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THE LATEST UPDATES AND DEVELOPMENTS IN SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY
SHAR WITH E ME IT M YOUR ANAG ER
BOARD GAMES How to do interactive on a budget
UPDATE 40 ›› ICT NEWS
The latest updates and developments in school technology
IN PRACTICE 42 ›› THE MAGIC NUMBER
Q3 Academy makes the most of technology funding
FOCUS ON 46 ›› BOARD GAMES
How to do interactive on a budget
HELP DESK 50 ›› TECHNO GEEK
Mobiles in the classroom: help or hindrance?
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NEWS & ANALYSIS SUPPLIERS’ ASSOCIATION TO COMBAT DODGY DEALS A new industry body has been launched to regulate the photocopier supplier market and protect schools and colleges from unfair deals. The Nationwide Association of Photocopier and Printer Suppliers (NAPPS) will monitor and accredit the operating standards of photocopier and document management companies through its code of practice with the aim to provide a collective voice and trusted community of suppliers. Every Member of NAPPS undergoes a rigorous UKAS-certified application process. “Our aim is to create a community of suppliers who educational establishments and other customers can believe in and have total peace of mind when working with them,” explained director Aaron Warham. “As an association, NAPPS is committed to bringing positive ethical change to the photocopier and printer supplier community, so that going forward, schools and colleges working with NAPPS accredited suppliers can rest assured that they are receiving the highest possible standards of customer service from assured companies.” The organisation was welcomed by the National Association of School Business Management (NASBM), which believes the lack of regulation and standardisation of these services has cost schools and colleges millions of pounds in mis-sold devices and sub-standard services
COST-EFFECTIVE, FUTURE-PROOFED TEACHING RESOURCE The NEC interactive wall mount solution aims to transform any flat surface into an interactive workspace. Utilising existing short throw projection equipment, schools can harness the benefits of interaction without having to invest heavily in all new projection equipment. The NEC interactive wall mount solution supports the teacher with the benefits of an interactive teaching and learning resource, maximising classroom space without requiring a huge investment. www.education-nec.com
STATS
SCHOOLS ‘APPY TO TAKE UP TABLETS
6%
OF ALL PUPIL-FACING COMPUTERS IN SCHOOLS IS PREDICTED TO BE TABLETS BY THE END OF THE YEAR
22% WILL BE THE PERCENTAGE BY THE END OF 2015
82%
OF ALL TEACHERS ALSO SAY THAT THEIR PUPILS HAVE AN INTEREST IN USING TABLETS
(Source: BESA)
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NAACE AND BETT JOIN FORCES Naace and the Bett show have announced a new partnership to grow participation in the ICT Mark scheme, a national accreditation programme which recognises and encourages the use of technology in education. Run by Naace, the ICT Mark programme has so far reached around 1,300 UK schools. Each ICT Mark-accredited school will be invited to become an ICT Mark Network Champion, reaching out to other schools in its local area to offer inspiration, information and guidance in the area of the effective technology-enhanced learning. The Champion schools will raise the profile of the ICT Mark and communicate the benefits of accreditation, hosting sessions for mutual support for schools who are committed to the development of ICT by embarking on the Self Review Framework journey. Starting in the autumn term, Champion schools will launch local networking communities, inviting neighbouring schools to observe best practice in action and join lively discussion sessions face-to-face and online. The Champion schools will raise the profile of the ICT Mark and communicate the benefits of accreditation. Joe Willcox, strategy director for Bett, explains his team’s decision to invest in the future of the ICT Mark Scheme: “We have been hugely impressed with the way in which working towards ICT Mark accreditation enables schools to focus on using technology to achieve improved education outcomes across the curriculum. The power of the ICT Mark is only limited by the resources available to promote it. So we decided to offer our support in order to help Naace multiply the number of schools enjoying the benefits of accreditation. We believe this complements what Bett has evolved to become – a place for grassroots collaboration between educators who are passionate about the transformational power of ICT.” Schools wishing to seek ICT Mark accreditation will be guided through the process and encouraged to use the Naace Self-review Framework tool. Champion schools will also organise visits to Bett 2013 at London’s ExCeL, with the Bett organising team subsidising travel for Champions able to bring groups of new visitors to the event.
