MANAGING ICT


Daniel White rounds up his highlights from this year’s BETT


2011 Show Microsoft


New licensing changes for schools using Microsoft products are set to see them save up to half of their current IT budgets. In what many consider a ground-breaking move,


new licensing arrangements are to be made available from March this year which will allow schools to pay a single annual subscription based on the number of full-time equivalent staff rather than the number of desktops they have. Steve Beswick, senior director of education at


Microsoft UK, told SecEd at the BETT Show that it will be easier for large schools as they will know the amount of staff they have but often do not know exactly how many desktops they operate. Alan Richards, an IT teacher at West Hatch High


School in Essex said that the current IT spend at his school would be reduced from £18,000 to £9,000 a year. He believes that some schools could save even more – up to 70 per cent. He explained: “The school has been remitting


for years and was the first school in Europe to have Windows 7. We have made cuts to the budget of 50 per cent. We are at the lower end of the saving scale with some schools saving up to 70 per cent. The new licensing scheme could potentially save someone’s job in the school.” It is expected to result in cost-savings in most


Microsoft-using schools as it is common for schools to have about two-thirds less staff than there are computers. Schools which need to renew their licences before the new scheme comes into place, can extend their current agreement until March and then switch to the new licensing programme, which is called EES Licensing (Enrolment for Education Solutions). Schools can optionally license computers dedicated exclusively to one student, or computers owned by students. Elsewhere, Microsoft is also expanding its UK


Innovative Schools Programme. Already 10-strong in the UK, 10 further schools have been added to


the network. They will spend time alongside mentor schools and Microsoft, with the aim of transforming teaching, learning and technology intergration. It comes as Microsoft’s Future Workforce research,


unveiled at BETT, revealed that the majority of students are learning about technology at home and 58 per cent believe they know more about technology than their teachers. Mr Beswick said: “Learning needs to be innovative to engage students, by extending the schools by 10 and being mentored by 10 schools, we hope to embed IT into the curriculum. Why not use teaching schools with the best practice? It is already done in healthcare with teaching hospitals.”


Groupcall


Sir Bob Geldof added a touch of celebrity to the BETT Show this year as he arrived at London’s Olympia to promote Groupcall, a company he co-founded, and to spearhead the launch of a new iPhone app. Called


Emerge, the app is designed to provide senior leaders, administration staff and teachers with key data, such as timetables and registration. The app can also allow parents to receive messages if their child is missing from class or absent. Sir Bob said he was inspired to set up Groupcall


through his work in Africa. He explained: “In Africa we have helped build so


many schools, provided aid and education. If improving society in Africa can be done through education then it can be the same over here.” He added: “I am a parent as well and having a child


going to school on a bus at 12 or 13 years of age, it can play on your parental mind unless you know they got to school safely. This can help beat truanting as it engages the parents as well.” The app is designed for the Apple iPod Touch or


an iPhone/iPad and delivers management information system data. It works alongside the company’s


Best of BETT


Groupcall Messenger that allows schools to monitor absence, provide quick contact with parents, and improve parent engagement. The app was created by a 17-year-old who was


looking at gaming and how it worked, something which Sir Bob likened to rock and roll. He continued: “It all starts with something and


imagining what you can do with it. I did that with The Who and wanting to be Pete Townshend when learning to play the guitar and if this kid uses his imagination when gaming to create something like this then it is throwing out creativity.”


Who Wants to be a Millionaire?


Students will be able to take part in Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? after the popular quiz launched in schools. The game enables teachers to use questions to ask the class with hints and clues used as the three lifelines – phone a friend, 50-50 and ask the audience. It is aimed at key stages 1 to 4 and can be used in subjects such as English, maths, science, history, and geography. Chris Tarrant, host of the quiz for ITV and a former


teacher said: “I know how hard it can be to get children engaged. Millionaire for Schools uses the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? format as a great way of engaging children in their lessons.” The software has been produced by Charanga and


2waytraffic.


Creative questions An online quiz designed to identify the creative strengths of teachers and students has been launched at BETT by Adobe. Creative ID has been produced by the company in conjunction with educational psychologist Kairen Cullen, who identified five core creative strengths which display different skills. These are the artist, who uses pictures rather than


words; the wordsmith, who uses written materials creatively; the collaborator, who works well with others; the communicator, who presents work effectively; and the visionary, who is innovative and sees the big picture easily. It comes after Abode research showed that 74 per cent of employers claim that they see little or no creativity in school-leavers.


SecEd Further information


• EES: http://www.microsoft.com/uk/education/ schools/software-licensing/types-of-educational- licence/enrolment-for-education-solutions.aspx


• Groupcall: www.groupcall.com • Millionaire: www.millionaireforschools.co.uk • CreativeID: www.adobecreativeID.com


The classroom of tomorrow begins today.


Buy the ActivBoard Mount System for only £1349


Low Introductory Price! Step into the ActivClassroom.


Buy ActivExpression* for only £1599


£300 Discount!


Increase student engagement. Limited time offer


Get a larger ActivBoard* for the same price as the 78”


Save up to £300!


Bigger is better. Limited time offer


CODE: UKM_072a


*Includes 32 devices CODE: UKM_072b


*Any ActivBoard or ActivBoard+2 System CODE: UKM_072c


Find out


The best kind of savings are the kind that let you choose. To learn more about Promethean and these great offers visit prometheanworld.com/backtoschool. Change the classroom, change the world.


Collateral Terms and Conditions: Offer 1 - ActivMount £1349, Offer 2 - ActivExpression 32 piece set £1599 and Offer 3 - Any 378 or larger ActivBoard for £1099, any 378 or larger Pro ActivBoard for £1249, any 378 or larger Adjustable ActivBoard+2 for £2649, any 378 or larger Fixed ActivBoard+2 for £2199, any 378 or larger Fixed Pro ActivBoard+2 from £2349, any larger Adjustable Pro ActivBoard+2 from £2799. Offers expire 30th December 2010. Offers 1 and 3 include ActivInspire Professional Edition and 2 ActivPens. Offer available to all K-12 educational establishments in England, Scotland and Wales. Offers exclude Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland. Price excludes VAT, delivery and installation costs. Offers apply to all orders placed between 16th September 2010 and 30th December 2010, and delivered by 31st January 2011. The 3 offers within this campaign can be used in conjunction with each other however they cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer or promotion. Products included in the images shown may differ. Products subject to availability.


Promethean reserves the right to refuse, cancel or amend this offer at any time without notice. Errors and omissions excepted. .


more today!


SecEd • January 20 2011


11


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16