Windows 10 20H2 is here!

As you may have discovered already, we released Windows 10 version 20H2 to all eT4L schools on 8 April. Schools can now selectively install the new Windows 10 when they are ready - to some, or all of their DoE standard devices. Upgrading to v20H2 requires a rebuild of each device. It can either be started by the regular F12 boot process, or remotely using UDM – as long as the device is connected via a cable to a working network port. You can update any compatible existing Windows 10 or 7 device using either of these two methods. Brand new Windows devices purchased by the school or received through the T4L Rollout, should be built to Win 10 v20H2 via F12 - NOTE: v1909 will only remain an option until FRIDAY 7 MAY 2021. DID YOU KNOW? Almost 1,300 schools have already rebuilt some of their devices to 20H2 and more than 23,000 devices are now on the latest version of Windows 10!

eT4L Windows Builds - Please concentrate on rebuilding old 1607, 1709 and 1809 devices as soon as possible.

Chrome OS v88 for Chromebooks

Since ITD launched its Chromebook Enrolment facility, over 64,000 school Chromebooks have been enrolled into the DoE Google domain! Following a successful pilot to test and confirm compatibility in our environment, we are about to kick-off the release of Chrome OS v88. Along with important security updates, this version includes several enhancements for accessibility, a new web camera app and virtual desktops. Chrome OS v88 starts rolling out to DoE-enrolled Chromebooks on Thursday, 6 May. Each Chromebook will automatically download the update from Google and then install it. This occurs in the background with no impact on the use of the Chromebook. A restart will be required to complete the installation with users notified at the bottom-right of their screen.

Chrome OS v88 starts rolling out to DoE-enrolled Chromebooks this week!

New stem.T4L kit available now!

The stem.T4L project recently launched the brand new Inventor Robotics kit. The Inventor Robotics kit comes with favourites Makey Makey and micro:bit, plus the new and exciting LEGO Education SPIKE Prime! This kit is designed for students to take computational thinking and STEM concepts to the next level. To find out more about the new Inventor Robotics kit, visit the Inventor Robotics kit page on the stem.T4L Learning Library. Jump onto the stem.T4L kit booking system to book it now. Limited supply available, so get in quick!

Check out our great new stem.T4L robotics kit!

LinkedIn Learning service ending

In August 2017, access to Lynda.com - now known as LinkedIn Learning, was launched for all staff and stage 6 students across all schools and corporate offices in NSW. In those four years, thousands of staff completed a wide variety of self-paced online courses for their own professional development. However, over the past 12 months in particular, use of the LinkedIn Learning service has declined. A decision has been made to terminate the service at the end of the current contract period on June 30, 2021. It is advised that if you have completed any courses, you should download your certificates of completion for your own records, prior to the closing date.

The NSW DoE LinkedIn Learning service will end on June 30 2021.

Adobe PhotoShop 2021 and RAM

The 2021 version of Adobe PhotoShop is now available for deployment in UDM under Enterprise software. But with this newest version, Adobe have increased the minimum system specifications, making the software incompatible with base model student notebooks and desktops. It now requires 8GB RAM and a dedicated graphics card to function. This is only available by default on Advanced model desktops and notebooks. The recommended alternative photo editor to use on base model devices is PhotoShop Elements 2020 (v18.0), which is also available in UDM. To avoid disappointment, please do not deploy PhotoShop 2021 to base model Windows devices.

Legacy EdAlive software titles

For well over ten years, many primary schools bought software titles from EdAlive, like BRAINtastic Maths, Numbers Up, Words Rock, Maths Made Easy, Computer Classroom and others. Most of these titles were added to the eT4L Software Catalogue and schools with licences were able to deploy them to their Windows computers using UDM. Late last year, EdAlive advised that all of their installable software titles were at end of life, and while schools were able to continue to use them for a short period after, these installations are now no longer sustainable. As a result, the titles have all been retired from the Software Catalogue and will no longer deploy via UDM. EdAlive have converted their educational titles to online versions and recommend schools move to their new browser-based apps. Contact EdAlive for more information and options for moving to EdAlive Central if required.

Virtual Apple PL to get started!