Champions will help Bett first-time visitors to maximise the value of their trips, offering guidance on workshops, seminars and technology demonstrations best suited to the new visitors’ CPD needs. Miles Berry, chair of the Naace board of management and speaker at EdExec Live in June, said “ICT Mark schools demonstrate to parents, to prospective teachers and to their wider communities that they use technology to improve the quality of learning across the curriculum. The newly announced ICT Mark Network Champion schools will be supporting colleagues in their areas on their own professional development journeys. That this can be achieved with no additional strain on school finances is particularly welcome.” Dave Wright, head of e-learning at Bradon Forest School, which has been awarded the Naace 3rd Millennium Award, sees the network as a valuable service for schools: “For several years, we have shared our experiences and resources with schools locally and internationally. This new scheme will enable us to share with a wider audience of all teachers and set up dialogues that will benefit us all in our teaching and learning. The loss of LEA links in many parts of the country has left a void that this new community will fill.”
THEY SAID The world is becoming increasingly digital. These technologies have transformed the way we work, communicate, bank, shop and play. But they have not yet transformed our education system. Education needs to catch up. The system needs to be upgraded. If it isn’t, our children and our country will fall seriously behind in the digital revolution. And when that happens we will find computers shaping us rather than us using them to shape the world Professor Richard Noss, director of the TEL Programme at the Institute of Education, which released a damning report of the use of IT in the education sector
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THE LUCKY
ONES
A product of the old-style academy scheme, Q3 Academy was the fortunate recipient of funding to spend on IT. Like kids in a candy store, senior ICT technician Matthew Moody and his team got £2m to use towards the best ICT a school could get. Julia Dennison speaks to him about his choices and whether they are sustainable
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S
ome schools, it seems, have all the luck. As one of the last academies to convert under the Labour scheme, Birmingham’s Q3 Academy (formerly Dartmouth High School) received funding to put towards technology when it changed over in 2008. This, alongside a new building in 2010, was a dream come true for senior ICT technician Matthew Moody and his colleagues in the IT department, who had been under-resourced for years. With conversion, the school’s executive group, ICT consultants and the then network manager were given the opportunity to develop a tender for the new building’s ICT provision, covering everything from desktop computers, wireless networks to wired infrastructure, building management and access control, as well as its roll-out and installation While there was some technology the academy could use from the old building – a few laptops, some desktops and a couple of legacy servers – Moody and his team mostly had to start from scratch. “In theory, we were supposed to walk out of that building and walk into this building, and it was pretty much ready to go,” he says, and the reality was not far off from this. The conversion to academy status meant staff at Q3 could install impressive technology that as Dartmouth High School, they could only dream of. This included a 3D cinema, cashless catering system, ID cards with access control technology, two Apple
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Mac suites and technology that allows the school to record videos straight from TV. The only problem, says Moody, has been finding materials for the 3D cinema – the school has one software programme featuring a beating heart, which it uses a lot. “Getting cost-effective 3D material can be a little bit tricky,” he admits. But he still sings the praises of the cinema for its benefit on teaching and learning: “It’s certainly better than the old pop-up/pop-down projection screen we used to have in the hall anyway.”
FACT BOX
School: Q3 Academy Location: Birmingham Type: 11-18 mixed academy Specialisms: Design and enterprise
HELP DESK
KEEPING UP APPEARANCES
As part of the tender, Q3 had the foresight to ensure many of its new products had three-year service level agreements, but with these due to expire this financial year, the school is having to consider what it will do next to maintain a decent standard of ICT offering. “We’ve got to start looking at options to renew those, which we haven’t had to worry about,” says Moody. “We already spend quite a bit on annual SLAs and renewals that we’re familiar with paying…but our costs are creeping up as far as maintenance goes because we all had BEHIND THE SCENES three-year warrantees on equipment as With £2m to spend, Q3’s ICT department well… After January, it will be a case of was insightful enough to see beyond write it off, replace it or pay for it to be wow-factor devices, to back-office support repaired and those costs will start adding systems that would help reduce the overall up as well.” This obviously leaves him with cost of IT and its support as well. With concerns about the budget: “On top of our approximately 1,100 pupils, the ICT working budget, in another two years you department serves just over 900 devices could probably add another 50% for what throughout the academy, including 220 we’ll need to maintain the network.” This is sixth form laptops, 330 class laptops, without considering the future staff costs. around 250 classroom desktops, teacher Only having three members of staff desktops and interactive whiteboards. and one apprentice has been a challenge Managing each network user individually for Q3’s IT department. “We’ve always would be a time-consuming process and needed more staff,” admits Moody, who, in near impossible with only three permanent an ideal world, would have another staff and an apprentice. As a solution, the permanent technician to help him out. The school decided to install a user team might be acquiring the help of management software to help automate another apprentice in September, but this tasks that the support desk would normally has not yet been confirmed, since it would handle manually, thus making IT support be the network manager who makes the more efficient and appointment, and limiting data security the man who held After January, it will be a case of breaches. “If we can this position left in get automated write it off, replace it or pay for it May. practices in place… Q3 Academy to be repaired it’s easier to pass was able to hire an things along the apprentice through chain,” he