UPDATE BETT 2015 marketing@stonegroup.co.uk stonegroup.co.uk @StoneComputers
e-Safety and e-Waste: Getting it right for Ofsted INTRODUCING THE NEW 11.6� STONE NOTEBOOK PAGE 10 2 0 1 5
WILL VIRTUAL REALITY TRANSFORM EDUCATION? PAGE 12 ISO 14001
ISO 27001
ISO 9001
Registered
Registered
Registered
Environmental Management
Information Security Management
Quality Management
LOCATION INDEPENDENT LEARNING PAGE 26
CONTENTS COVER STORIES
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INTRODUCING THE NEW 11.6” STONE NOTEBOOK
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WILL VIRTUAL REALITY TRANSFORM EDUCATION?
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E-SAFETY AND E-WASTE
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LOCATION INDEPENDENT LEARNING
Find out more about its features
How technology like the Oculus Rift could have an impact on learning
Getting it right for Ofsted
Enhancing teaching through digital and physical harmony
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E-SAFETY AND E-WASTE: GETTING IT RIGHT FOR OFSTED
FEATURES
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03 04 06
FROM THE EDITOR Get the low-down on what’s packed inside UPDATE
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CLOUD NETWORKING FOR LOCATION INDEPENDENT LEARNING How the cloud has transformed IT infrastructures for educational institutions
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THE STONE NUC The tiny PC with big potential
HOW TO TEACH WITH TABLETS PART 2 An account of a successful lesson using tablets WASHINGTON SCHOOL CASE STUDY How Washington School’s exit from its BSF managed service has transformed its technology
CLOUD NETWORKING FOR LOCATION INDEPENDENT LEARNING
IOSAFE SOLO G3 Protect your data from disaster A DISPLAYNOTE HOW-TO Making lessons interactive for everyone IIYAMA A wide range of education monitors THE STONE INTEGRUM A leading edge converged server and storage appliance
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THE STONE INTEGRUM
BETT 2015
FROM THE
If you would like to receive future editions of UPDATE, then please subscribe to our mailing list today through the website at www. stoneupdate.co.uk/subscribe
EDITOR It’s that time of year again! Over the last few months we’ve been busy working on the Stone stand, and for this year’s BETT show we’ve got some truly unique experiences for you to come and see. E-Safety and e-Safeguarding policies are becoming an increasingly important area for senior leadership teams to master. Having an airtight approach to ‘e-Waste’ ensures the safety of students and staff and could also make a positive contribution to your next school inspection report. We’ve read up on the latest Ofsted guidelines and put together some tips to help you get it right (page 16). You’ll also be able to visit the Recycling zone on our stand to discuss this with our compliance experts. This year, we’re delighted to offer stand visitors the chance to experience the Oculus Rift – the highly anticipated virtual reality headset due for commercial release this year. As a result, we’ve been thinking about the potential that virtual reality has to transform teaching and learning by providing experiences that might never have been possible otherwise (page 12).
Launching a tablet-led strategy in your institution requires a lot of thought around how your infrastructure will stand up to supporting an influx of mobile devices. We’ve aimed to demystify cloud networking and how it could be used to support your institution (page 14). Our Infrastructure Specialists are available to talk about your cloud requirements, along with a whole host of other solutions including Managed Services, Wireless and Storage. We’re also excited to be bringing some new and innovative technologies. In this issue, you’ll see the new 11.6” Stone Notebook, the Stone Integrum converged server and storage appliance and an ultra-tough back-up solution designed to withstand fire and flood! Missed the last edition? Don’t worry – you can still see some great content from the last issue on www.stoneupdate.co.uk. And to make sure our content is in a more shareable and mobile-friendly format, we’ve put some content from this edition on there too! We’re looking forward to seeing you at stand C102!
Almost 70% of primary and secondary schools in the UK are now using tablets, so it’s more important than ever to ensure that educators have the know-how when it comes to bringing this technology successfully into the curriculum. In our Interactive Zone, you’ll be able to engage with the latest tablet devices whilst learning how these can be used for innovative and engaging activities in the classroom with the help of Tablet Academy (page 4). It’s also important to consider how the latest mobile technology can help to enhance the physical world around us and bring a new context to learning (page 26). marketing@stonegroup.co.uk stonegroup.co.uk @StoneComputers
Daley Robinson, Group Marketing Director 08448 22 11 22 marketing@stonegroup.co.uk
Current and past editions of UPDATE are available to read online at any time on your favourite device. Whenever you see these icons, go online for bonus content using the QR code or the web link.
VIDEO CLIP
CASE STUDY
ONLINE CONTENT
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HOW TO
TEACH WITH TABLETS: PART 2 In the last UPDATE we brought you a great lesson plan from Tablet Academy Trainer and Primary Specialist Debbie Lewis. In this issue, she’s back with an account of a successful lesson that she carried out, designed to enhance the English curriculum with the latest tablet technology.
