UNICOL Principal Teaching Aid Desk
UNICOL’s Principal Teaching Aid Desk provides lecturers or speakers with a central desk facility where they can control content, screen/projector sources, audio/lighting levels and more. With illuminated branding, the desk becomes the focal point for students. The table top is designed to ensure that staff don’t need to overstretch when reaching for the control housing, giving them the freedom to control projectors, lighting, content and audio from the comfort of their seat. Available in three widths it offers maximum teaching space and is ideal for wheelchair users where mobility and access to AV controls is crucial. All widths have been developed with motorised desktops for standing or seated teaching. Designed and manufactured in-house, with a rapid turnaround time of 10-15 working days. One of the key features of the Principal Desk is its ability to raise and lower at the push of a button. For staff that want to stand, especially those who have been sat teaching, marking and lecturing all day/week, the Principal provides them with the ability to adjust the desk to a height that is most comfortable for them – whether standing or seated. This is also beneficial for wheelchair users who need the desktop at a certain height. The two larger Principal Desks are DDA compliant, giving wheelchair users and more, the ability to teach comfortably and efficiently, without reducing mobility or causing strain. Additionally, the table top is completely custom built to suit the needs of each room, theatre or company. Current renditions include; visualiser, control panels, computer screen arms, control housings and any cut-outs the customer may want within the wooden top. Giving each education establishment the ability to vary what features appear on each desk enabling them to get the most out of the room and the desk. It provides them with a solution that best suits them and their needs regardless of the venue. Once installed, the Principal desk can be easily utilised by technicians, lecturers and integrators alike. The modular build allows panels to be removed and replaced without having to replace the whole product or have it taken from the venue for repair. IT Technicians are provided with suited keys that work for the desk locks along the front, back and to the hinged wooden top, giving them access to all areas of the desk should a technical problem arise. Find out more here
Vivitek’s Solutions Support BYOD & Promote Engaging Learning Experience At BETT 2019
On stand number C135 at BETT 2019, Vivitek, a leading manufacturer of innovative projectors and visual presentation products, will show how its range of high performance solutions propel classrooms and lecture halls into the digital era, ensuring connectivity, engagement and state-of-the-art learning aids for teachers and students alike. Vivitek’s comprehensive offerings for education are supported by a generous five year warranty on projectors, ensuring that its solutions are a long term investment for education institutions. With technology becoming more central to learning, and students and teachers all increasingly bringing their own devices into learning spaces, Vivitek will showcase its BYOD solutions with the NovoConnect range. One product of the NovoConnect range is the NovoTouch wireless collaborative flat panel solution which offers an all-in-one option for the classroom and students. The NovoTouch platform is Android based and it can accommodate wireless connectivity from mobile devices or laptops with Windows, MacOS, iOS or Android operating systems. NovoTouch multi-touch brings true collaboration into the classroom to solicit participation from multiple students either on-screen directly, or connecting device screens simultaneously – making it ideal for classrooms, meeting areas and public areas. Similarly, Vivitek’s NovoCast – a standalone wireless BYOD collaboration system that can be combined with any existing screen or projector – offers a collaborative and seamless approach to group work, allowing a split screen display from four devices. All NovoConnect solutions feature digital annotation and voting-polling capabilities as well as teacher preview, ensuring that ideas in the classroom can be shared with ease. Meanwhile, when it comes to school announcements, timetable sharing, scheduling for events, or the cafeteria’s daily menu; Vivitek’s NovoDS Solution is a great signage tool, which is intuitive to use and simple to set up. Plus, with the NovoDS Cloud service, school staff can easily remotely publish real-time info to display screens anywhere on the campus, making it perfect for real-time announcements or use in emergency situations. The solution has been designed to make it simple to create vivid, true-4K digital signage content instantaneously, thanks to easy-to-use software features without the need for any programming or special training. Just power on and connect the NovoDS devices to the internet, then users can monitor, control, and upload and refresh content to any of the devices in their cloud, from anywhere at any time. Visitors to the Vivitek’s stand will also be able to experience the popular Qumi projector series. The portable HD LED projector is ideal for the curriculum in primary schools, offering a range of capabilities, high quality picture and built in wireless connectivity. The Qumi range is compact, making it easy to move from one classroom to another, plus it features a built-in battery so everyone can get the most out of its use. The Qumi range ensures productive and engaging workshop sessions for teachers and students. Also on display will be the DH4661Z Full HD laser solid-state illuminated projector, which has been developed for large screen projection in smaller spaces. Capable of being installed in places that would be a challenge for conventional projectors, the DH4661Z utilises Vivitek’s advanced technology and delivers on the promise of low maintenance combined with low costs. With critical factors covered for educational institutions that are constantly balancing budgets and resources Vivitek ensures long term solutions for educational institutions’ projector and visual presentation requirements. Commenting on its presence at BETT 2019 Holger Graeff, General Manager, Vivitek EMEA, said: “At BETT 2019, Vivitek will continue to set the bar for visual and audio presentation solutions for those in the education sector. With our focus on BYOD, we will display a full range of connective capabilities that promote collaborative and engaging learning experiences for both teachers and students. With an understanding of the education sector’s budgets, the reliability and value for money of our solutions ensure that Vivitek is an attractive proposition for users in education.” About Vivitek Vivitek, a brand of Delta, offers an extensive line of visual display and presentation products. Vivitek’s line of digital projection and display products incorporates the latest innovations and technologies to meet the market demands for education, business, home theatre and large venue. For more information about Vivitek, please visit www.vivitekcorp.com or www.vivitek.eu
Can Your School Wi-Fi Coverage Stand Up to the Test?