says. “It’s all about efficiency.” a partnership with nearby Walsall College, Network and data security is also not and Moody speaks highly of the current much of an issue since the school placement. “It has been really good,” Moody converted. “We’re quite careful,” says says of the four-days a week the apprentice Moody. “We’ve got encrypted back-ups for spends at the school. “He goes on day when [data tapes] go off site; a fire-proof release and he does some training,” he safe for when they are on site; [and] explains. “He’s got more qualifications than screen-filters in key areas, like the CCTV me and my colleague put together and monitoring machines or when there is they’re more current!” Q3 has plans to confidential student information [on launch its own apprenticeship scheme with display].” There is also a robust firewall set another college, but this is still under up on site and to date, the academy has not development. had much of a problem with internal data Stories like that of Q3 Academy may breaches. There are plans to set up a guest make many schools wish they had been network that allows students and visitors to lucky enough to convert to academy status connect to the internet outside of its use for under Labour. However, Moody is quick to the curriculum, which would be traceable highlight just how challenging working with should any problems arise. The school is the dated Dartmouth High School had been also lucky enough to have installed a virtual before it became Q3 Academy. Furthermore, server network that is the envy of many the with future upkeep costs on the cards, ICT manager who visits. maintaining its shiny new technology will be a challenge that Q3, and other academies like it, may struggle to afford.
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ADVERTORIAL
YOUR LIBRARY AT THE HEART OF YOUR LEARNING PLATFORM july 2012
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ADVERTORIAL
A
n effective learning platform embedded in the working practices of a school can offer a range of benefits to teachers, students and parents, whilst supporting management and administration. Library management systems hold a range of multimedia resources that support teaching and learning throughout the key stages. Students can instantly access the most popular and latest library additions; staff can view reports on borrowing patterns, parents can track their children’s reading history and even read their book reviews; all using the very latest technologies to make it a really engaging experience. The Corsham School is an 11-18 mixed comprehensive in Wiltshire, educating children of all abilities, which achieved an ‘outstanding’ Ofsted report in 2009. The school has a high performing status for visual arts, and a second specialism in maths and ICT. It is a dynamic school where the IT focus complements the creative learning ethos. Electronic learning environment (ELE) manager Charlie Parsons explains how the school’s online learning platform integrates with its library management system and promotes literacy in the school: “I became the ELE manager in September 2007 and introduced the Frog learning platform to the school over a period of 12 months. It has been a massive success, improving communication across the school, engaging students in new technology and enabling us to achieve a 24/7 learning reality. Once the learning platform was up and running in the school, I decided to investigate other opportunities for integrating services within the learning platform. Frog is very flexible and can be used to host other companies’ applications and all SCORM compliant software. “Frog works with a number of education suppliers so software actually becomes part of the learning platform. It removes barriers and allows schools like us to easily interact with other pieces of software from one location. “This gave me an idea to look at our existing library software, which was out of date and uninspiring. I’d always planned to update it to something more engaging. Seeing how Frog worked with other library management systems made me realise that we could create a seamless integration. We could search an online catalogue of resources and provide student account information such as loan history and course reading lists, all through Frog. “Eclipse.net from MLS is an online library management system. I visited the company’s stand at BETT a couple of years ago and was impressed by the versatility of the software and the way that it could be incorporated into
our learning platform. The decision was made to purchase the software, bringing all of our resources into the learning platform. “Integrating elipse.net into Frog was extremely easy once the software was set up on the server and the address was published. You add a Frog ‘scroll frame brick’ to the page and simply type in the address. “For the first time, students are able to manage their books online, write reviews and watch authors talking about their books with ‘Meet the author’. Teachers are happy as they can now set homework using the library software. “Since successfully using the software for several months, we then proceeded to add all the set texts from the English department. We also loaded media and photography equipment onto the system, so every item a student borrows from the school sits in one database.” Frog is continuing to work with MLS to see how the two pieces of software interact with each other. Adrian Bantin, business development manager at Frog, comments: “There is so much more we can do with the eclipse.net library management system. The flexibility of our learning platform means that, essentially, anything is possible. The idea is to create an even more dynamic learning experience between the two systems.” Gemma Turner, business development manager at MLS, adds: “We have developed widgets that integrate with the learning platform, making the library and its resources easily accessible. Personalised and functional, eclipse.net ensures that students find the right resources seamlessly through Frog.” Gareth Davies, MD at Frog, explains the importance of integrating systems within the learning platform: “Platforms that look and function like the popular applications and websites that students use at home on a day-to-day basis have a better chance of being adopted by young people – anything less is viewed as ‘just the school system’. We have found the same also applies to teachers. “We are helping to up-skill teachers by providing access to the latest technologies without having to become a computer whizz, allowing them to deliver a learning experience that will further engage today’s children. The most important aspect of Frog is that it is the schools themselves that are now pushing the boundaries, innovating in the classroom, which is exactly where innovation should happen.”
