Making School Safety A Priority With Smart Technology

With pupils set to return on 8 March, there are a number of safety measures schools need to implement says Matthew Margetts

A traditional library with book stacks and study desks — In the main library in Edinburgh technology monitors the use of study spaces

The first lockdown and closure of schools brought on by the coronavirus pandemic fired a “warning shot” for education facilities managers, forcing senior management to re-examine safety standards.

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      string(5624) "e-learning UPDATE n www.teachingtimes.com ‹‹ PREVIOUS PAGE n  NEXT PAGE ››This month’sVideoBasedLearninge-learning UPDATE n www.teachingtimes.comGetting the most out of yourinteractive whiteboardWhen it comes to interactive whiteboardsoftware, you will no doubt haveyour favourites. But, says Chris Thomas, thedifferences between applications are rarely morethan cosmetic, and all have their benefits. Herehe provides a basic tutorial for two of the market’sleading software titles: ActivInspire and Notebook.Did you learn to cook on an electric hob or gas? Hasit influenced your buying choices for the future? Whatabout faithful Mac or Windows users? What aboutinteractive whiteboard software?My interactive whiteboard software is at the heart of my teaching– I prepare my lessons on it, I deliver from it, my children use it, itprompts me with key questions, and it helps manage my pace, myexpectations and the children’s behaviour. The list, of course, goeson. In fact, I would probably say it is the piece of software I use morethan any other, so the prospect of giving it up would be daunting atthe very least.http://www.teachingtimes.comhttp://www.teachingtimes.comhttps://vimeo.com/127768066e-learning UPDATE n www.teachingtimes.com ‹‹ PREVIOUS PAGE n  NEXT PAGE ››This month’sVideoBasedLearninge-learning UPDATE n www.teachingtimes.comI am lucky that all the schools I have worked in have all used thesame company’s software, so I have been able to make transitionseasily, using my extensive catalogue of prepared resources. However,I have recently become more aware that, in reality, moving betweensoftware would not be quite as scary as I first thought, as companiesnow work to implement each other’s previously unique features.In fact, upon closer inspection, it seems that the main differencesbetween two of the leaders in the market, Promethean and SmartTechnologies, are primarily cosmetic.In the video that accompanies this article, you will learn the basicfunctions of ActivInspire from Promethean and Notebook from SmartTechnologies, including all the tools you will need to prepare anddeliver most lessons.Promethean’s ActivInspireUnlike Notebook from Smart Technologies, ActivInspire allowsthe user to run the software with a different ‘look and feel’, basedupon whether they work in a primary or secondary school. Whileeach version of the software carries the same functionality, theappearance of the primary look is bolder and brighterand perhaps easier to use at a board with a pen, whilethe secondary look has a more functional (perhapsminimalist) look. We will focus on the primary look andfeel.The software is broken up into three main sections: n Current flipchart page n Tools browser n Settings and resourcesThe current flipchart page functions in much the sameway as a PowerPoint slide. It is where you will placethe content for your lessons, including text, images,videos and links. As a result, you will want this to be aslarge as possible to make it visible for all students. The page is whiteby default, but to aid children with Irlens syndrome or just to reduceglare on reflective screens, this can easily be changed via the settingspage (Edit Menu > Profiles), or adjusted page by page by rightclicking.Flipchart files are able to hold an infinite number of pages, whichare automatically created as and when they are needed.To add resources to the flipchart page, select the desired icon http://www.teachingtimes.comhttp://www.teachingtimes.come-learning UPDATE n www.teachingtimes.com ‹‹ PREVIOUS PAGE n  NEXT PAGE ››This month’sVideoBasedLearninge-learning UPDATE n www.teachingtimes.comfrom the tools browser. This gives access to pens, text, shapes,lines, images and links to external files. Many of these options areaccompanied by further settings, which are accessed via the settingsarea at the base of the screen.Smart Technology’s NotebookOne of the biggest differences between Notebook and ActivInspireis that Notebook files offer more flexible page sizes, adapting towhatever size window the software has. Pages can also easilyexpand vertically to accommodate more content, a feature that ispossible on ActivInspire, but is not enabled by default.When first launched, a floating toolbar will appear docked to oneside of your screen. This should run all the time you are using yourcomputer, as it gives easy access to screen annotations, onscreenkeyboards and right clicks. We can also launch the Notebooksoftware from this toolbar.Just like ActivInspire, Notebook is divided into three main sections: n Current flipchart page n Tools browserhttp://www.teachingtimes.comhttp://www.teachingtimes.come-learning UPDATE n www.teachingtimes.com ‹‹ PREVIOUS PAGE n  NEXT PAGE ››This month’sVideoBasedLearninge-learning UPDATE n www.teachingtimes.comTo find out more about how to getthe most from your interactivewhiteboard software, watch thevideo tutorial that accompanies thisarticle:Follow link:https://vimeo.com/127768066Password: teachingtimes9 n Additional resources areaContent can easily be added to any flipchart page by simplyselecting the appropriate icon, then clicking on the page. 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Digital Learning

