what is computer lab in a course

by Mateo Skiles 9 min read

A computer lab is a setup or space where an entire class full can be taught important concepts like how to use computers, or how to do coding, etc. The students are usually trained by a trained computer teacher. Teachers can also use the lab with their students to conduct research or create technology-based projects.

General use computer labs provide reliable computer and printing access to students, faculty, and staff. Classroom labs also provide instructors with current software, on-site help, audiovisual equipment, and collaboration stations.

Full Answer

What are the rules of a computer lab?

Rules for Protecting Yourself

  • Do not run inside the computer lab.
  • Take a note of all the exits in the room, and also take note of the location of fire extinguishers in the room for the sake of fire safety.
  • Keep bags and coats in the designated area, as they can cause people to trip if they are simply lying around the room.
  • Try not to type continuously for extremely long periods.

How to build a computer lab?

“A lot of these solutions work best if you get law students working with individuals in other disciplines who have different skill sets, like tech developers, computer scientists, and those from other disciplines to think about the business side of how we run teams,” Regalia says.

What are computer laboratory rules?

Computer Lab. Classroom Rules. BE RESPECTFUL! Always treat the computer lab equipment AND your teacher and classmates the way that you would want your belongings and yourself to be treated. No food or drinks near the computers. NO EXCEPTIONS. Enter the computer lab quietly and work quietly. There are other groups and individuals who may be ...

What is an elementary computer lab?

The Equipment Needed for a Computer Lab

  1. Student stations. The student stations are the computers that the students will use on a regular basis. ...
  2. Management Station. The management station is the computer that the teacher will use. ...
  3. Server. The server in a computer lab can be used to fulfill several needs. ...
  4. Switch. ...
  5. Other equipment. ...

What is a computer lab?

Who provides computer labs?

Why are computers in a lab arranged in rows?

What is a media lab?

How does an Internet café differ from a computer lab?

Do student laptops have a place in a computer lab?

Do computer labs have time limits?

See more

About this website

What do you do in a computer lab?

Function. The computer lab serves as the center for teaching computer use to whole classes, usually by a specialist computer teacher. Classroom teachers also use the lab with their classes for research, or for creating technology-based projects.

Why is computer lab important in education?

Computer labs provide a time and space to develop skills not directly related to classroom curriculum. These skills can be first learned in the lab. Then mastered through ongoing application at home and in the classroom.

Why are computer labs important?

For starters, computer labs create inclusive, structured learning environments where students can prepare for a tech-heavy future. Not long ago, school computer labs were a mainstay of the education environment.

How did mobile computing impact education?

These powerful devices caused a sea change on par with that of the microcomputer, which launched the first school computer labs. Accessibility to computing power is no longer constrained by time and place.

What do students do with Chromebooks?

Students that use Chromebooks or other mobile devices during class gain digital literacy skills in tandem with class curriculum. Students type notes. Group projects are conducted digitally. The internet is at hand for research tasks. It’s a natural integration.

Is a computer lab controversial?

Not long ago, school computer labs were a mainstay of the education environment. Today, not so much. In fact, they’ve become downright controversial. Their very existence is at the root of the controversy. Many schools provide a computing device for every student. Those that haven’t yet achieved this, aspire to.

Should computer learning be integrated into the classroom?

It’s a natural integration. As such, some educators conclude that all aspects of computer learning should move out of the computer lab and into the everyday classroom. On the flip side of the debate are those who advocate for maintaining separate computing facilities.

Why should a computer lab be designed?

The computer lab should be designed with ease of use, security and reliability in mind. There is no perfect lab, and each school will need to find the best way to create a lab that fits the needs of its students and its budget.The goal of a lab is to teach efficiently, and an underpowered computer can hinder the learning process.

What is a hub in a computer lab?

Networking is one of the most important parts of computer labs, and in many school computer labs, a hub or a switch is one of the ways this can be accomplished. The switch is the network equipment to which all the computers are connected. A switch can be configured so the clients cannot connect to each other, to limit communication to groups created for a specific project and to grant or refuse access to external resources.

What is a server in a lab?

The server in a computer lab can be used to fulfill several needs. It should store a copy of each workstation's operating system. The workstations can be made to connect to that server to reinstall the operating system in its clean but configured state in case of a virus or simply as maintenance. The server can also be used to filter the external information the clients can access, for example, blocking Facebook but leaving the Library of Congress accessible. The server can also store the profile of each student and back up their work from session to session.

What equipment is needed for a lab?

Optional equipment can include printers, scanners, cameras, projectors and headsets. Each piece of equipment should be carefully considered, as the investment needed (for the printers, scanners, cameras and projector) or the high breakage ratio (for the headsets) can adversely affect the budget of the lab and its ability to run smoothly.

How to teach computer skills?

Building on established computer skills, this level can focus on presentation. Learning about slide presentations, embedding images and formatting printed documents gives students the finishing touches for their elementary computer education. The curriculum at this level may include these topics: 1 Introduction to slide-show presentations 2 Discuss what comprises a good presentation and how to reflect that in a slide show 3 Discuss templates, layouts, backgrounds, fonts and colors 4 Demonstrate creating slides and editing, sorting and transitions 5 Discuss including images, animation, videos and sound 6 Demonstrate editing documents to add and format graphics

Why do students use keyboards?