For further information about Frog, please call 01422 395 931, email hello@frogtrade.com or visit www.frogtrade.com. For information about MLS, please call 0161 449 9357, email info@microlib.co.uk or visit www.microlib.co.uk.
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As technology develops and the curriculum changes, pupils are demanding more interactivity from ICT in schools. But with funding shrinking at an alarming rate, this can be a difficult challenge to meet. Carrie Service looks at how to get the most out of interactive technology on a budget
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CT in education is a hot topic at the moment. With changes in the curriculum and constant developments in technology, schools are fighting a continuous battle to keep up with the latest trends and innovations, while simultaneously saving money and making cuts wherever possible. Trying to find that middle ground can be really tough so making sure you are getting the best out of the technology you already have is vital.
ARE YOU INTERACTING?
I recently had a meeting with a technology company that was looking to promote its new product to the education market. We were discussing whether or not teachers truly get the most out of their interactive whiteboards and if they are aware of all the functionality they have. One rep recalled visiting a school recently where, to his horror, they were using the interactive whiteboard as a noticeboard to display posters – not exactly what it was intended for. Although this is a very extreme example, it demonstrates exactly what schools should be avoiding if they are going to keep up with the insatiable appetite for technology that children have. Interactive whiteboards, though not the cheapest piece of equipment, do undoubtedly provide a great platform for teaching and learning and present endless possibilities. It’s all very well having a piece of expensive equipment, but if the teachers don’t know how to use it properly, it is wasted. Lydia Dimambro, a
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history teacher in the West Midlands says that this is a common problem and that there are certain things for which an interactive whiteboard is not always a necessity: “I mostly use the whiteboard for the display of PowerPoint presentations, which could actually be done using a projector,” she tells me. “We were given training initially when the whiteboards were implemented, but I think a lot of this is forgotten along the way, and never actually ends up being used – which is a real shame, because the kids love it. It really boils down to time – many teachers have already created their teaching resources in a different format and finding the time to transfer these over isn’t easy.” Dimambro believes that implementing regular training and running trouble shooting workshops would help teachers to get the most from the technology. “Having a traditional, write-on whiteboard in the classroom probably doesn’t encourage teachers to use the interactive board either,” she adds. Removing these in rooms where an interactive board has been installed will mean that teachers have no choice but to use the technology. Take into account which subjects are more likely to make use of an interactive board and work out how many you should purchase based on this. Maths and ICT teachers tend to be heavy users, while teachers of subjects such as history and English might find that a good projector and laptop combined with the right software and accessories is just as good. For a cost-effective way of providing extra training for staff, why not
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Making sure you are getting the best out of the technology you already have is vital ask those who are heavier users to help those who are less confident? Dimambro agrees that could be an effective method of increasing proficiency: “Having colleagues who you know and trust show you how to get the most out of classroom technology could save the school money. It would also create a relaxed training environment where staff would feel more comfortable interacting and asking questions specific to their needs.” It might also be worth looking into investing in the right complementary software and resources for specific subjects, or encouraging those who have transferred their resources into the correct format for the interactive whiteboard to share them with other teachers to save time.