MUSIC VIDEO PRODUCERS
POINTS OF STUDY ADDRESSED:
Subject: English/Computing
Reading - Comprehension Upper KS2
Helps with: Comprehension, discussion, speaking and listening
Writing - Transcription Composition Computing (KS2)
EQUIPMENT: + Tablets - Android, iPad or Windows; each with the MP3 file to be downloaded onto it + Cute CUT – Full Featured Video Editor for iOS (free) https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/cute-cut-fullfeatured-video/id583555212?mt=8 Please Note: This free version of Cute CUT has watermark and movie length limit on exporting. Pro upgrade is £3.99 + Cute CUT – Video Editor for Android (free) - https:// play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com. topvideo.cutecut&hl=en + Cinelab for Windows (free) - http://apps.microsoft. com/windows/en-gb/app/ccaff115-df77-4494-bdad2d7463a53dcf + Examples of music videos in the style proposed – see the next page for suggested links + A3 paper + Pencils, pens, felt tips + Internet to source appropriate images
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DEBBIE’S ACCOUNT: This is a wonderfully engaging activity where the children discuss, create and research language in a way that is current and meaningful to them.
You can add six types of media into your movie: ++
Video (from album or camera)
The main idea is to select some catchy, repetitive songs which the pupils are going to image and word-sync. It sounds a very simple idea – and it is - but the language development generated can be quite astounding.
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Photo (from album or camera)
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Self-draw, drawing directly on the movie
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Text
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Music
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Voice
Most recently I was working with two Year 4 classes during their Arts Festival, the theme of which was “The Americas”. Year 4 were studying the Caribbean and therefore I selected Bob Marley’s ‘Three Little Birds’ as our inspiration. We listened to it and drew the images and words that popped into our heads as the music and lyrics played. Ideas were discussed and some similarities discovered, however there were some striking differences too.
“So what would be the best way to represent these thoughts?” The children were all very familiar with music videos and suggested that they would be an effective way to communicate their ideas and suggestions.
“How about if we were to create our own?” The reply was, of course, unanimous. I had found a number of different examples of music videos on the Internet and showed them to the class to get them started. We considered and shared their ideas around ways in which the words and images had been brought together to magnify the impact of the songs. Armed with a copy of the lyrics, the children created storyboards in coloured pencil, pen and felt tip. There was a frenzy of activity. Some worked alone, others in small groups. Their ideas came pouring out. Similes, metaphors, homographs and homophones, phonics and figurative language were filling the room. There was a lot of talk about sourcing the right images at which point we reinforced the need for safe searches. The video producers began to collect their assets. After a short while, I showed them the app that they were going to use - Cute CUT, a unique video-editing app that allows you to make a very different kind of movie. It is extremely user friendly and intuitive and the children were up and flying solo within minutes. Just drag and drop, to arrange your media segments easily.
The pupils came up with some ingenious ways to represent their thoughts and feelings. In one of the classes there was a little girl from Romania who had not long joined the school; she spoke very little English. This activity helped her enormously because she could make the picture/word connections and sing along with her friends. Other groups took this on board and began to consider different types of audience. Note - This is not something that you can complete in a single lesson. We took two half days and still felt that we wanted more. Given the chance many of the children would have continued all day! At the end of my time with the classes we had a mini awards ceremony where each group showed their production to a highly appreciative audience. I know from chatting with the children that many had downloaded the app on their devices at home and were already busy creating much bigger and better videos. I can’t help but wonder if, in years to come, they will remember to mention how they got started in their acceptance speeches at The Brits or The Oscars!
VIDEOS USED Must be Love – Labi Sifri https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XftXrk32TUE Octopus’s Garden – Ringo Starr https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgPqmRNjoTE Three Little Birds – Bob Marley https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57WBz6XZ9jg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9NEs3g1r18
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Case Study Breaking the chain: How Washington School’s exit from its BSF managed service has transformed its technology Overview ++
Washington School in Sunderland was part of the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme and chose to break free of its associated IT managed services contract
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In just six weeks, Stone Group rebuilt its network infrastructure to a personalised and flexible specification
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Since making this choice, Washington School has been able to implement a series of technical improvements to its classroom-based pedagogical education and parent communication strategies, which are resulting in marked improvement in practice and impact upon key stakeholders
Background Washington School in Sunderland is developing as a centre for excellence and places itself firmly at the heart of its community. The school is situated in the North East of England and serves a community that continues to face the challenges of unemployment and low aspiration. Head of School, Dr. Mike Beverley is developing a multi-layered approach using digital technologies that is providing students with the requisite skills and tools to access the brightest career prospects. Washington School holds a specialism in technology and is rapidly developing an identity and reputation where targeted and confident use of digital technologies is a key focus of every member of staff. Washington opened a series of new buildings and facilities as part of the BSF programme in 2009.
Challenge For the last five years, Washington has been tied to an IT managed services contract as part of its inclusion in Sunderland City Council’s Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. As part of the agreement, Washington was using a proprietary network, underpinned by eight physical servers and a Storage Area Network (SAN), housed in the school’s purpose-built ICT room. When the contract was coming to an end, Washington wanted to switch away from the status quo and create a more flexible, innovative ICT environment that supported the school’s ambitions and educational style. Jim Ferry, Network Manager, has worked on premise at Washington School for many years, and was transferred by TUPE during the managed services contract. “Things were too rigid. Not only did we want the school to have more autonomy over the way we consumed and paid for our technology, but we wanted more flexibility too,” comments Jim. “With a managed services contract, change was quite a protracted process and we often felt as if there
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was no room to create exactly what we wanted. On top of that, from a personal perspective, I felt as if the change in role was causing me to fall behind on some of the skills I prided myself on, because there was little opportunity to be involved in the school’s decision making process. “We knew as soon as the contract was ending that we would look for an alternative way to manage our ICT services both on and off premise. As Washington has important ambitions to utilise ICT both in and out of the classroom, we made the decision to be bold and seek out a partner who could support, but not control our requirements. We were also convinced that we could find a more cost-effective solution if we measured our requirements carefully.” Jim worked with the school’s Strategic Group, consisting of the Head of School, Business Manager and Data & MIS Manager, to create a brief that made their ongoing need for flexibility and freedom quite clear. Four suppliers were shortlisted, and Stone Group was successful.
