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Issue 17 - 2016 │T3 │W9

Windows 10 Pilot update News item

As advised in our previous issue, a two-week pilot of Windows 10 deployment to around 90 PCs in 20 different eT4L schools was conducted and recently ended. Feedback from students and staff and results of the pilot were extremely positive:

  • quick to install, appears to have combined the best of W7&8
  • it works perfectly, faster, smoother, excellent experience
  • improved performance on the device X131e
  • it was very fast, more modern, better layout, looks nicer

Windows 10 Pilot survey responses - click for larger image

Of course, the pilot also uncovered a few issues that we have now raised with Microsoft and are now working on resolving prior to making Windows 10 generally available for eT4L schools to deploy to their computers selectively.

The NBN and NSW public schools Information item

From time to time, schools receive promotional material or marketing calls from service providers offering connection to the National Broadband Network (NBN) and monthly subscriptions to plans for Internet services.  The NSW Department of Education currently delivers scalable internet services to all public schools which includes safe filtering and access to essential corporate applications.  Some schools are connected to the NBN for telephony services only and this is arranged through the department in areas where this is required. To avoid multiple problems, it’s best to ignore approaches by NBN providers regarding internet service provision. The department's Telecommunications team have provided detailed advice for Principals and ICT coordinators about preparing for NBN telephony installation.

Adobe software on school PCs Tip item

In issue 15, there was an article indicating that Adobe Acrobat DC was now included on any freshly built eT4L computer. DC stands for "document cloud" which means that Acrobat can now integrate with a user's Adobe Cloud account, provided that they login using their personal Adobe account. In fact, all Adobe Creative Cloud packages also do this now. To allow the cloud to be used for content and storage, Adobe products may prompt the user to login, however, if you do this on a school computer that was built for eT4L, it reverts the program's use of the department's enterprise licence to your personal Adobe Cloud licence. Then, the next person that uses that computer will either need to login to Adobe Cloud using their own personal Adobe Cloud account (if they have one), or the Adobe software will revert to being unlicenced. The moral to this story is: DO NOT login to Adobe Cloud if or when prompted to do so on a school PC. There is no need to login to use any of the Adobe software packages. If cloud starage is required, it's best to use your OneDrive or Google Drive.

Don't sign into Adobe Cloud on school computers

Duck Duck Moose apps go free Link item

The Khan Academy offers free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere through its 880 million on-line lessons. Recently, the organisation was offered the 21 excellent early childhood educational apps developed by Duck Duck Moose. These apps, available for both iOS and Android were previously paid-for, but are now available through the online app stores for free. Almost all of their titles have received awards for their excellent educational value. Thanks to Kerrie Quee from Concord West PS.

Communications Tech 1998-2015 Link item

The late 90s were an interesting time when it came to ICTs in NSW public schools. The first Internet enabled computer was delivered in 1996, the central rollout of computers started in 1997 and ICT coordinator funding commenced a year later. Since then, there have been massive changes in the communications technology landscape worldwide and in Australia, the Department of Communications and the Arts have produced a useful infographic highlighting some of those changes.

Waking up in Japan Link item

Waking up in Japan is a new online learning resource developed by Learning Systems as part of the Collaboratus series. Students work collaboratively to research a topic of cultural interest in Japan and make a presentation (digital and/or face-to-face) that demonstrates their learning. This resource supports students studying the 100-hour mandatory Stage 4 or 100/200 elective Stage 5 Japanese courses. Key learning outcomes relate to the syllabus objective: Moving between cultures. Students also have the opportunity to engage with the objective: Using language, through investigating key Japanese words (Stage 4) and conducting a Japanese Q&A interview (Stage 5) related to their chosen topic.

Waking up in Japan learning resource

Graduating DER laptops Information item

To assist high schools that have chosen to pass on ownership of the final red DER laptops to year 12 students, the following advice hosted on the DoE intranet will be of assistance:

In addition, under the DoE Microsoft Enterprise Agreement, all graduating students are entitled to a transferable licence of Microsoft Windows, Office and Adobe software. This means they can install the software on their laptop or any other device should they replace their DER-NSW laptop at any point in the future. Students will need to authenticate and register on the Microsoft eAcademy software store website using their Student Reference Number (SRN) which they can locate at the top right hand corner of their DER laptop wallpaper.

