IE September15

P R O C URE AND PL AN > FUTUR E LEA R NI NG

The classroom of tomorrow in association with

PRO C U RE AN D PL AN > F U T U RE L EA RN IN G

GEORGE CAREY looks at how bursars and network managers can ring the changes for future generations with an increasingly digitised classroom, in particular with 1:1 provision of personal devices and 3D printing

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he pace of change in schools can make your head spin, with everything from methods of pedagogy to sporting facilities constantly evolving and improving as institutions adapt to make their way in the highly competitive world of fee-paying education. In no other area is the blistering speed of evolution felt more keenly than ICT, where today’s exciting innovation quickly becomes yesterday’s news.

Bursars and their network managers can often feel under-pressure to keep up with, and indeed outdo, the Jones’ with their education technology offering in order to attract pupils and help improve attainment across the school. There are a couple of technology trends in particular that seem set to have a huge impact on the way pupils learn, namely 1:1 provision and 3D printing. So what are schools starting to do with these technologies and how easy are they to integrate into school life?

A VERY PERSONAL REVOLUTION The implementation of 1:1 pupil devices is something that has been on schools’ radars for some time – since the advent of iPads, Chromebooks and other personal devices that lend themselves to that way of working – but it’s only now that it’s starting to become truly widespread, and it looks to be going from strength to strength.

One independent school that has come on leaps and bounds since implementing a 1:1 device scheme is the Stephen Perse Foundation in Cambridge. Keen to establish a good fit before diving into a full rollout, the school trialled the equipment initially with teachers, followed by a small number of pupils. “And looking back at the baby steps we took, when it was difficult to feel confident about the

Typically, schools are opting for entry-level, plastic jet printing 3D devices Pandora’s box opened by the device, I can but rejoice that we made the decision to become a 1:1 iPad school in the senior school and subsequently the sixth form with classroom use in the pre-prep and junior schools,” says principal Tricia Kelleher.

The devices have a proved a hit with pupils and have an influence on almost every element of their day, whether enhancing established lessons from English to geography or, for those keen to take things further, taking centre stage with the introduction of the App Club, designed to give the pupils an understanding of coding.

Tricia has been delighted to see the impact that 1:1 provision has had at the school but is aware that simply putting devices in pupils’ hands isn’t sufficient to drive forward a new way of learning. “I’m acutely conscious that there are schools in this country and around the world which view the physical environment of a school as integral to learning. For these schools, the classroom as a box has long since been

obsolete. As a digital school, it behoves us to ensure that the learning space inhabited by teachers and students works seamlessly with the digital learning environment,” she says. “As we reconceive our school, we embark on a journey which is about grappling with unknowns.

There is no obvious road map but our commitment to creating the best possible school makes me confident that together we shall achieve something special. An education fit for tomorrow.” And with the excellent work of schools like this, it seems as though the reach of 1:1 implementation is one that will continue to extend.

ANOTHER DIMENSION A little further back in its cycle of introduction into schools is 3D printing, but its potential to positively impact upon learning is no less profound. What’s more surprising is that the technology, in one form or another, is not actually new – rather its recent availability to the masses is the game-changing element here. The first additive manufacturing – as it’s also known – technology was created in the early ‘80s. Over the course of the intervening years, different printing methods and technologies have emerged and prices have come down consistently, until the point now at which schools are in a position to provide them.

While some rather charmless individuals have used the technology to produce guns and put the instructions all over the internet, it’s a technology that’s generally viewed with a great deal of positivity and has been applied to a host of far more useful purposes than the manufacture of firearms. Its influence in education and possible applications looks set to rise and rise as prices fall and schools and consumers buy into the concept. Indeed, it’s thought that more than two million 3D printers will be sold in 2018 with total spending hitting $13.4bn in the same year. The technology research specialist Nostradamus Gartner predicts that consumer 3D printing will grow 10-fold, to sales of 850,000 by 2018.

One man who has watched the emergence of 3D printing onto schools’ radars with great interest is Trevor Maloney, product marketing manager at KYOCERA Document Solutions. “As the price point of devices has reduced and easier-to-use software and drivers have become available, end users are now embracing the technology as it’s become more accessible,” he says. “The market has been relatively flat to date, but real ongoing growth is predicted from 2016 onwards as users find reasons to use 3D over traditional manufacturing techniques.”

So what kind of options are there for those pioneering schools looking to take their design capabilities to another dimension, and what should they expect to pay for the privilege? The choice is extensive, as Trevor explains. “Considerations include build size, finished material (such as plastic, wax or metal), quality of finished parts and whether single, multi or full colour finishes are required.

3D printers, depending on the technology involved, can range in price from about £700 to more than £1m. Typically though, schools are opting for entry-level, plastic jet printing devices, which in association with

P R O C URE AND PL AN > FUTUR E LEA R NI NG

I can but rejoice that we made the decision to become a 1:1 school extrude a plastic filament to create a 3D model, layer by layer. These devices can range from £700 to £4,000.”

And the technology is starting to gain in popularity, with independent schools across the country starting to recognise the value of 3D printing to their pupils’ education and the prestige that such devices can add to a school’s curriculum. Oxford’s Abingdon School, for example, started small with one basic 3D printer to introduce pupils to the concept, but has since expanded after seeing the learning value it offers.

