Mustek e-Learning

16
Feb

What you must NOT do when you clean your laptop’s screen

The screen of a laptop can be damaged easily.  Many screens have been inadvertently scratched in the process of being cleaned.

When you clean the screen, remember the things you must not do:

Don’t use paper towels or tissues – even though they appear soft they could scratch the screen.

A soft cloth will not damage your laptop’s screen

Don’t use an abrasive cloth that has the potential to cause scratches – for best results use a piece of cloth cut from an old T-shirt.

Don’t use household cleaning fluids with an ammonium base (look on the label of the cleaning fluid) – ammonium will dissolve part of the protective top layer of the screen, leaving a dull, smudged effect.

Don’t spray liquid directly onto the screen, as some of the spray may penetrate the machine.

Don’t apply too much pressure when cleaning the screen – it could be damaged in the process.

posted by Kobus van Wyk in Laptops and have No Comments
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07
Feb

Is it difficult to learn to use a laptop?

With laptops becoming available to teachers, this is a burning question in the minds of those who have never used a laptop before. The answer to this question could be “yes” and it could be “no”. It depends on four factors.

The first one is your level of understanding of technology in general. If you have mastered the use of a cell phone, a DVD player, video camera or other electronic gadgets, you are just a short step away from mastering your laptop.

Secondly, your technology aptitude determines, to some extent, how difficult it will be for you to learn to use your new machine. Some people take to technology like a duck to water. How difficult was it for you to learn to use your cell phone when you first got it? If you are one of those people who quickly figures out how to use appliances, learning to use your laptop will be a breeze. If you usually leave technology up to others in the home, you will have to work somewhat harder.

With a little effort and the right attitude you can avoid laptop frustration

A third factor is the amount of effort you are prepared to put into exploring your laptop. You will need to spend time learning its many functions. One of the best ways to learn is to do and the more time you spend practising the things you learn, the quicker you will get on top of them.

The fourth, and perhaps the most important factor, is your attitude. Do you really want to learn to use a laptop? What is your motivation? Do you feel it is an unnecessary burden, or do you believe that it would be to your advantage to be a competent laptop user?

The extent to which you measure up to these four factors determines how difficult it will be for you to learn to use your laptop. If you discover that some of these factors are not in your favour, don’t despair. Just look around and see how many people – including fellow teachers – have managed to learn to use a laptop … and few of them are smarter than you.

If you really want to learn to use a laptop, you will succeed.

posted by Kobus van Wyk in Laptops and have No Comments
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31
Jan

Mustek leads the way in the Teacher Laptop Initiative

It took forever to dot each i and to cross the last t but at long last the Teacher Laptop Initiative (TLI) is underway.

Announced in the Government Gazette 32207 of May 2009, the TLI took many twists and turns as it tried to surface through bundles of bureaucratic red tape.  Many teachers thought the programme would never come off the ground, but they will be happy to know that all obstacles have been removed and that the TLI is now a reality.

Mustek has been appointed by the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) as an “approved supplier” to supply a choice of three different packages to teachers – each containing a different Mecer laptop model.  These packages differ with regards to processing capacity of and data bundles for internet access, but they all come with a warranty, comprehensive insurance and pre-loaded software to the value of nearly R40 000.

Full-time government teachers qualify for an allowance of R130 over a five year period (total of R7 800).  Teachers who are employed by School Governing Bodies and private schools may also purchase these superb packages, but unfortunately they do not qualify for the allowance.

Teachers should consider the total value of the packages offered by Mustek before they think of buying a cheap laptop from an electronics supermarket.  These packages are good, comprehensive deals and are difficult to beat.

With a laptop in their hands teachers will be able to cross the digital divide, bringing us a step closer to an e-learning reality in our schools.

posted by Kobus van Wyk in Laptops and have No Comments
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24
Jan

Does a software package add value or volume?

Volume does not always equate to value

Many excellent software packages in support of education are available commercially.  Some of these products are content-rich – of great use to teachers who lack resources.  Others are content-free, used by innovative teachers to create exciting learning experiences for their learners.

Each educational software product has a specific focus and could be a useful tool when used in the correct context.  It is no wonder that teachers become so excited about them when attending software demonstrations at trade shows or vendor presentations.