Better searching of DoE websites Information item

Last year ITD conducted research with school based intranet users to help guide development of the new Technology for Schools website.  A common complaint was around the quality of search results. To address this, a Google Search Appliance has been introduced to power intranet searches.  Search now works much better on all new Global Experience Framework websites such as Technology for Schools. Continued use of the search appliance will further help improve the relevance of the results it delivers, as it prioritises results that visitors regularly use.  ITD also looks at the search terms entered by visitors and uses this information to improve our site content. 

news.T4L archives! Information item

All of our past newsletters for ICT coordinators have now been converted from PDF to accessible HTML and we've also posted a brand new archive site - all accessible from home as well, using this easy to recall URL - http://tinyurl.com/newsT4L

ITD Strategic Plan 2016 - 2019 News item

The Strategic Information Technology Plan 2016-2019 is the Department’s blueprint for delivering the technology needs of our classrooms of the future and the tools that will support innovative teaching and engaged learning. The plan focuses on ensuring we have strong and transparent governance to guide technology developments, from planning to implementation. It’s a plan for delivering technology-based solutions to improve our business operations, to better support those who support our educators and students. It sets out our goals for enabling and embedding evidence based decision-making. Importantly, it’s our plan for using technology to build and strengthen our knowledge base – the intellectual capacity of our staff – to advance the Department as a world leader in education.

2016 T4L Rollout update News item

The ordering window for this year's rollout has now closed. Thanks to all schools that promptly lodged their requests using the online form. We are now processing these and focusing on delivering base desktops and monitors which is the largest group of devices ordered. Commencing this week, deliveries are being scheduled and we will start to see these arrive in schools. There will be no deliveries in Week 10, Term 3 or over the school holiday period. Deliveries will re-commence Week 1, Term 4.  During the month of October 2016 we will see rapid increase in the number of deliveries. These will include all devices including desktops, notebooks, chrome books and wireless access points.

T4L rollout orders breakdowns - click for larger image

T4L Rollout deliveries Information item

The delivery phase of the T4L rollout has commenced and schools will need to sign-off on shipments. The couriers will report to the front office to advise they have a T4L delivery. The following tips will assist with this process:

  • Staff have on-hand a list of exactly what the school ordered
  • As deliveries arrive, cross them off the list
  • Count the boxes and make sure this matches the delivery paper work
  • Check boxes for damage – visible damage could indicate it may have been dropped causing damage to the equipment
  • Don’t sign for significantly damaged or incorrect box counts compared with the delivery paper work

Note: Depending on the make-up of the orders, schools may expect more than one shipment; desktops including monitors and mobile devices, Apple equipment and wireless access points. For all questions and enquiries please email the T4L mailbox, T4L@det.nsw.edu.au

Secure Proxy Authentication News item

The final group of secondary schools will be cutover to SPA on Tuesday 20 September following a successful relaunch at the end of August. Changes have also now been finalised to ensure that the option to suspend or allow students Internet access via EMU is now an instant switch rather than an overnight function. Planning is now underway to cutover all remaining schools in batches during term 4.

Secure Proxy Authentication graphic

Google Classroom and iPads Peer item

Samson Fung from Homebush West PS has created and shared this video to assist teachers with the workflow when working with tablets and the department's Google Apps for Education (GAFE). The video specifically focusses on using Google Classroom and setting up assignments with Google Docs for students using iPads. Just click the play button to watch this video full screen. If you've worked out great ways of using ICT tools in the classroom that other teachers would be interested in, we'd love to showcase them through this newsletter.

Click to wtach this video full screen

Google Apps release calendar Link item

Like all cloud services, Google Apps for Education is a dynamic, vendor-driven environment that is subject to regular changes and updates. While newly released GAFE apps are assessed for suitability within our environment before they are made available, NSW DoE has limited control over when new features and functions are released and made available to students and staff. To assist us to identify improvements and changes, and even to know when future changes are scheduled, Google has published a release calendar. On this calendar, each change is listed and further details can be displayed to help users keep on top of what's happening in GAFE. Each entry on the calendar is colour-coded, and the NSW DoE GAFE service is on the Scheduled Release feature launch track which is shown in green.

Why you should F12 periodically Tip item

Schools are busy places and most Windows computers, both desktops and notebooks, are often used by multiple people. The more people that logon to a computer, the more user profiles that get created and potential for problems to crop up. It's also more likely that performance will be impacted as Windows struggles with less free disk space and less available memory to operate in. An F12-rebuild at the end of each term will freshen up Windows, clear out old versions of software, install the latests plugins and security patches, redeploy the software titles associated with the computer in UDM and get the computer ready for another busy term of productive use. Just remember, F12 will wipe the PC, so any user-created files saved on the desktop or in the local Documents folder will be removed. It's always best to remind users to save their work on shares in the eT4L server or in their personal Google Drive or Office 365 OneDrive.

Photo of the F12 key being pressed

More T4L news in Week 3

Information Technology Directorate publishes news.T4L three times every term. Remember to share each issue with your staff!

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NSW DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DIRECTORATE