Getting the most out of your interactive whiteboard

22 May 2015

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      string(5609) "Will ChambersWhen our world was pulled inside out in March online learning took a huge leap forwards.  By carrying the burden of teaching and learning for the entire nation at short notice online learning platforms made it possible for hundreds of thousands of hours of live teaching and learning to continue throughout lockdown.   Revolutionary is a word often overused and abused when it comes to educational change. Not this time. The switch from traditional teaching to online has been genuinely transformational because it has drastically altered attitudes.  Live online learning is now an important player, and this will surely be the case for the next few years, as we learn to cope in a world that is moulded and constricted by covid-related risk. The government seems to agree, pledging enormous sums of money to the National Tutoring Programme, which will use tutoring charities and organisations to help primary and secondary pupils catch up on lost learning through one-to-one and small group tuition – much of which will be delivered online. Survey data certainly reinforces our belief that dramatic, revolutionary change has occurred in attitudes to live online learning. In June we carried out our first survey into online learning attitudes. It was the biggest survey of its kind to date and involved responses from more than 2,000 users of our live online teaching platform, Bramble. Almost half of those respondents were tutors with the remainder consisting of students, parents and tuition organisations.Full-time classroom teachers made up 17% of all tutorresponses. The vast majority (91%)expected at least some of their classroom teaching to remain online over thenext 12 months, while 87%expected live online teaching platforms like Bramble to have a role insupporting classroom teaching over the next 12 months.Studentsresponded along similar lines. Interestingly, the online approach is preferredby students over more traditional in person tutoring – 84% of the students whotook part in the survey said that online tutoring was more effective or aseffective as tutoring in person. Threequarters of parents and tutors agree, although the responses of tutors inparticular were weighted more towards online tutoring being as effective as thein person alternative.We asked thevarious parties to choose the three main benefits of online tutoring forstudents. They all agreed that flexible lesson scheduling, searchable lessonrecordings and a more relaxed and focused atmosphere were the primary benefits.The extrafunctionality provided by online platforms like Bramble are proving a popularaid to learning – 73% of students said they planned to use the searchablelesson recording function provided by the platform for learning and revisionover the next year.Manyrespondents felt that searchable lesson recordings perform a dual purpose –they also help to keep tutors and students safe. Additionally, a number ofstudents and tutors noted that they covered more content in their onlinelessons than they did in person.When askedwhat proportion of their child’s tutoring will be online over the next 12months, 95% of parents believed that some or all would stay online – a figurewhich rises to 98% when put to students.This figureis a dramatic contrast to pre-coronavirus tutoring. Most parents (84%) said alltutoring before the pandemic was in person, with just 6% saying that half ormore was online.The shift iseven more pronounced for tutors. Virtually every tutor (99%) said at least someof their tutoring work will be online over the next year, with 86% saying thatat least half will be online. More than a third said that all their tutoringwould be online over the next 12 months. Before lockdown, 80% of those tutorshad never taught online.Theseresults show that the shift from in person to online tutoring is not just forthe lockdown. They also dispel the myth that online tutoring is inferior.Onlinetutoring is now the most likely way tutors will teach their students for atleast the next 12 months, and likely much further beyond that.It’s adramatic change driven by necessity but there is now a widespread realisationamongst students as well as tutors and parents that tutoring online is just aseffective – and for many even more effective – than the in-person approach thatwas so prevalent just a short time ago.About BrambleBramble waslaunched by London-based start-up Bramble Technologies in 2016. It is designedfor live online tutoring in one-to-one and small group settings. It also supportswhole class teaching.  It includesfeatures not found on mainstream video conferencing solutions. 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Digital Learning

