Classroom Media Shelves

With computer media carts being phased out, shelves are being installed in each classroom for audio visual equipment.  The goal is to have equipment in place for faculty to show videos in class, to clean up the wiring to make it look more attractive, and to have a simpler setup in place for faculty to use.  Work on the wiring to these locations begins next week.

Phasing Out Tower Desktops

The traditional tower desktop computer is quickly becoming a thing of the past.   Most users are moving towards laptops and tablets.   For those still using desktops, new computers are 'all in one', which means that the computer is integrated into a large, flat screen monitor.   Newer computers also tend to use wireless keyboards and mice, greatly reducing the clutter of cables.  We purchased our first all in one computers this summer, and expect to completely phase out our existing old tower desktops within the next 3 years.

Macs vs. Windows

The debate between Mac users and Windows users has raged on for decades now.   The article linked below frames this debate well.  Our goal in the classroom is to try to choose software which will work on both platforms, and to encourage our students to use whichever one they like the most. 

Macs vs. Windows

Bogle Hall Renovations

Work has continued in Bogle Hall throughout the summer.   New ceilings, new floors, freshly painted walls, new furniture, the building will have a very different look and feel when the school year starts.   In the Technology Office, we are concerned with making sure that projectors, audio-visual systems, computers, and printers are all in place and ready to go.

Video Conferencing

We ran our first event using video conferencing software and hardware this summer.   A guest speaker in Massachusetts spoke remotely to a room full of administrators.   Technology like this is changing the face of how people communicate and work together across distances.   This system used GoToMeeting software.  We are looking at how we can use software like this both in the classroom and to provide technical support to Blair users remotely.

Thinking Outside the Box

There are roughly 600 users at Blair Academy during the school year, and most of these connect to the campus network with 1-3 devices (computers, tablets, and smartphones).   In addition, the Technology Office provides support for more than 400 school-owned computers.   Each year we phase out older equipment and bring in new equipment.   There's a good deal of work involved in planning specifications, updating inventories, installing software, and deploying computers.   Each summer is invariably marked by the arrival of shipments and boxes of new equipment.