The long awaited Computers on Wheels arrive at Oakhill
For two years our weary ears were subjected to our Headmaster’s speeches on advancing Oakhill technology. He grandly proclaimed that by 2014 we would all be working on devices such as laptops or iPads, rather than in crumpled exam pads. I was one of the many skeptics. How would it be feasible for over two hundred students all to have ‘a device’?
On our return from Odyssey (that is the Grade 10 group), we heard about a mysterious COW creature that had taken up a spot on the campus, making lessons fun and even more informative with access to the internet. One could type quickly, rather than scrawl on scraps of paper. Filing was suddenly easy, even to the most disorganized student, as work was stored on flash drives or in a ‘cloud’ and with access to our work from anywhere. One could listen to music on these devices, enhancing concentration. Computers came to us! We no longer needed to waste time by trooping to the slightly musty IT Center. It sounded unbelievable; a futuristic utopia amidst young oak trees.
COW is an acronym for Computers on Wheels. These 30 laptops use Windows 8 and are stored in a portable ‘box’ on wheels. Teachers book online and the COW is then wheeled to whomever has booked it and the students then have access for the duration of one lesson. This was all hearsay to me, as I had not experienced using these wonders myself.
Last period of the day – Afrikaans. Everyone was bored and fidgety, daydreaming of a 20 kilometer hike on the beach with our Odyssey group. As suddenly as a wave slapping our feet, our teacher informed us that we would be using the COW for the period. After experiencing it, I can truly say that it was as efficient, fast and absorbing as advertised on stage in assembly. It is thrilling that Oakhill has taken this step forward and technology will be integrated into our curriculum as surely as it will be integrated into our various careers and future. A great thank you to everyone involved in allowing the student body to experience this privilege. Now, I’m wondering, should ‘My dog ate my homework’ change to ‘A virus ate my homework’?
Written by Iqraa Daniels