Talking About A (Real) Revolution

19 Aug 2020

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      string(5660) "means that anybody passing can connect their device toengage in meaningful study. In that way you turn an aisle into a multi-purpose break-out space.Learn more about the ways, means and motivations toimprove your learning space at the Next Generation LearningSpaces ConferenceThis 2 day interactive conference will bring together 25+ European based expertsin learning and teaching, estates development, space planning, ICT and changemanagement from the most prestigious universities to discuss how to:■ Create a learning space that improves student engagement, retention andacademic results■ Design, implement and manage a learning space project cost effectively■ Future proof your learning spaces by maximising flexibility, adaptability andusability■ Utilise technology to drive innovation throughout the entire campus and beyond■ Integrate course objectives with new learning spacesBook your ticket online here.9 Volume Special Issue Learning SpacesShowcasewww.teachingtimes.comExpectation, attraction& retention –solving the learnerengagementconundrumIn this interview, we speak with Mat Davies, Estate Director at theUniversity of Oxford’s Saïd Business School, about how he views thechallenge and what your strategy should consist of in order to enticeand keep the 21st century learner.In the higher education space, competition for student attraction and retention ismore fierce than ever before, with the prize of a satisfied and engaged learner alucrative one in a fiscal and figurative sense.Coupled with that, the expectations of the modern day student are evolving asquickly as technology is leaping forward.TH Tim Haïdar, HEIQMD Mat Davies, Estate Director, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford10 Learning Spaces Volume Special IssueShowcasewww.teachingtimes.comTH Mat, thank you so much for joining us today.There are certain pitfalls that people keep onmaking with regards to attracting and retainingthe newer generations of learner. What are thebest ways to ensure that your establishmentis a draw for this evermore discerning anddemanding demographic?MD Thanks, Tim, a pleasure to be with you today. I thinkthat one of the keys to attracting and retaining newlearners is to constantly engage with your learningcommunities. Now, by learning communities Imean with both our teaching communities and ourstudent communities, to make sure that we’re reallyunderstanding what will add value and what willnot add value. That has to be a cornerstone of anystrategy in the modern education space.One of the main things that I see which havehuge value day-to-day in a postgrad context isdevice integration and the ability to be able to easilyshare your devices. Any technology that enablesyou to share your hand-held devices, either withone another or with display technology or withclassroom technology, is a winner.The versatility this offers to the overall learningcommunity that I spoke about it wide-ranging. Ifyou choose, you can formulate an interactive classscenario with the ability to open up the discussionwith the classroom and ask students to sharetheir iPhone or their iPad or whatever that devicemight be, with the screens at the front of the roomto illustrate a point. That is hugely powerful in alearning context. It’s easily done, it’s very low-costand has a very high impact.So, that’s a minimal cost option with a lot ofbenefits, I think that there are other areas where theinvestments are much higher and the rewards areperhaps less tangible, however that doesn’t meanthat they shouldn’t be explored.One area that illustrates that point is the newexecutive education building that I’m designingat the moment. It will be providing extremely highstandards of service, so this will be like walking intoa five-star boutique hotel which also has classrooms,rather than the reverse; it won’t be a typical learningbuilding where you’ve got some student bedrooms,it will be a high-quality hotel with learning spaces. Itwill be using smart building technology to be ableto enhance that service journey and that serviceexperience, whilst also improving our environmentalsustainability credentials.Now, to illustrate what we might do with regardsto learner engagement prior to the beginning oftheir course, we might send out a questionnairein advance of the programme which establishesthe preferences of that particular participant. Wemight know the TV channels that they want in theirmedia centre in their bedroom, we might know thetemperature they like their rooms, or their lighting,or dietary requirements, anything like that.And that can extend to when they swipe theirroom at the end of the day, when they’ve finished inthe dining room or bar and they go into their rooms,their media station will know exactly what videomaterial they will want to engage with. When theyget back, if they want to play back any lectures, we’llbe able to build a custom 20 minute summary of theday which will be on their media station when theyget back to their room.TH Is it getting harder to keep up with the curve ofstudent expectations in a more connected world?Everyone has a supercomputer in their pocketand has grown up being able to switch the WiFion in the morning and access a whole universe ofinformation.MD Absolutely. I think in previous generations therehad been very little change at all in the way thatwe taught and the way that people expected to betaught. If you look at the way higher education wasdelivered at the start of the 20th century towards thelate 1970s or early 1980s, you would have found verylittle difference aside"
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Learning Spaces