“After starting with a basic 3D printer to introduce pupils to the concept, the school introduced a larger printer, along with a digitiser, to enable students across the school to benefit from the technology,” says the school’s head of design technology Dan Hughes.

One result of this expanded use among the whole population of children, was the school tasking its GCSE design class with creating pieces using 3D printing, that saw students using the technology to add an increased level of accuracy to their work, with impressive results. Dan adds: “With the future of technology using 3D printing more regularly, it’s important to give our students exposure to this manufacturing process. The technology is now used by all year groups throughout the school and provides real world skills for the pupils interested in engineering and manufacturing. It’s really exciting!”

So if you haven’t yet considered equipping your pupils with their own personal device or given them the chance to see their ideas come to life in 3D form, it may well be time to start doing some research. There are schools showing how successfully it can be done and the incredible enthusiasm these new devices can inspire in students. These are investments in technology that could reap huge rewards… 

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1. Protection 6. Collaboration is supported across the school and beyond The right case can be the difference between success and failure. Pupils won’t get value from their devices if they are broken, so ensure that they’re properly protected from day one.

Parent buy-in Parental support is vital so ensure they’re involved long before devices are actually handed out and that they understand how pupils can use them safely and to maximum effect.

Policy By having a ‘proper use’ policy in place, agreed to by all parents and pupils before implementation, pupils will know what conduct is expected of them when using the device and what they should be using it for.

Policing Whether by blocking certain sites during lesson time or simply monitoring usage, it’s important to have a safeguard in place to ensure that devices are being used for appropriate purposes in school time.

P R O C URE AND PL AN > CLOUD

Head in the clouds

While many businesses have already moved their operations skyward, some schools seem to be treading more carefully. Austin Clark unearths the benefits of cloud technology in association with

PRO C U RE AN D PL AN > C L OU D

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n-site servers are well established in education and have done the job of storing important information for years but the exciting opportunities offered by cloud storage can no longer be ignored, with some schools moving their entire database to a third party storage provider.

One of the major advantages of today’s cloud-based storage models is that access to relevant teaching apps and documents can be made available from anywhere at any time. This anytime access brings with it a new flexibility for education and increases the ability of students and teachers to access educational materials.

A strong advocate of cloud-based solutions is The Lady Eleanor Holles School in west London. Matt Britland, director of ICT at the school and director of Realise Learning, says: “Cloud technology such as Google Apps for Education has brought many advantages to my school. Being able to create and save documents online using a web browser or smart device means our documents are available from anywhere as long as you have an internet connection. It also enables staff and students to work collaboratively on the same document in real time. This really does change the way people work.”

Cloud storage is also starting to look like an essential commodity with the increasing use of mobile devices in schools. It complements the use of tablets and other mobile devices, whether it’s 1:1 provision or BYOD. Pupils employing these devices will need access to their work saved in the cloud, both in lessons and in the evenings, in order to complete homework tasks. It’s the quickest and safest delivery method to offer students access to their work at all times – and can save schools money.

“Google also offers unlimited storage to schools for free which is a real money saver,” comments Matt. “We can now save as many documents, photos and videos as we like without worrying about storage capacity.”

As cloud storage and access takes hold, print from mobile devices will soon become an additional benefit of cloud technology according to Eddie Ginja, head of cloud print services at KYOCERA Document Solutions. “Printing from mobile devices is becoming increasingly popular,” he explains. “The latest generation software that will be available soon means pupils can send a document to a printer at their school, directly from their device, whenever and wherever. They can walk into school, swipe their ID card and pick up their job. It’s easy and secure and also means there’s no wasted print as the printer will only release documents as when the pupil is at the device.”

THE GREAT ENABLER Clearly a major shift towards cloud technology requires infrastructure to be reviewed and updated, so this kind of scheme does involve some capital expenditure, such as directing a significant spend towards networking and connectivity, with a highcapacity wireless network and cloud printing.

Eddie says: “To fully utilise the benefits of the cloud, schools need to ensure they have a capable wireless broadband network.

Superfast broadband is the great enabler of cloud solutions.

Availability is spreading rapidly and schools are recognising the need for it if they are to move their ICT forward.”

There’s good news on the cost front according to Eddie who says that new cloud print software, due to be introduced later this year, will allow schools to utilise solutions without the

The uptake of cloud technology is encouraging schools to think like businesses when it comes to technology

need for expensive networks. This could be particularly useful for groups of schools. “The latest solutions will allow multiple schools to point at the same server, reducing network and server costs dramatically. The uptake of cloud technology is encouraging schools to think like businesses when it comes to technology.

There’s increasing digitisation of documents, print fleets are being rationalised, the volume of print is being reduced and collaboration is being increased – thanks to cloud technology. There’s also a move towards the digitisation of back office workflows, which is important as budgets are squeezed.”

Schools thinking of shifting to the cloud should note the importance of finding a reliable technology partner to manage the installations, upgrades and day-to-day system maintenance. It’s not only a question of setting up a technical infrastructure, but also creating a virtual learning environment that helps teachers deliver better courses and enables students to learn more and achieve success. Get it right and cloud can be a powerful technology. 

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