BETT 2015
Solution Stone Group worked with Washington to completely replace the previous proprietary system with a custom designed network solution within the deadline constraints of the 2014 summer holidays. Jim continues, “As a school, we had a clear idea of the type of network solution that would be best for us, and the Stone team effectively filled in the blanks by showing me what could be done, and how. They came to the school so all the group thinking was done on-site, which I really appreciated. When we sat down to plan out the network, we were already on the same page, which is something I didn’t feel I got from the other suppliers we invited to tender.” Washington and Stone agreed the following technical specification as key deliverables for the project: ++
A new server and storage hardware infrastructure to consolidate the school’s existing physical environment onto a highly available virtual environment. Three high specification host servers with a Storage Area Network, running a VMware Essentials Plus virtualised platform.
++
Overall strategy, including the migration of user/ data and the future direction of the new environment, agreed in a technical planning session. A new Microsoft Active Directory Forest with Domain Level Trusts solution, running parallel with the existing proprietary infrastructure to assist with the migration and implementation of a new Active Directory/Group Policy structure.
++
Migrate Washington’s existing Office365 environment to authenticate to the new domain. RM Unify for the federated services to give end users a recognisable desktop environment.
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A new Microsoft DPM 2012 backup system, with new system hardware hosted on repurposed server/storage hardware to support the new infrastructure.
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A new Windows 7 base image created and deployed to all supported end devices.
The new system, based around three Stone ProManaged S2600 servers, and a DotHill AssuredSAN 3330C Storage Area Network, went live just before the start of the new school year and has been fully functioning ever since. 13 virtual servers were provisioned to consolidate the existing environment and provide functionality and management for the new infrastructure. Three VMware vSphere 5 Essentials Plus Virtualisation hosts with high availability components were configured to provide the platform. Stone worked with Washington to create a new Group Policy and file/folder structure to fit precisely with the school’s user and infrastructure needs. A new file system was needed to engender a ‘clean’ approach to the new system and protect against duplication. User account migrations were deployed over the six-week period, and each user was able to access the system with a request to change their password at next login attempt.
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UPDATE Benefits “Aside from the obvious benefits of this being our network which we control in every way, there have already been some incredible changes made at the school because of it, and also in the way we’re all working together,” explains Jim.
“Everybody has noticed simple things, such as login being a faster process, and the existing networked hardware, such as desktop PCs, has been running faster and without problems so far. Then there are some really innovative projects and methodologies that have been kicked-off in recent weeks, which are underpinned by the flexibility of our new back-end environment. “We’re using SharePoint to create and share careers information and guidance via the network; not just with students on-site, but with their parents as well. We take our responsibility as the primary instigator of a child’s employment future in our local community very seriously, and we need this information to be as accessible as possible.
“Our sports staff are using their tablets out on the playing fields, wirelessly, to record pupil performance and create instant playback and comparison scenarios to help them perfect techniques such as goalkeeping in football or throwing the javelin in athletics. “We’re also using Augmented Reality platform ‘Aurasma’ to improve our parent relationships. We’ve created a tool that lets people attending parent’s evenings watch personalised guides to their children’s lessons by accessing a code on the way into the venue. This means we can focus entirely on the child’s performance when we sit with the parents, rather than filling in background on what has occurred in general that term.
“None of this would have been possible without the new, more flexible system that Stone’s given us.” An upgraded firewall and anti-virus solution has been deployed and tested. Excitingly, this is enabling the school’s first foray into BYOD, a test project with Years 8 and 10 in the Autumn Term, as well as other future projects.
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BETT 2015 Results After the IT managed service contract finished, Jim was transferred back to Washington as an employee. The new network, associated projects and the school’s renewed enthusiasm for putting ICT at the heart of its teaching has also meant that Jim has a new colleague, another ICT team member to support the growing need. Dr. Mike Beverley, the Head of School at Washington comments:
“We chose the right supplier in Stone, we’re very confident of that, and we’re keen to continue to work with them on some of our other ICT innovation projects, such as our BYOD trial. Leaving our managed services contract after the BSF programme has helped us put technology where we want it to be at Washington - integral to the development of 21st Century pedagogies that make the most effective use of digital technologies. “We want to rapidly close the competency gap between our pupils and our staff using collaborative and engaging technology that helps pupils learn and teachers do their jobs. I’m not interested in always going for ‘the next hot thing’ or using ICT reactively to get results, but this new network is going to enable us to change our culture and use of technology. “It’s already happening – there’s a small pilot project of classes trialling the ‘Flipped Learning’ teaching model, used by a significant number of Universities and High Schools in the USA, which requires much more ICT support in terms of access to research and online study materials. Teaching staff are becoming increasingly confident and competent with the provision of individualised feedback to students via pod/vodcast; although this will never completely replace written feedback. “Stone has given us the flexibility, freedom and support we needed to get out there and try the things we knew would make a difference. The fact the project was completed on time and on budget is a huge bonus. Although we only installed the new system a few weeks ago, so it’s still rather new, I’m more concerned with the future we can now plan for, than the constraints we once had.” 9
UPDATE
Introducing...