Technology is evolving at a rapid pace, putting schools under pressure to adopt the latest technologies. Although they may be won over by the benefits they have to offer, schools may feel overwhelmed when attempting to integrate these new technologies into day-to-day operations. One technological advancement that is growing at a steady pace is digital learning, an instructional practice that effectively uses technology to strengthen a student’s learning experience. This method enhances the feedback process through assessments, provides access to difficult content, and opens up opportunities for students to learn anytime, all while creating personalised experiences. Wi-Fi is what is enabling teachers to embrace this “digital classroom”, supporting the use of innovations like smart whiteboards, collaborative learning tools and even virtual field trips. However, to ensure that your school is able to stay ahead of the curve and benefits from all the connected technologies, you must make sure that the wireless network is robust. If not, this may be the ideal time to upgrade or make a switch. The practical guide below will help you to evaluate your Wi-Fi network, to determine if it’s the right system to take advantage of the latest technological learning tools. Is the network secure? As education practitioners, one of your key priorities will always be security. A common assumption is that having a password-protected network automatically guarantees security. However, this is not necessarily the case. Passwords are no longer required to create a secure network. In fact, passwords may cause disruptions that harm your school’s ability to benefit from the Internet and classroom technologies. Instead, look for a certificate-based Wi-Fi, that will deliver a smooth service with no need for passwords, without compromising security. Is coverage consistent and strong across the whole school? It’s essential that users can roam across the school without suffering a dip in coverage. Students should be able to go from classroom to classroom without having to reconnect. The network should be able to cope with surges in demand, and manage high-density areas such as assembly areas, sports halls and the cafeteria. Connectivity shouldn’t drop when there is a sudden increase in the number of devices using the network, nor should it suffer when users are concentrated in a specific area of the school. A common myth is that strong coverage is guaranteed by using many access points (APs), which means it can be tempting to simply opt for the provider offering the most APs. However, this strategy doesn’t necessarily ensure better coverage and can be expensive and impractical. If you think your Wi-Fi infrastructure needs improving and you are thinking of changing the provider, look for one that will optimise access points based on how they will be used. A skilled provider will know how to carry out an in-depth site survey to pinpoint exactly where APs are needed to ensure high speed connectivity in high-density environments. The parameters they will consider include static factors, such as area to cover and construction materials (thick walls can sometimes slow down Wi-Fi) and dynamic factors, such as the number of devices per room and the applications used by these devices, as well as other unpredictable factors that may impact coverage. Can it handle multiple devices on the network? As secondary school budgets continue to be squeezed, a growing number are turning to Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) schemes as a cost-saving solution. But you need to assess whether the network can deal with the quantity and variety of devices being used. It needs to onboard and manage a large number of diverse devices – both those owned by the academy and those bought in by pupils or visitors – without creating headaches for users and the help desk. It must be capable of accommodating users smoothly and delivering a consistent performance. What are the devices being used for? As we see technology continuing to advance in every aspect of our daily lives, it is also playing an influential role in education. Academies are exploring new ways to engage tech-savvy students and enhance their learning experience. This increased use of digital technologies places more pressure on the school’s network. Whether it’s accessing virtual classrooms, ensuring students can see their timetables online or setting homework via a digital platform, you need to make sure the network can handle the growing demands that are placed on it. One of the first steps to take is to check if students and teachers are experiencing slow load times or difficulties connecting to the Internet, as this could indicate that the network is overwhelmed or that the infrastructure needs rethinking. Are we fully prepared for new technologies? You need a network that has the built-in flexibility to grow with the school and adapt to the changing needs of teachers and pupils. Effectively, you want to “future-proof” the network, so that it will be able to support new advances in Wi-Fi technology and education software. A good provider will work closely with you to determine what this means and make sure that the network they provide is capable of overcoming these challenges. One key way that schools can prepare for the future is adopting the recently 802.11ax standard early. 11ax brings with it improved high density support, enhanced security, multi-gigabit access speed, and much more than basic Wi-Fi. Increased end-user expectations and application quality of service requirements pose unique difficulties to network designers. In schools where video content and applications are central to the curriculum, are challenging environments. Wi-Fi is the gateway to unlocking the next wave of innovation and technology, and this next generation of Wi-Fi will spur this on. By Steve Johnson, Regional Director Northern Europe, Ruckus Wireless
Child Bereavement UK – How schools can support bereaved pupils?
