs like Pixie and Kidspiration will work with your new Dell. Plus all of the online tools that you use in your class will work on the PC as well. Once you receive your new machine I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how much overlap there is between our Macs and the new Dells.
Hopefully, by this point I have convinced that the Dells are a good idea. There is, however, one last negative thought you’re holding onto. “The students won’t be able to make the change. It will be too hard for them.” I started teaching in 2006. At that time every classroom had the big iMacs. When we heard that we were going to MacBooks and students would have to use the trackpad instead of a mouse, teachers were very upset. We thought that students would have a hard time using the trackpads. We were formulating plans on how we could buy a mouse for each computer. You know the rest-the students used the trackpad no problem.
Students are infinitely better with technology than we will ever be. The students in our classrooms have grown up using it all day every day. The internet was always there. Cell phones were always there. Our students will be fine with the new machines. It’s us, the older generation, that has trouble with change.
I along with the other ITRTs will be there for you during this change. We will offer a wide variety of trainings so you are comfortable with your new machine. There will even be some paid trainings over the summer. Of course you know I’ll be there to support you when you come back to school in the fall. You will even be able to keep your old computer over the summer. Remember I’m here for you.
I’m looking at the switch as if I were a 3rd grader. Once the computer is in my hands I’m going to figure out all the cool things we can do with it, and have fun!