GET YOURSELF CONNECTED
Using a hosted data conferencing platform can allow schools to interact with each other via their whiteboard. By integrating this technology they can hold video and voice conversations at the same time, adding another dimension to learning. Colin Birchall, director at Rapid Technologies, believes that the possibilities for networking and sharing resources for schools when using a data conferencing platform are endless: “This has made massive savings to schools, allowing clusters to share educational resources across a wide geographical area” he tells me. For instance, a modern foreign languages teacher can deliver their lesson from a single location to schools across
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the authority. “The participating schools can see all the content and actions on the board, but can also hear and see the teacher and even interact with their content, making it a truly engaging and immersive experience for the student” he adds. Not only does this have great implications for distance learning but it also allows clusters of schools to use resources in a more cost efficient manner. Rachel Jones, head of education at Steljes, says teachers can actually get more accurate attainment records and save valuable time with a little know-how and the right software: “An area which some schools and academies have made really good progress with is gaining the benefits of technology for assessment. Using a response system connected into your interactive whiteboard – whether handsets or a software version on pupils’ own devices – during a lesson gives the teacher immediate feedback on how well students have understood a key concept. This is potentially a major game-changer, and far more effective than a hands-up approach. When you can flow data from such in-class assessments into your MIS – management information system – as a contribution to pupil tracking it starts to become very powerful indeed.” This also gives you the opportunity to make use of free technology, as many students have their own devices which can be brought in if your school has a BYOD (bring your own device) policy in place. Another thing to consider is the type of whiteboard you want to invest in. If you don’t think that every classroom requires an interactive whiteboard because they are unlikely to be using it all of the time, why not try a portable version that can be moved from classroom to classroom when needed? Helen Ferri from educational toy, games and learning aids manufacturer, Learning Resources, says sharing a whiteboard in this way is a great solution and allows pupils and teachers to have access to valuable technology without having to make a huge investment: “There
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is less restriction to where an interactive whiteboard can be used, the software is simply loaded onto a laptop or computer and can be set-up ready to start teaching within a few minutes.”
ACCESSORISE
Keith Roberts, marketing communications manager at SMK-Link Electronics, says another way of improving the performance of an interactive whiteboard cost-effectively is to purchase the right accessories to complement it: “It’s no secret that interactive whiteboards can significantly increase the impact of digital materials in the classroom” he says. “[But] unfortunately, electronic whiteboards are still prohibitively expensive for educational deployment.” Roberts believes that a good alternative to the interactive whiteboard is combining a computer or laptop with a projector, as these can deliver a good deal of the functionality of an interactive whiteboard, and can make use of technology the school already has at its disposal. However, he adds that the key to classroom interactivity lies in the input device used by the teacher to control them: “Today’s classroom input device needs to be interactive – able to function as either a desktop mouse or a handheld remote control mouse; and dynamic – capable of switching between these modes on the fly. This will give teachers control of traditional desktop applications, while simultaneously affording them the freedom to walk into the classroom and interact with students directly—all the while controlling the computer application being employed.” Implementing handy gadgets such this can make all the difference and costs just a fraction of what another interactive whiteboard would set you back. You don’t have to get every state-of-the-art gadget on the market, but investing in technology that you know has multiple uses and therefore isn’t at risk of gathering dust, makes good sense.
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End of the line? After a recent Ofsted report floated the idea of a ban on phones in schools, they could become a thing of the past in classrooms. Techno Geek asks if this would be a help or a hindrance
Ofsted announced in May that it is considering banishing mobile phones from lessons in an attempt to improve behaviour in schools. The idea is part of a new initiative aimed at tackling low-level disruption, which could see schools penalised for not improving their pupils’ behaviour. Recounting his time at Mossbourne Community Academy, where he banned the use of mobile phones, Sir Michael Wilshaw told the Daily Mail: “It certainly cut out all that nonsense that you have in schools of these things being brought in and then a mobile phone going off in a lesson.” He also expressed concern over the potential for phones to be used for bullying and accessing inappropriate content. However, school leaders have hit back at Wilshaw, whose approach to discipline has courted controversy in the past, and suggested that a ban would not provide a solution. Russell Hobby, general secretary of The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), said: “An outright ban would send a message to pupils that schools are out of touch with the world in which they live and ignore the many positive benefits of new technologies in education.” He continued: “Banning mobiles will only serve to make them more attractive and instead, pupils would be better served by learning to use them effectively.” So, what are the people on the front line saying? Lydia Dimambro, a history teacher in the West Midlands, thinks it is unrealistic to eradicate the influence of mobile phones in the classroom and that their uses should not be ignored: “The majority of students these days have their own smart phone, which could be used for internet research, educational gaming or downloading educational apps.” In her experience, she isn’t the only one embracing these opportunities: “Some teachers even encourage students to use their phone as a homework planner, the theory being that as they are always using their mobile, setting a reminder on their phone calendar is a good way of getting them to do their homework on time.” She does however, acknowledge that theory and practice don’t always marry and that this approach might not be appropriate for younger pupils: “I think that smartphones could be utilised perhaps by older students, from GSCE upwards, as they tend to have more discipline and can resist the temptation to misuse them.” This theory is one shared by Mark Griffiths, a primary school teacher in Bristol, whose school doesn’t see any value in the use of phones: “Our policy at school is that the students have to hand their phones in when they get to school in the morning. At their age, the phones only serve as a distraction, and we find that the no-phone policy creates an environment much more conducive to learning.” Whatever your school’s policy on the use of phones, it is important to have a clear policy in place and ensure that pupils understand what that is, and the reasons behind it.