The days of the traditional IT suite are over, schools just do not have the space now to lock down one room simply for one subject, and this is why people are deciding to integrate. Using an M1, P1 or PowerUp solution means that your room can become truly multipurpose, therefore eliminating the need for it to be used only for IT. When computers are housed in the desks, they can quickly be hidden away for the room to be used for any subject, and with power units on the top of the desks laptops or tablets can be used instead. However when you need a PC it is very quick and easy to transform the room.
This approach also helps to foster a more collaborative approach to learning with groups of students working together, this has been shown to increase student engagement. In fact you can even integrate your desks into a collaborative style with a screen for sharing work to the whole group.
There is also a security issue to consider, by integrating you can keep IT equipment out of harm’s way, and can lock them into the desks when needed. This can be particularly important in an SEN environment where the screens may provide a distraction.
Of course one approach does not suit all, but if you do have computers that are not in use 100% of the time then it is certainly worth considering if integration might be the way forward to enable a better use of space.
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*Source: BESA/C3 Education (2017)