‌the new 11.6� Stone Notebook
A classic and simple design with solid features for everyday use.
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BETT 2015
Our new thin and light 11.6” laptop has been designed to compete with entry level devices and boasts an array of features including the latest Windows 8.1 operating system, Intel® HD Graphics and a multi-touch trackpad for ease of navigation.
Features include:
Windows 8.1 Pro
Intel® Celeron® Processor
8GB
11.6”
8GB Memory
11.6” HD LCD Display
HD Graphics
1MB 1MP Video Camera
Multi-gesture trackpad for easy navigation and scrolling
TPM as standard for increased data security
Up to 5 Year On-site Warranty
If you’re looking for a reliable device offering great performance benefits and value for money, then this is the ideal solution for you. Come over to Stand C102 to try one for yourself or e-mail marketing@stonegroup.co.uk for more information. 11
UPDATE
WILL VIRTUAL REALITY TRANSFORM EDUCATION? The Oculus Rift is a highly anticipated head-mounted virtual reality display being developed by Oculus VR, set for commercial release in 2015. With development kits having been sent out since 2012, a whole host of content has been created and previews shared online, giving us a taste of what’s in store when it finally goes on commercial release.
Many in the industry agree that the Rift is set to have a massive impact on the world of gaming – but what about education? In recent times, education has been gradually adopting technologies that originally gained mass popularity in the consumer market into everyday classroom life – most notably tablets. Can we expect virtual reality to be the next technology to transform the way that pupils learn? Using the capacity to create any virtual environment in front of your eyes, it’s easy to see the potential that the Rift has to deliver immersive experiences that are not only entertaining but also educational. The possibilities are pretty much endless, so there’s a real opportunity to create experiences that are not only relevant to the curriculum, but can also transform learning in new and innovative ways. Virtual reality is already used in many areas of professional development, including flight simulators for pilots and military training scenarios, providing the obvious benefits of being able to experience and learn how to deal with high risk situations in a realistic, but safe and controlled area. However, the potential that virtual reality has in providing immersive educational experiences can go right back to use in the primary classroom. Working on the widely-accepted assumption that children learn best by doing or being, virtual reality possesses a scarce ability to maximise learning by letting pupils ‘be’ or ‘do’ anything imaginable – without having to leave the classroom. According to Rabindra Ratan - a professor at Michigan State University who studies the psychological effects of video games:
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“In the case of the Oculus Rift, there is a higher level of presence or telepresence in the psychological experience of the medium, which is good for learning because it makes people pay attention and directs attention in ways that are more deliberate.” Students will therefore be more likely to retain information learned during a virtual reality experience, and be able to relate experiences and topics more closely with the real world(1). Experts also believe that experiencing learning through virtual reality could also have benefits for children with special needs. Mathieu Marunczyn – an ICT leader at a school in Australia - recently commented that he felt that role-play environments in virtual reality had a lot of potential in helping children with anxiety issues and autism. Experiencing a situation or interaction in a virtual environment first could guide them through what to expect when they approach it in real life, and help them feel ready to deal with that interaction or scenario(2).
BETT 2015
Some developers are already exploring the idea of creating apps for the Rift that are educationally driven. Demos of these apps are available online, and many can be found on the Oculus VR website. There’s already an amazing range of experiences available; users can walk through Ancient Egypt, explore the underwater world or visit a museum without leaving their seat. We’ve picked out some of the best ones so far:
Discovering Space
Oculus StreetView
Pharaoh
https://share.oculus.com/app/ discovering-space---demo
http://stv.re/oculus-street-view-vr-js/
https://share.oculus.com/app/vr-timetravelers-pharaoh
Step into a spaceship, take off and begin exploring space. The demo is limited to the ‘local vicinity’ of the Earth/Moon system, but the full version will allow you to explore all of the planets. Imagine being able to teach pupils the order of the planets and their relative size, while they’re actually ‘flying’ around the planet itself.
The app demos we’ve highlighted above are not only great experiences in their own right, but also give us an idea of what’s possible. If an app has already been created that allows the user to walk around a virtual Ancient Egypt, the only limit is imagination when it comes to what other worlds from the past could be experienced in the coming months and years. Actually ‘being there’ could completely transform the way that students learn about historical events and places.
This app uses Google StreetView to create a 3D experience, enabling you to ‘walk’ and look around famous landmarks and feel like you’re really there. People are beginning to create lists of places you could visit. It’s a relatively simple concept, but imagining the possibilities of this app when combined with other sources such as Google Earth, and the ability to view past Google StreetViews, you get an idea of how powerful a tool it could be in education.
There are challenges associated with adopting virtual reality technology into education, though, the most obvious one being cost. In an interview with Eurogamer, Oculus VR founder Palmer Luckey estimated that the cost to users of a Rift headset would be around $200 to $400 (approximately £120£254 at time of writing) depending on a number of factors. While this is cheaper than most laptops and some tablets, there are a lot of additional costs associated with running the Rift. Most notably, schools would need a room full of high performance PCs in order to give the user the best, most seamless experience possible. With this in mind, it may be a few years before these platforms become affordable for a school’s budget, and therefore adoption of virtual reality will be gradual.
The developer of this app has created a virtual Ancient Egypt in which the user can see the houses that people would’ve lived in, the food they ate, and also see the Pyramids before modern Cairo surrounded them.