The principal has the difficult task to determine whether the school should invest in a particular product or not.  There are so many of them.  Which one must you choose?  Should you go on the recommendation of an enthusiastic teacher?  You may have a persistent vendor knocking on your door.  Perhaps you already have many unused software products and may wonder if it is worth your while to buy yet another one.

You need to ask yourself, and your teaching staff  only one question:  Will this product add volume or value?

There is no merit in having a great volume of products if they are not used.  The only justification for purchasing the product would be if it has the promise of adding value.

The following questions will help you to determine whether a particular product will add volume or value:

Does this product fill an educational need?  Can you name the need?

How do you intend using the product?

How many teachers are likely to use it?

Do the teachers have the necessary competencies to use the product?

How much training is required, and how will the teachers be trained?  Do they have time to be trained?  Are they willing to be trained?

Is it a product you’re buying, or a service?

The last point is important.  Software vendors can be valuable partners of the school of they offer training and acsupport service as part of the deal.

When confronted with the decision to buy a software product, pause and ask:

Will it add volume or value?

posted by Kobus van Wyk in Education,Software and have No Comments
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18
Jan

Back to school … on the wings of technology

It is that time of the year again … teachers and learners are flocking back to school and hard work lies ahead for teachers: lesson plan preparation, class lists, and an endless load of admin duties.  A new laptop may be just what the teacher needs to take the sting out of admin.

Through its dealer network, Mustek is offering a series of specials in its reliable and affordable Mecer range of products.

Teachers, visit your nearest Mustek dealer to see what is available and for assistance to choose the machine that will suit your particular needs … as well as your pocket.

posted by Kobus van Wyk in Laptops and have No Comments
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15
Jan

Ten tips to extend the life of your laptop

While manufacturers do their best to produce durable and robust machines, laptops are made up of delicate parts and must be handled with care. Here are a few things that could significantly decrease the risk to your machine.

Laptops are sensitive to dust – limit their exposure to dust and dirt.  When you are not using your machine, store it in a dust free place.

Laptops are sensitive to humidity – avoid exposing them to liquid, such as wet work surfaces, working in the rain or on a boat, using wet hands, or coffee spills.

Laptops are sensitive to heat – don’t leave your machine in the boot of your car on a hot day in summer.

When you plug in the charger, don’t stretch the wires over a walkway – this may cause a person to trip accidentally, sending the laptop on a trip to the floor.

Always close the lid of the laptop gently, without banging it shut.  It is best to hold the lid from the middle, or hold it both sides when you close it.

If you must move the laptop, use both hands to carry it.

When you put the machine in a bag to carry it, ensure that the bag is closed before you pick it up otherwise you may end up with a bag in your hand and a broken laptop on the floor.

Don’t put the laptop on an uneven or unstable surface from where it could be knocked down easily.  If you put it on the corner of a table, or where part of the laptop hangs over the surface, you are asking for it to be knocked down.

Ensure that the rubber feet underneath the laptop are in good condition and that they are still attached. This will prevent the machine from sliding around and slipping off the table.

First think before you put your laptop down. Don’t leave it on the floor where it could be in the way of pets, children and big feet. One person put a laptop in its bag behind the passenger seat in his car. A passenger sat down, pushed the seat back and crunched the laptop.

You can extend the life of your laptop if you handle it with care.

posted by Kobus van Wyk in Laptops and have No Comments
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11
Jan

Mustek rewards excellence in education

Mustek joined the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) in celebrating outstanding achievements of schools and matric candidates in the 2011 National Senior Certificate examinations by presenting each one of the top ten matric students with a laptop.

Students, as well as schools that provided excellent quality education over the past year, were honoured during an event hosted by Helen Zille, Premier of the Western Cape, at her Leeuwenhof residence at the foot of Table Mountain in Cape Town

Guests mingle in the gardens of Leeuwenhof after the awards ceremony

Mustek has consistently supported education in the Western Cape over the past decade, not only by annually donating laptops to top students, but also by being one of the major service providers of the Khanya project, a widely recognized international success story.