Child Bereavement UK supports families and educates professionals when a baby or child dies or is dying, or when a child is facing bereavement. Every year we train over 7000 professionals, helping them to better understand and meet the needs of grieving families. Our vision is for all families to have the support they need to rebuild their lives, when a child grieves or when a child dies. Our mission is to ensure the accessibility of high quality child bereavement support and information to all families and professionals by increasing our reach and plugging the gaps that exist in bereavement support and training across the country and embedding standards in the sector. Most grieving pupils do not need a “bereavement expert” they need people who care. Schools, just by carrying on with their usual day-to-day activities, can do a huge amount to support a grieving child. By gently introducing death and grief into the classroom, the fear is removed and children will develop coping skills should someone they know die now or in the future. Normality For a child, or young person, whose life has been turned upside down, the routines of school life can give a sense of normality. Everything else may have fallen apart but school and the people within it are still there, offering a sense of security and continuity. For young children and adolescents, school can give relief from an emotionally charged atmosphere at home. They may feel overwhelmed by a grieving family.There may be a constant stream of visitors expressing their own grief. Children and young people can find this difficult to deal with. A listening ear Children can be overlooked by family members struggling to deal with their own grief. For a child who wishes to, school staff can provide an opportunity to talk about what has happened with a familiar and trusted adult in relative peace and calm. When a parent or sibling has died, children and young people can try to spare their surviving parent by hiding their own grief and appearing to be OK. School is often seen as somewhere safe to express this grief. The opportunity to be a child Even when deeply sad, children still need to be children. Loss and grief are very grown up experiences. School offers the chance to play, laugh, sing and generally just be a child without feeling guilty. General support Keep in contact with home. Discuss concerns but equally important are successes. The family or carers will find this reassuring. Grieving children and young people can display altered behaviours in different situations. Good communication with home will help school be aware of this and provide a more realistic picture of how the child is coping. Be proactive Have in school a selection of resources on the subject. Refer to the Booklists and Resources factsheets in this pack for ideas. Stories are a wonderful way to gently introduce young children to the concept of death. Novels and poems offer young people a chance to learn through reading, listening and discussion. For more ideas see the schools section of the website www.childbereavement.org.uk. When someone dies in your school community, whether the death is one that affects an individual pupil, or of someone known to the whole school community, how you respond will be remembered by everyone affected, child or adult. The school’s response will depend on individual circumstances and the needs of pupils, staff and wider school community. Have a plan. See the factsheet “Writing a Bereavement Policy” and the example policies (Primary, Secondary and Specialist) on our schools section on the website www.childbereavement.org.uk. Everyone, child or adult, will grieve in their own way. Try not to make assumptions about what they should be doing, how they should be feeling or what is going to help. When not sure, ask them what they would like to happen. Someone from school should liaise with any family. Offer to visit if the family would find this helpful. A card or letter of condolence will reassure the family of your support. Avoiding the subject always makes matters worse. It is better to explain what has happened in a sensitive way to avoid rumours and whispers. Use the correct words “death” and “dead” rather than euphemisms such as “lost” or “gone to sleep”. Suggestions of words to use can be found in the schools section of our website. With a death that has affected your entire school, communicate with staff first and then pupils as quickly as possible. At this stage you probably need to say very little other than expressing sadness and who has died. Correct any misconceptions and say that you will give more information when you have it. Some schools decide to explain in an assembly, others that each teacher individually tells their class. When the death affects an individual pupil, if possible discuss with the bereaved child what you are going to say before doing so. The child may or may not wish to be present. Consider with the family how giving the news to the school community should be done. The parent, carer or child may wish to write a letter to be read out in school. Staff and pupils may wish to attend the funeral. Check that this is OK with the family before making arrangements. Think through practical considerations such as how are pupils going to get there, and cover for staff. For more information: Follow on twitter: https://twitter.com/cbukhelp View on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/childbereavementchar Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/childbereavementuk