Overall - and despite the challenges - it’s easy to see the impact that technology like the Oculus Rift could have on education. As long as the capability is there, more and more engaging content will be created, which will aid and enhance learning. It could create the opportunity for students to experience something they wouldn’t have been able to before, and learn in an infinitely more engaging environment. It could create a generation of students that think and create in entirely new ways. It’s important though that - like other technologies - virtual reality is adopted into education in a way that concentrates on how children learn, and that educators fully understand how to use this technology to its full potential.
References (1) (http://www.zdnet.com/article/oculus-rift-in-the-classroom-immersive-educations-next-level/) (2) (http://www.techradar.com/news/gaming/5-incredible-ways-oculus-rift-will-go-beyond-gaming-1220211)
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Cloud networking for location independent learning Technology changes. Fact.
So, what exactly is cloud networking?
But at the same time, so does the need for the adoption of a solid and secure infrastructure that supports location independent learning in educational establishments.
According to one of the leading providers of cloud-based technologies, cloud networking not only maximises data security within an institution, but also optimises the delivery of applications and other services to provide a great user experience no matter where staff and students work, what device they use or what network they use to connect(1).
The Cloud has made it possible for many schools, academies and colleges to afford enterprise-class applications, computing and storage without the cost, complexity and constraints of traditional IT networks. In this article we take a look at cloud networking and how it can be used to support your institution and the way data is stored and shared.
It’s also easy to manage and offers faster deployment, simplified admin and richer visibility compared to older cloudbased methods. It’s ideal for all educational establishments from small independent schools to large multi-site institutions. It provides performance and manageability at a fraction of the cost and without the complexity of older, more traditional solutions. In short, cloud networking helps your institution to achieve maximum performance whilst protecting your network, school/ student data and apps, streamlining management, increasing reliability and ensuring an unparalleled user experience.
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Here are just a few things we thought you might like to know about cloud networking:
BUILT FOR BYOD
ONE ACCESS POINT, ONE LICENSE
A COMPLETE PORTFOLIO
SEVEN LAYER FILTERING
CENTRALISED MANAGEMENT
SAFE AND SECURE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
ENTIRE NETWORK UNDER A SINGLE PANE OF GLASS
FUTURE PROOF
Providing excellent guest management and BYOD functionality, cloud networking helps to deliver quality performance in wireless environments because it’s cloud-based with no local controllers. This means staff and students are free to connect and work from anywhere – whether it’s at school or at home, using their own devices and all without the bottlenecks caused by hardware controllers.
Cloud networking is available across wireless, switching and security appliances – providing you with a complete portfolio and enhanced security for your estate.
Allowing you to centrally manage and control an array of devices around your institution, including iOS, Android and Windows PCs in a secure dashboard. This feature means you can enforce restrictions on your network through content filtering and settings so that students can’t access restricted sites or search for inappropriate material. Cloudbased centralised mobile management also allows for remote deployment of software, content and applications(2).
Powerful and intuitive management through the Cloud, which also reduces the cost and complexity of local onsite controllers. Multiple sites or campuses can be run under a single pane of glass making it easier for IT staff to maintain. This is particularly useful for multi-site institutions such as local authorities or secondary schools and colleges because you can run and manage every building from one place. It takes everything off-site and stores it in a secure data centre in the Cloud. It also allows you to track your institution’s wireless assets and location to find out where they are and when. References (1) http://www.citrix.com (2) Based on mobile management solution from Meraki. (https://meraki.cisco.com)
Cloud networking is a one-for-one relationship meaning that you don’t have to buy access points in bulk. The first access point will cost the same as the 26th, 50th or 73rd. It’s all about quantity breaks so if you just need one then you only have to buy one.
Enables you to see exactly how your wireless network is being used at an application level. It allows you to see exactly what is using the bandwidth to download and transfer data (for example downloading updates from iTunes).
With cloud networking solutions from vendors such as Meraki, you’ll know your environment and users are protected with features such as: content filtering with cloud-based signature updates, identity based security and application control and single-click search engine SafeSearch integration.
Automatic updates apply new features or upgrades to current devices and help to increase the value of your investments and longevity of IT equipment.
So how do you know if it’s right for you? Cloud networking is the way forward and many educational establishments are adopting this within their institutions. If you’re still unsure, don’t worry we’re here to help! Why not pop along to Stand C102 and speak to one of our Infrastructure Service Specialists about your cloud requirements or concerns.
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UPDATE
e-Safety and e-Waste: Getting it right for Ofsted
For a senior leadership team and board of governors, there can be few matters that are given as high a priority as safeguarding. With new stories breaking in the national media on a seemingly daily basis, it’s a subject that evokes raw emotion in all of us. The fact is that nowadays safeguarding within schools has more time in the limelight than ever before. Schools and academies need to get it right – not only because of their moral and legal obligation to do so – but also because getting a good inspection report increasingly depends on it. In the most recent guidance published by Ofsted in October 2014 ‘Inspecting Safeguarding in Maintained Schools and Academies’, there are 59 points relating specifically to safeguarding. One sub-area of safeguarding that schools are increasingly having to consider is e-Safeguarding, often referred to as e-Safety. Paragraph 157 of the September 2014 School Inspection Handbook states that in assessing the quality of leadership and management, school inspectors should consider the promotion of safe practices and a culture of e-Safety.
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e-Safety is evaluated by Ofsted in the context of the 3 Cs: Contact
Being subjected to detrimental online interactions (e.g. cyberbullying)
Content
Exposure to unlawful or damaging material
Conduct
Personal behaviour that causes or increases harm(1) It is the area of conduct that provides an inherent link to end of life IT hardware.