Through its association with Khanya during the ten years of the project’s life, Mustek has gained extensive experience in the field of e-learning.  Now that the project has come to an end, Mustek will continue to support schools in the Western Cape on an individual basis through its branch office, as well as through its extensive dealer network.  In addition, Mustek has established a division supporting e-learning initiatives countrywide, and the insights gained in the field of e-education in the Western Cape will now be shared with education authorities in all parts of the country.

Watch this space for accounts of Mustek’s e-learning initiatives, for reports on the lessons learned and for information on products and services that can support e-learning in schools.

posted by Kobus van Wyk in Education,Events and have No Comments
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06
Jan

Should I attempt to fix my computer myself?

Are you qualified to perform this operation?

The high cost of maintenance may lead you to think about fixing your computer yourself when something goes wrong with the hardware.

Perhaps you are a do-it-yourself person and are itching to get under the bonnet of your machine.

Since computers use complicated technology, maintenance calls for specialist knowledge.  Expert skill is required to work on such equipment.  Only some people have the aptitude to fix technical things.  You may have this talent and could learn how to fix your own computer in the future but in the interim, exercise self-control and let the experts work on it.

Consider a piece of ancient wisdom found in one of Aesop’s fables, The Widow and the Sheep.  The story goes like this:

A poor widow had one solitary sheep.  At shearing time, wishing to take his fleece and to avoid expense, she sheared him herself, but used the shears so unskillfully that with the fleece she sheared the flesh.

The sheep, writhing with pain, said: “Why do you hurt me so, Mistress? What weight can my blood add to the wool? If you want my flesh, there is the butcher, who will kill me in an instant; but if you want my fleece and wool, there is the shearer, who will shear and not hurt me.”

Should you attempt this?

The moral of the story is: stick to your trade. Don’t attempt to fix your computer unless you’re an expert. You may kill it!

If your machine is still within its warranty period, the warranty will be voided if you fiddle with the hardware.

When something goes wrong with your machine, contact your dealer for details about how to have it fixed by an authorised, qualified technician.

posted by Kobus van Wyk in Maintenance and have No Comments
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04
Jan

An admin pain-killer for teachers …

As many teachers are heading back to school, one part of their job they are not looking forward to is administration.   It is the least glamorous part of teaching and consumes many hours of a teacher’s week.

Are you swamped by paperwork?

This may be a good time to have another look at the teacher’s best friend: a computer.  This tool has helped many teachers to take the sting out of admin.  Here are just three ways in which technology can help you – the teacher – to cut your admin load:

  • Use your computer to create documents such as examination papers, worksheets and lesson plans.  The preparation of these documents may be time consuming but once created, they are yours forever.  Just imagine the amount of time you’ll be saving in the future.
  • Maintain learner score sheets on your computer – tools that calculate automatically and update records as figures are changed are available to you.  This is a great time-saver and ensures accuracy.
  • A computer makes a great filing cabinet!  All your lesson plans, notes, lists, reports and other documents can be filed and stored in one place.  This results in an orderly system and saves searching time.  It also saves space – with all your documents safely stored on your computer, you can ditch all those bulky paper files.

 

When the computer is a laptop, it is even better, since you will be able to work wherever and whenever it is convenient.  In time you’ll discover more ways in which technology can help you with admin tasks – time saved in these ways will allow you to focus on the more enjoyable and rewarding aspects of teaching.

Visit your nearest Mustek dealer to explore the wide range of computers and laptops currently available to you.

posted by Kobus van Wyk in Tools and have No Comments
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01
Jan

Don’t lose your keys!

Would you know where to put them back?

No matter how careful you are, pieces of dirt will fall between the keys of the keyboard of your computer or laptop.  Dust will accumulate underneath the keys, and yes, on the occasion when you’re eating a cookie while typing away – even though we all know we should not do it – the crumbs will fall through the tiny slits between the keys.

It is not easy to get rid of dirt underneath the keys.  You may turn the keyboard upside down – tapping it lightly – and a few loose pieces of dirt will fall out but most of tbem will remain.  Some use an earbud to clean between the keys but this is a tedious job.

A much easier option is to use a vacuum cleaner with strong suction.  The problem is that the keys may be sucked in!  To prevent that from happening, take a piece of netting (a hairnet will do) and pull it tight over the keyboard before you start vacuuming.

posted by Kobus van Wyk in Maintenance and have Comments (2)
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