Posts Tagged: 121

Digital Learning — No Comments
28
Jan 12

I Still Believe in 121

I have been suggesting that 2012 would be being the year of ‘digital text’ in whatever format or guise it might be. I did not, and could not, have known about Apple’s pending iBook revolution?! Possibly but only where there is isaturation. I honestly thought it would be a combination of other devices and formats. Regardless, it has once again heightened my interest in 121 learning and 2012 is even more likely to be the year of digital text now.

Second time around I am far more interested in whole school cultural change and how to bring about that change, than I am about the tech. Even imaxing 3D, video enabled interactive iBooks, on super fast shiny new IPad3. In either form factor, if the rumours are in fact true and we could see a new mid size product.

This post is the result of wider reading and these simple words.

It doesn’t happen when society adopts new technologies – it happens when society adopts new behaviors.
- Clay Shirky, Here Comes Everybody, p. 160

It’s certainly easy to spend money of new technologies, if hard to sometimes justify. It’s never easy to spend money on developing new behaviours and even more difficult to justify.

That leaves me thinking about how to most effectively bring about change.

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Mo-post. These are always a bit random as editing is tough and mainly Siri generated.

Popularity: 7% [?]

Digital Learning / L4L — No Comments
5
Jan 11

CES Tablet Army

Independent Research company Forrester made a bold statement in light of the 80+ tablets appearing at CES this week….

e-reader sales to increase by 50% in 2011 to 15.5 million devices while tablet computer sales jump 130% from 10.3 million in 2010 to 24 million in 2011.

This can only shorten the timeframe for tablets appearing in schools and as part ofschool 1-2-1 programme?

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Popularity: 2% [?]

Digital Learning / IT Network / Leadership / Management / Teaching — 2 Comments
21
Dec 10

Coming Soon… Tablet PCs

google-calendar-iconEvery January, just four months into the current Laptops4Learning programme, our E-Resource Manager and I began planning, researching and procuring test devices for the start of the next academic year. Each year we remind ourselves, it is not about the device, but rather the teaching and learning that technology enables. It is supporting staff to rethink their role and redesign their delivery model, that matters most. It is getting the systems and communication right. It is secure and resilient IT infrastructure and wireless. It is effective deployment. It is not about the device, but I  just can’t help but be distracted aware of the acceleration of the tablet PC market.

Let first define our ‘space.’ It is not a consumer space, nor personal space, it is somewhat mobile / transient though. Studens moving between lessons and owning the device 24/7. It is most certainly a networked, organisation space. Students need access to their ‘evidence’ everywhere they go and our parents have requested more IT support. Although it is a space where Open Source opportunities are being explored, I doubt many schools have the capacity to be fully immersed in Open Source systems. It is a financially constrained space and therefore ‘the suitability of Ipads in Education debated’  is mute, given our budget of £300 inc Operating System, Software, Accidental Damage and Warranty. So the focus reverts to netbooks / laptops vs tablets or hybrids, more about Gloria later…..

With the space almost defined, let me outline why I am getting distracted. Microsoft rumours of numerous tablet models,  rumours of a version of Windows for the ARM processors, used in most smartphones. I am distracted by the potential of "pen and touch" computing. Finally, I am distracted by Windows 8, the first Microsoft OS since the tablet was reborn, due sometime in 2012?

I am distracted by Intel’s announcement that Atom processors will feature in 35 tablet devices from 15 brands in 2011. I am always focused on commitments to longer battery life – although standards are now well above the benchmark 5-6 hours needed for a school day.

microsoft-courierBut most of all, I am distracted by the ruthless competition for market share for tablets or slate PCs. That said, I am not particular distracted by single screen Ipad clones, but rather, dual screen clam shell devices (Toshiba Libretto and Microsoft Courier) and to a lesser degree slide devices (Samsung Tablet Gloria). With 3 years 1-2-1 procurement experience, I have grave concerns for anything with a hinge and severe reservations for anything that swivels or flips. Dual screen clam shells maybe the preferred form factor, I expect traditional tablet PCs will fit our budget space.

 

What does all this mean for schools 121?

It means that Chrome OS, HP WebOS, BlackBerry’s Tablet OS Gingerbread are great innovations in their own right but are unlikely to fit the school space. Unless you go the BYO route to 121 computing.

Tablets will abate the ‘handwriting issue’ concerns of parents, made more interesting by ‘pen and touch’ technology.

Tablets will raise the profile of Microsoft OneNote in your school.

2012-13 will be the year of the tablet for early adopters.

Popularity: 17% [?]

L4L — No Comments
26
Oct 10

Hinges on the hinge?

Over at Sharepoint in Education Mike Herrity has a diversion, an belief we both share, discuss and are currently pursuing. For the past two years, Mike and I have been charting our respected school progress towards 1-2-1 computing. There is no right answer, too many variables impact on the final decision, but we both agree that where it is at, is constantly in flux. Our role is to best calculate where it will be for our school in 12-24 months time.

Always enjoy reading Mike’s your commentary. Today he presented a post on the "Inspiron Duo: 10-inch netbook / tablet hybrid with a crazy swivel," so named by Engaget. Mike’s word of warning

There are of course flip tablets with a keyboard which can then lay fully flat in tablet mode. These hinges seem more susceptible to damage in a school environment as I found out on a recent visit to a school in the Midlands where 15% of all tablet pcs were being repaired at any one time.

Sound advice. While designers / manufactures are thinking creatively, it is somewhat ironic that in school environment, netbook or 1-2-1 computing success often hinges on…. well the hinges. Tablets with flip, swivel screen may solve the ‘handwriting’ issue often raised by teachers, parents and guardians, they have two weak spots.

Popularity: 5% [?]

CPD and INSET / L4L — No Comments
14
Jan 10

LftM Learning Focus

Part of the LftM Learning Journey, is a ‘Focus’ document. In making the paper decision, I have tried to reflect on the advice from my LftM coach yet be realistic about the time I wish to invest in Lftm (given I spent over 5hrs completing the online content for the course of xmas) yet ensure that I demonstrate boths leadership and management within the topic.

I feel that the developmented of improved E-resources (L4L, VLE and website) at Hamble College has required vision, strategy and both vertical and horizontal management. The project has involved students / parents and teachers. I think it therefore represents a good case for a learning focus. Now in the second year, our team needs to reflect on our successes, manage our failures and adopt/refine practices to improve our success rate. Documentation is being revised and brought forward to coincide with a visit from colleagues for another school – so there is noe dual motivation to get this focus paper written, professional review and to provide a professional service to our visiting colleagues.

1. Outline the development of the Laptops for Learning Programme – the context.
2. Reflect on the success / challenges and failures of yr 1.
3. Action plan the revisions.
4. Strategy to re-present to parents – what have we learnt.
5. Wireless development

I hope to share this document here at a later date…. some time just before it needs to be completed no doubt. If 1-2-1 netbooks, laptops, learning interests you, or you yourselves are managing a 1-2-1 project, I would love to hear from you.

Popularity: 5% [?]

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