Sexting Sexting - defined as sending sexually suggestive messages or images via text messaging - is a growing concern for many parents and school leaders. Quantitative research on sexting has found rates as wide as 15% to 40% among young people, depending on age and the way what is understood as sexting is measured(2). In considering a school that either provides a device for the individual use of a pupil, or runs a leasing scheme to enable parents and guardians to provide one for their child, the above statistics would mean up to 400 devices could contain footprints of child pornography. As always with data, simply deleting files in an operating system does not remove them forever. A two minute web search using the browser of your choice would show a plethora of freeware and open source apps to recover supposedly ‘deleted’ files. Only through using IT recycling organisations with ADISA accredited ‘wipe on receipt’ policies and using Government accredited software would give your school peace of mind that it was properly protecting pupils.
What the Government expects you to do with your hardware The Government’s Security Classifications April 2014 set out guidelines for all public sector organisations, including educational establishments, to classify their data against three levels (OFFICIAL, SECRET AND TOP SECRET). Rather confusingly, there is also a subset category OFFICIAL SENSITIVE [PERSONAL] that all institutions should understand to assess how it affects them. Data within a school will most likely either fall within the OFFICIAL or OFFICIAL SENSITIVE [PERSONAL] categories.
Child protection and admin/ teacher devices It has been common practice for schools to provide a mobile device to aid teaching since BECTA’s Laptops for Teachers programme launched in 1998. Guidance is very clear that when pupil data leaves the ‘secure’ school network, it needs to be encrypted. The fact remains that many schools do not have suitable encryption in place, but also - even when accessed within a ‘secure’ school network - every file still leaves the same digital footprint and risk of data recovery as discussed earlier. Many schools and academies will have specific children who are at greater risk than others because of their life experiences. Information about all pupils should be protected in line with responsibilities set out in the Data Protection Act 1998. Indeed, a school’s leadership team is likely to be judged inadequate if the school’s arrangements for e-Safeguarding do not meet statutory requirements.
Getting peace of mind In a nutshell, if you use an IT asset disposal partner whose processes are certified to standards recognised by Government, such as ADISA/ISO27001, and that uses data wiping software nationally approved as meeting HMG IA Standard, then you give yourself the best possible chance of not falling foul of the Data Protection Act. Considering point 4 of Inspecting Safeguarding in Maintained Schools and Academies explicitly says “Inspectors should evaluate how well schools and colleges fulfil their statutory responsibilities”, full compliance with the Data Protection Act may just help make a positive contribution to your next school inspection report.
In any case, the Annex to the Government Security Classifications Policy (December 2012) describes the controls required to provide a proportionate and robust level of protection for assets. In terms of the disposal or destruction of computers, the guidance is clear: “Electronic media used to process HMG assets must be sanitised and disposed of in accordance with the requirements in HMG IA Standard No. 5 - Secure Sanitisation.” HMG IA Standard No. 5 sets a wide range of requirements - not just the technical detail of overwriting data, but also the policies and processes that organisations should have in place to ensure that media are disposed of securely.
References (1) Inspecting e-safety in schools: Briefing for section 5 inspection (2) http://www.nspcc.org.uk/globalassets/documents/research-reports/ qualitative-study-children-young-people-sexting-report.pdf
If you want to consider recycling through Stone Recycling Services as part of your institution’s e-Safety plan and risk assessment call us now on 08448 22 11 22. 17
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The Stone NUC...the tiny PC with big potential
Overshadowed by its ancestors. But not in performance.
Featuring: Customisable Hard Drive* Up to Windows 8.1 Pro Energy efficient – only 6.8w idle and 27w load
Find out more at www.stonegroup.co.uk/hardware/nuc
WANT TO TRY ONE? E-mail marketing@stonegroup.co.uk to request an evaluation unit. *Hard Drive option dependent on NUC model chosen 18
stonegroup.co.uk
BETT 2015
ioSafe SOLO G3 Protect your data from disaster
£391
+ Made from military-grade steel
Guide Price
+ Like a ‘black box’ for your data + Quiet, fanless air cooling
Fireproof
Waterproof
Protects against data loss in fire up to 1550°F
Can withstand full submersion in 10 metres of fresh or salt water for 72 hours
Silent Airflow Cooling Fanless design
USB 3.0 Data transfer up to 5GB/s – backwards compatible with USB 2.0
Theft-proof Built in Kensington security slot
Data Recovery Service Up to $2500/TB
Interested in finding out more? E-mail marketing@stonegroup.co.uk to speak to one of our Infrastructure Service Specialists. 19
UPDATE
A DisplayNote How-To: Making Lessons Interactive for Everyone Fancy being able to share content from your device or a students’ onto the interactive display in the classroom for everyone to see? Want to encourage stude nts to collaborate and interact more with the class without having to leave their sea t?
How?
Ever wanted to share co ntent from your device with multiple devic es in class at the same time?
What is DisplayNote?
Would you like to be able to view students’ work whenever you need or want to? Stuck for ways to enco urage students to participate in a more engaging way in class activities? Is your answer to these qu
estions yes?
Well now you can do it all. 20 stonegroup.co.uk
With DisplayNote of course!
DisplayNote is a cloud-based AV software solution that allows you to share any content live from a host session on your PC straight to your AV display and student devices - whether they’re tablets, notebooks, desktops or even smart phones. It’s a technology that can enhance the learning experience by making use of technology that teachers and students are already accustomed to using, but with the added ability for studentteacher collaboration individually, as a group and with the whole class.
