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16.5 Computers and associated equipment

16.5.1 Old equipment

Most science departments have acquired a range of equipment over many years. Some

antique items (in ICT terms) are still ‘going strong’, maintained by a dedicated, but

dwindling, number of committed enthusiasts of what is now rather rare technology

(for example, BBC micros, Acorn computers and Vela loggers

). Today, there are fewer

justifications to keep such older, stand-alone, ICT systems running. There is a hidden

cost of the time involved in maintaining the equipment. New staff often regard it as a

time-consuming backward step to familiarise themselves with older technology. Pupils

are likely to respond more positively to science topics presented using newer ICT

systems, with which they are familiar from work in other subject areas.

Clearly, if a new ICT system cannot perform a particular function that was previously

carried out using older equipment, there may be a case for keeping the older system.

However, in general, new systems have the capability of performing tasks just as well,

and usually better, though perhaps with a little modification of procedures.

16.5.2 New equipment

It is best practice for science departments to keep their use of ICT compatible with the

systems employed elsewhere in the school. There are several reasons for this.

• Training received and skills acquired elsewhere in the school by students and

staff will be more easily transferred to the science department. This allows

more time to be spent on science rather than teaching basic ICT skills.

• Connection to a centrally-managed network should remove the need to back up

science department data locally.

• Work begun by ICT users in the science area may be completed elsewhere in

the school, on similar systems. For example, increasing numbers of staff have

their own laptop computers and pupils may be expected to use computers for

individual study in shared resource areas. Some schools provide remote access

to parts of their network so that pupils and staff may use school resources at

home.

• Technical support and maintenance from specialist ICT staff in the school

should be easier to obtain.

• There are likely to be economies of scale in purchasing, managing and main-

taining ICT resources that are similar to those in use elsewhere in the school.

16.5.3 Multimedia systems

In recent years, ICT technology has increasingly converged. Computer hardware can

be used for a variety of purposes, often reducing or avoiding the need to purchase

individual, dedicated items of equipment which may be expensive and need additional

storage space. An example is the replacement of the traditional library of tapes and

associated VCRs and TVs with indexed, computer-stored programmes and video clips,

accessible in a few moments to any class, often using a computer-projection system.

This gives much greater flexibility and saves administration time.

The technical information on these older systems that was previously in section 16 (Data handling) has not been included in this

reworking of the Handbook material. Contact the

Helpline

if assistance in maintenance is required.

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