The Seven Point Checklist For Successful Learning Spaces

13 Mar 2017

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      string(5635) "identity of theholder, i.e. name, title, card number, dateand reason for visit, and coupled to acamera it can even be printed with aphotograph of the authorised holder.For regular visitors, or even foreveryday use by staff, or by pupils in theschool library or other areas whereidentification is necessary, someincreasingly high-tech systems arebecoming available. A number of these arebased on smart card technology. A chip inthe smart card allows a range of personalinformation to be stored on the card, suchas medical, meal or library usage.Keypad entryKeypad locks on doors are onecommonplace solution to this. Theyusually requiring a numeric password tobe punched in before entry can beeffected. As only staff usually haveknowledge of the passwords, no-one canget into the building without a staffmember to open the door – althoughthere is still a risk that they can be openedfrom the inside, of course, since thefacility to do this is necessary to complywith fire regulations. (If the building isburning down, it’s hardly desirable torequire someone to turn up with thepassword before anyone can get out!)Grant Macdonald is the managingdirector of Codelocks UK, one of thecompanies that provide keypads andother security solutions for schools. Hecomments: “It’s a real headache forschool heads, as the extra activities out ofhours are part of the drive for extraICT: School security 57November/December 2004ICT: School securityincome. If not thought through carefully,they can cause significant accessproblems and a need for extra investmentto protect equipment or certain areas.“We are seeing a dramatic increase inthe numbers of enquiries from schoolsand local authorities who aredemanding simple, but wide-rangingsolutions, to control access in and out ofdifferent areas of the schools at all timesof the day and night – but under theirtight budgetary constraints. The demandfor simple and convenient accesscontrol is becoming a necessity toensure teachers, estate managers andcaretakers are in control of theirbuildings and property.”Keypads are becoming increasinglysophisticated, with many including anintercom facility connected to the schooloffice, and even ones which include abuilt-in camera. In fact, some have nowdone away with the keypad in favour ofa swipe or bar code reader, or even abiometric reader which scansfingerprints.If you’re concerned about the storageof personal information of this kind,rest assured that the full fingerprint isnot stored: the scanner recognises afinger by remembering specific pointsand translating this into a digitalalgorithm which is what the technologystores. It does not and could notreproduce an image of the fingerprint.However, it is very reliable inidentifying individuals.Electronic registrationA by-product of the increasingly high-tech keypad-type entry system is that itcan be used to effect registration ofpupils. Synel is one company that offerssuch a solution that electronically recordsstudents’ attendance, resource usage andcontrols entrances to classrooms andbuildings. The system records individualstudents, staff and visitors in real timeand does away with any need forhandwritten registration.Card holders simply swipe an ID card(using either magnetic or barcodetechnology) through a wall-mountedreader. The card readers are in constantcommunication with a controlling PCand can thus deliverreal-time information,which can be vital foremergencies. Eachregistration contains thedate, time, reader ID and cardID. The movements aremaintained on the networkfileserver and are available foraccess by authorised users. Thelatest cards are very durable andcan last up to six years. Only authorisedcard holders can access the school ordesignated areas within the school, and forenhanced security the system can belinked to digital CCTV.A number of schools, including KingEdward VI College, Townley School forGirls, South Birmingham College,Chislehurst & Sidcup, Henrietta Barnet,Luton VI Form, Cadbury College andGodalming College are already using theseattendance monitoring solutions. A systemlike this is very effective in keeping track ofwhen of your pupils are in the school, andinstalling readers internally enables them tobe used for lesson registration so you canmonitor precisely who is precisely where atany time.ApplicationsFinally, the technology which is helpingto enhance school security has otherapplications, too. Ashton on MerseySchool in Sale, Greater Manchester, hasbeen trialling a new system which canalleviate the administrative nightmarethat school trips can become. Collectingpayments, chasing up overdueinstalments, handling cash and cheques alltakes time and effort when staff could bedoing other things.However, a company called IdentiTripuses biometric identification to run acomputer program that allows school tripsto be organised much more easily. Pupilsare entered onto the system by allowingthe computer to scan their finger. Thisinformation is stored with a digital photoof the child. Any other relevant details canbe transferred from your managementinformation system. When a payment isdue, the child places a finger on thescanner. The computer brings up theirdetails, allowing the administrator toconfirm that the payment is being creditedto the right child’s account.The system automatically calculateshow much the child has paid, and printsoff a receipt showing the total received,and any outstanding balance. Again, thescanner does not store an image of thefingerprint; in fact, far more memoryspace is given to recording the child’sphotograph.This short article just"
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Leadership

Who's in the school?

1 Nov 2006

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