BETT 2015
How do you use DisplayNote in class? Using DisplayNote in your classroom couldn’t be easier. All you have to do is purchase the software to be able to host sessions as a presenter from your PC, download the free app onto your mobile device and connect with your PC to control your session. Students will also need to download the free app for their learning device or download the software for their PC. You’ll then be able to share any content from your PC to any connected device. Students will need to login to the session using a session ID that you set up on your presenter device using the DisplayNote software. They’ll then receive all of your shared content on their device and can then use tools in the DisplayNote app to take notes, annotate and save slides. At any time, you’ll be able to pass control of some of the DisplayNote tools to students to allow them to interact and collaborate with the class. You’ll also be able to view a student’s screen on your device and/or interactive display, if you want to share with the whole class.
What can you do with DisplayNote? Here are just a few of the great functions of DisplayNote and how they can be used in lessons:
Screen Mirroring
Personalised Notes
Mirror any content from your PC to students’ devices and your AV solution. There’s no need to spend unnecessary time re-creating existing or new content for all different types of devices either as DisplayNote will share with any device active in the session. You’ll also be able to share content from a student device directly with all other devices to show off work that your class produce. But don’t worry – you’ll be able to preview the content yourself first before deploying to the whole class just in case there’s any inappropriate material!
Students are able to capture the lesson on their device and add their own notes and annotations to it – eliminating the need for separate note taking. It also means that the notes will be clearer when students reflect on them for revision or homework.
Real-time Collaboration
Wireless Presenting
Students can contribute to content on your slides and actively participate and collaborate with others in sessions using their devices. DisplayNote lets your class share their annotations with anyone else in the session and also via your AV solution.
Work from anywhere in the classroom using your mobile device to control your PC wirelessly. Using DisplayNote on your device will also allow you to open and annotate any content you wish to display and share it with your class.
Lecture Capture
Student Polling
Everything a student does in DisplayNote can be saved straight onto their device. This means that when the lesson finishes they have a copy of the slides, any additional notes they made plus group annotations all in one place.
Quickly gauge levels of understanding and gather student feedback by posting questions to students who can then respond from their devices back to your PC, further promoting real-time student collaboration.
Find out more about DisplayNote overleaf
→
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If you’re not already convinced by DisplayNote and how it can help improve learning and performance in your classroom, here are a few further benefits we think might help sway your decision:-
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Can use and share across platforms including Windows and Mac
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Can be used on multiple devices including iPad, Android and Windows tablets and smartphones, laptops and desktop PCs
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Use all existing content, no need to recreate
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Open platform so you’re not tied into scrapbook format
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Fast set-up and minimal training required
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Real-time multi-user collaboration
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View and display screen of any connected device
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Two way messaging and audio between you and connected participants
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Use over a local network or through the Cloud
As you can see there are a number of reasons why adopting a DisplayNote solution is beneficial to your classroom. So, if you’d like to have a free demo and see for yourself what it’s like, pop onto Stand C102 at the show or e-mail marketing@stonegroup.co.uk and we’ll point you in the right direction.
22 stonegroup.co.uk
BETT 2015
PROLITE B2280HS-B1DP
PROLITE B1980SD
++ 21.5” TN LED screen ++ 130mm height adjust/ 90° pivot angle function ++ 1920 x 1080 native resolution/Aspect ratio 16:9 ++ 2ms response time ++ Contrast 1000:1 typical ++ Brightness 250 cd/m2 ++ DVI, VGA, Display Port ++ Speakers 2 x 1W
++ 19” TN LED screen ++ 130mm height adjust/ 90° pivot angle function ++ 1280 x 1024 native resolution/ Aspect ratio 5:4 ++ 5ms response time ++ Contrast 1000:1 typical ++ Brightness 250 cd/m2 ++ DVI, VGA ++ Speakers 2 x 1W
OUR PRICE £102
OUR PRICE £101
OUR PRICE £120
PROLITE B2083HSD HEIGHT ADJUSTABLE
PROLITE XB3070WQS-B1
PROLITE E2083HSD ++ 19.5” TN LED screen ++ 1600 x 900 native resolution/ Aspect ratio 16:9 ++ 2ms response time ++ Contrast 1000:1 typical ++ Brightness 250 cd/m2 ++ DVI, VGA ++ Speakers 2 x 1W
OUR PRICE £67
++ 19.5” TN LED Screen ++ 110mm height adjust/ 90° pivot angle function/Portrait Mode Base ++ 1600 x 900 native resolution/ Aspect ratio 16:9 ++ 2 ms response time ++ Contrast 1000:1 typical ++ Brightness 250 cd/m² ++ DVI, VGA ++ Speakers 2 x 1W
OUR PRICE £79
PROLITE XB2483HSU-B1 ++ 24” TN LED screen ++ 130mm height adjust/ 90° pivot angle function ++ 1920 x 1080 native resolution/ Aspect ratio 16:9 ++ 2ms response time ++ Contrast 1000:1 typical ++ Brightness 250 cd/m² ++ DVI, VGA, Display Port, USB ++ Speakers 2 x 1W
++ 30” AH-IPS LED ++ 109mm height adjust/ 90° pivot angle function ++ 2560 x 1600 native resolution/ Aspect ratio 16:10 ++ 5ms response time ++ Contrast 1000:1 typical ++ Brightness 350 cd/m² ++ DVI, VGA, HDMI, Display Port ++ Speakers 2 x 3W
OUR PRICE £507 E&OE
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THE STONE INTEGRUM
The Stone Integrum is a core infrastructure appliance designed with schools in mind, encompassing a powerful, state-of-theart hardware platform, virtualisation layer and applications, tools and resources to create a leading edge solution.
