Labs Checkout 2012 / 13

I spent some time and created a spreadsheet of lab checkout data from the past year. The data came from computer lab, netbooks, and ipad calendars. The focus of the spread sheet and the graphs that follow are grade level sign out. The numerical value of all the graphs is hours of use.

Lets begin with Lab Checkout by Month. This graph shows grade level checkout for iPad, netbooks, and computer labs. Not all months are shown but enough to show a general pattern.

The next graph shows yearly totals of iPads, netbooks, and computer lab for various grade levels.  

The next graph focuses on total lab use; iPad, computer, and netbooks, by grade level. We see most lab checkouts are done by 3rd Grade with the fewest by 2nd Grade.   

Next we have a graph of netbook use by grade level. We see the netbooks are being used pretty equally by 3rd Grade and 4/5, with other grade levels having sporadic use.

 The next graph focuses on computer lab checkout. What's important to keep in mind is, except for Fridays, there are only two hour slots available for checkout. We see that except for 2nd Grade the checkout is pretty equitable.

Our last graph focuses on iPad checkout. About 70% of all iPad checkouts are done by 3rd Grade teachers, 25% by 4/5 teachers, and K-2 sharing the remaining 5%. 

Trends

One trend that was noticeable is technology use by the Third Grade team.  Much of the iPad, as well as computer lab, checkout is used for IXL. With IXL expanding to 2nd Grade next year, and the 2nd Grade team not utilizing the labs, I am hopeful their numbers will increase next year.

In the 2nd half of the year we had an uptick in both netbook and iPad checkouts by K / 1 teachers. For some teachers this was done for research, and for others it became part of their center routine.  My guess is next year K/1 classrooms will be more comfortable checking out the iPads and netbooks.

Another trend I noticed this year was when research season started, the notebooks got more popular. While possible to use Google Drive on the iPads, it is much more convenient to do research on the netbooks.