Since the students are still learning their alphabet, the keyboard will be used more for mimicking instructions rather than creating something. For example, an online game that asks the student to press the key that matches the picture they see on the screen can be helpful.

How to build a computer lab?

1. Identify the room for the computer lab. The first step in building a computer lab is knowing where it is going to be set up. You want to choose a room that has plenty of evenly spaced outlets and enough space to fit the number of computers you want to have in the lab.

How to start a computer lab on a budget?

If you are building a computer lab on a budget, it is a good idea to start by calling local businesses to see if they have old computers. When companies update their computer systems they are usually willing to donate their old computers to a good cause.

What do you need for a lab?

You will also need to consider the purchase of printers, scanners, projectors, and internet modems/wireless routers. At least one printer and internet access are two essential items for the lab.

Space for collaboration

Research has indicated that pupils often learn more when they work in pairs, so a computer lab should acknowledge that. Given how inexpensive laptops and tablets are there days (relatively speaking), there's no need to cram as many desktop computers into the room as possible. As long as you have...

Plants

Plants not only look nice, they can help to clean the air too. (We all know how hot and stuffy computer labs can become.) I used to have spider plants in mine, but it seems that other types of plants do an even better job.

Music

Having a nice Vivaldi or Mozart album playing in the background is definitely useful. It helps keep pupils nice and calm, and can help them concentrate too. See Music and Learning.

What are the best rules for a computer lab?

The best computer lab rules are ones that are focused on promoting a positive learning environment and good ‘ netiquette ‘ . Make sure your rules set high expectations for your students, but also only set rules that are achievable.

Why do students want their computer?

We’ve all been there. A student wants “their” computer because it has solitaire installed, or they have a file saved on the desktop (nooo!).

Why do students demand the same computer for next class?

Next class, they demand that same computer because their document is only saved to that computer. That’s why I enforce the rule of saving documents to your folder or your cloud so a student can access it from any computer on the school’s intranet. Read Also: The Benefits of Digital Play for Learning.

What is a computer lab?

Statements consisting only of original research should be removed. A computer lab is a space which provides computer services to a defined community. Computer labs are typically provided by libraries to the public, by academic institutions to students who attend the institution, or by other institutions to the public or to people affiliated ...

Who provides computer labs?

Computer labs are typically provided by libraries to the public, by academic institutions to students who attend the institution, or by other institutions to the public or to people affiliated with that institution.

Why are computers in a lab arranged in rows?

Computers in computer labs are typically arranged either in rows, so that every workstation has a similar view of one end of the room to facilitate lecturing or presentations, or in clusters, to facilitate small group work.

What is a media lab?

A media lab (often referred to as "new media lab" or "media research lab") is a term used for interdisciplinary organizations, collectives or spaces with the main focus on new media, digital culture and technology. The MIT Media Lab is a well-known example of a media lab.

How does an Internet café differ from a computer lab?

The term 'Internet café' is often used interchangeably with 'computer lab' but may differ from a computer lab in that users can also connect to the Internet using their own computer or device, and users of a computer lab generally do not need any equipment of their own.

Do student laptops have a place in a computer lab?

In some cases, generally in academic institutions, student laptops or laptop carts take the place of dedicated computer labs, although computer labs still have a place in applications requiring special software or hardware not practically implementable in personal computers.

Do computer labs have time limits?

In public settings, computer lab users are often subject to time limits, in order to allow more people a chance to use the lab, whereas in other institutions, computer access typically requires valid personal login credentials, which may also allow the institution to track the user's activities. Computers in computer labs are typically equipped ...

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Overview

A computer lab is a space where computer services are provided to a defined community. These are typically public libraries and academic institutions. Generally, users must follow a certain user policy to retain access to the computers. This usually consists of rules such as no illegal activity during use or attempts to circumvent any security or content-control software while using the …

Purposes

While computer labs are generally multipurpose, some labs may contain computers with hardware or software optimized for certain tasks or processes, depending on the needs of the institution operating the lab. These specialized purposes may include video editing, stock trading, 3-D computer-aided design, programming, and GIS. Increasingly, these have become the main purposes for the existence of traditional desktop-style computer labs, due to rising ownership o…

Arrangements

• around the classroom
• arranged in rows
• Ring

Alternatives

In some settings, traditional desktop computer labs are impractical due to the requirement of a dedicated space. Because of this, some labs use laptop carts instead of desktop setups, in order to both save space and give the lab some degree of mobility. In the context of academic institutions, some traditional desktop computer labs are being phased out in favor of other solutions judge…

Similar spaces

A media lab (often referred to as "new media lab" or "media research lab") is a term used for interdisciplinary organizations, collectives or spaces with the main focus on new media, digital culture and technology. The MIT Media Lab is a well-known example of a media lab.
An Internet café differs from a computer lab in that usage of a computer lab is generally free for those with access, while Internet cafés charge for computer use. The term 'Internet café' is ofte…

See also

• Computer science
• Computers in the classroom
• School library
• Kiosk software
• Public computer

External links

• Media related to Computer labs at Wikimedia Commons