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BETT 2015
Combined server and storage means that this appliance can effectively replace 3 servers and a SAN. The Stone Integrum leaves behind the performance and resilience limitations of traditional SAN based architectures and introduces to schools new features such as:
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Storage tiering
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Uncontended 6GB SAS connectivity
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Compact form-factor: a fully redundant solution in a single 2u appliance
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Optimised for Windows Server 2012 R2
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Optimum performance without unnecessary complexity
•
Completely scalable – designed to accommodate strategic change as your institution grows
•
2 server nodes, 12 drive bays
WHY A CONVERGED APPLIANCE? TRADITIONAL APPROACH
OUR CONVERGED APPROACH
VIRTUALISATION LAYER
VIRTUALISATION LAYER
COMPUTE LAYER
CONNECTIVITY LAYER
STORAGE LAYER
COMPUTE LAYER CONNECTIVITY LAYER STORAGE LAYER
Based on HP DL380G8, HP 1910-24G, P2000 SAN
Based on comparable SI appliance
With our converged approach you’ll also benefit from:
Reduced power consumption by up to 41%
Up to 71% less total thermal output
Only a 1/4 of the required space needed compared to a traditional approach
The Stone Integrum powers the Stone Infrastructure Solutions Portfolio:
Pop over to Stand C102 to get hands on with the Stone Integrum and talk to our Infrastructure Service Specialists about your infrastructure requirements. 25
UPDATE
Location Independent Learning – Enhancing Teaching through Digital and Physical Harmony As mobile technology has evolved, so has its capability to shape and enhance learning. Learning doesn't just have to take place in the classroom anymore. It doesn't even have to take place in a school. With the help of mobile technology, it can take place - almost - anywhere. The digital world can now be enhanced and expanded by the physical world you take the technology wherever you want, and reap the educational benefits. We’ve seen before the ways in which digital devices can be used to take learning outside of the classroom. We've also seen the ways in which digital tools can help us view the physical world in different ways - with tools like augmented reality - but what about how the physical world can shape our digital experience? It's not just about being able to take your device anywhere, it’s about using your surroundings to enhance the way you are interacting with your device and the digital world. For example, imagine you're teaching a lesson about British history. Wouldn't it be ideal to engage and inspire the class by taking the lesson out of the classroom and to a historical landmark, like the Tower of London? And with technology like tablets, it doesn't just have to be a typical class day out with children listening to tour guides talk or wandering off. They
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can engage in an immersive way with their surroundings, which coupled with digital tools will enhance the learning experience, and help them get a better understanding of the topic of study. Students can be looking at an artefact, building or museum exhibit whilst reading about or discussing the topic online, adding a whole new context to their learning. We recently attended the Microsoft Immersive Classroom in Victoria, and spent the day finding out about how educators and students might use tablets and other mobile technology to enhance the learning experience. Actually experiencing this technology in real time, it’s easy to see the benefits of being able to use these devices anywhere to connect with other students and the wider Internet. For example, using software such as Lync, college students working on a project together could nominate a member of the team to visit a place relevant to the work, and report back live to them “from the scene”, rather than having to provide feedback in hindsight. With another Microsoft app, OneNote, pupils on a field trip to a museum could be collaboratively creating a notebook with things they have learned and experienced during the day, adding photos, videos, excerpts of text and drawings.
BETT 2015
Another aspect to consider when thinking about location independent learning is the concept of the ‘flipped classroom’. In a flipped classroom, a teacher will provide students with learning resources such as videos prior to the lesson. Then, in the lesson itself, students complete their ‘homework’ and have more time to discuss and solve questions with teachers, creating a more personalised and guided learning experience. In this situation, a student might find it more beneficial to take their work to a location outside of their home, whether that be a location related to the topic or not. It could be a park or a library where they feel more focused, or a building or landmark relevant to their work. They can then use their physical location to enhance their digital experience and shape their understanding of the topic ahead of the lesson. Mobile technology – devices, applications and infrastructure - is constantly evolving and with it bringing the potential of expanding the way learning is undertaken outside of the classroom. It’s not just about being able to take learning home or to a different part of the school, it’s now about being able to take learning to a place that will expand the digital experience and maximise understanding of the topic at hand.
On the 25th November, organisers of the annual learning technology event BETT launched their weekly ‘BETT Chat’ (#bettchat), and the topic was “exploring bringing the ‘real world’ into learning”. Contributors to the discussion – many educators themselves – clearly arrived at a general consensus that there were countless benefits to bringing the real world into learning, and learning into the real world. “I think there’s definitely good results when learning is linked to concrete, real world applications.” - @dannynic
“Actually learning in the real world makes far more sense. Classrooms can be very isolated places.” - @CreativeSTAR
“Best thing is getting the real world to give students real problems to solve and learn from.” - @Danjjroberts
“Mobile tech provides loads of opportunities to contextualise learning…” - @kaifabiae
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COME AND EXPERIENCE THE OCULUS RIFT FOR THE FIRST TIME AT BETT!
STEP INTO A WORLD OF VIRTUAL REALITY ON THE STONE STAND – C102