Are you new to Apple, or did you recently get a new Apple device and want to find out more about it? Join Apple for free virtual sessions to learn the basics of using your Apple devices. Together live with Apple Creatives, you’ll explore hardware, settings, and ways to stay productive. Explore the newest features and learn/share a few favourite tips. Apple are offering both before and after school sessions, meaning there's a time convenient for you. So get some more details and register now! Also, make sure to tell other Apple users at your school about this great opportunity. The virtual sessions on offer include:

Getting Started with iPad

Getting Started with Mac

ICT Thought of the day

ICT Thought - What happens to old tech when nobody needs it anymore

Old Windows 10 at end of life

It's great that through eT4L services, we have now caught up with Microsoft and schools can deploy the latest version of Windows 10. But did you know that we have old versions of Windows 10 on our network that date back five years? One of the reasons that computer operating systems are updated so regularly is to keep ahead of people from all over the world that want to exploit unpatched security holes to gain access to personal and corporate data and systems. The department applies security patches to all managed Windows devices on the network, however once Microsoft considers an older version out of support, it no longer tests or releases new security updates for those unsupported versions. This leaves schools, staff and the department vulnerable to cyber attack. Microsoft stopped supporting v1607 in 2019 and v1709 in 2020. In a few days, they'll also end support for v1809. As a result, ITD's Information Security Unit have recommended that all schools with these old versions of Windows (see chart at left) will need to F12-rebuild them by the end of Term 2. Any remaining devices not rebuilt will be removed from the DETNSW domain and will require an F12 rebuild before they can be logged onto and used again. Start local planning now. More updates coming in the next two issues of news.T4L.

Old Windows 10 versions - v1607, 1709 and 1809 can no longer be used after June 30 2021. Advice is available from EdConnect.

Mobile phone number in Portal?

Have you or any of the staff at your school entered their personal mobile phone number into their user profile section of their Staff Portal? If yes, please be aware that the number is potentially visible to students in Microsoft Teams. When you hover over any staff member's avatar in Teams, a panel appears showing their user profile. If you've included your personal mobile phone number in your Staff Portal profile, it will appear in Teams. If you do not wish to have this number appear:

Go to the Staff Portal and click the down arrow at top-right
Select Update my profile and REMOVE the mobile phone number (as shown in the image below)
Then click Save Profile at the bottom.

SWS and the new Parent app

The Schools Website Service now has a great new add-on - The Parent App for iOS and Android! With just one click, schools can publish news articles and calendar event information to both the school's website and to the Parent app! Parents who have the app and subscribe to their school's feed, will get automatic push notifications of all new content and get convenient updates from all the schools where their children are enrolled! Watch this quick video below to find out all about it!

magazine.T4L is OUT NOW!

Bring on a productive Term 2 by getting more out of the tools you use daily! Explore the best features of Microsoft Teams, Google Classroom and Apple Classroom in this issue. These platforms are fantastic, not only for collaborating, but also for feedback and assessment. Get more time back in your day, or use some of the amazing functionality of platforms, that you might already know and love. Click the image below to check out our latest issue! Also, in case you missed it, we published the latest issue of T4L Kids magazine. It's focused on scientific enquiry - and saving the planet! T4L Kids is a great classroom or independent resource for the STEM or Science classroom - or even beyond! Students can explore how tech could support them with saving local wildlife and their habitats. Challenge your students to tackle an environmental task in their community, with guided activities. Encourage them to use tech to quantify and then share their findings and inspire action.

NEW stem.T4L Research

After almost three years of rolling out stem.T4L kits each term to schools across NSW, we've had the amazing opportunity to investigate the impact in terms of student learning outcomes. We specifically investigated whether the stem.T4L kits have helped students to increase their progress against learning outcomes from NSW syllabuses, than they would have without the kits. We surveyed 408 teachers who implemented the kits and produced a case study on three schools applying the stem.T4L kits. They captured student learning gains against Maths, English, and the Science and Technology syllabuses. In the research report, we present multiple findings that demonstrate gains in student learning, when stem.T4L kits are integrated into classroom teaching and learning. Make sure you check out all the other amazing research reports as well!

Does stem.T4L improve
student learning outcomes? Evidence from Teacher Survey and
school case studies

T4L Virtual Staffroom podcast

Our latest podcast is all about drones! Of course, you know that some companies have started to use drones to deliver everything from books, to groceries, to coffee. But what are some more exciting uses? Tune in to Episode 14 of the Virtual Staffroom, where the T4L team has their propellors spinning at full throttle, while talking with the inspirational Eric Peck, CEO of Swoop Aero! Swoop Aero was the winner of the New York Times Good Tech Award in 2018 and pioneers of the world’s first drone-delivered vaccine! Plus, as always Linda and Joachim point you in the right direction to get you thinking about exciting tech uses in your classroom!