ISSUE #1
ISSN : 2811- 6224
We hope Exploring EdTech will help inspire teachers, leaders and management of our schools to make the best use of education technology to enhance and develop the whole school community, to quote George Couros, "Technology will not replace great teachers but technology in the hands of great teachers can be transformational."
The Exploring EdTech Team
ISSUE 1 FEATURES
Full STEAM Ahead with Microsoft DreamSpace
Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and organisation on the planet to achieve more. As technology permeates every aspect of our lives, it is critical that the next generation has the skills for the jobs of the future and that’s why, in 2018, Microsoft Ireland invested €5million in the development of a dedicated STEM innovation and education hub called DreamSpace at its campus in Leopardstown, Dublin.
Supporting Online Learning for Pupils with Additional Needs
Niamh Brady
@MsNiamhBrady
During this period of remote teaching and learning it is imperative we are meeting the needs of all our students in terms of accessibility and inclusion. Accessing digital content can be problematic for students at the best of times, never mind remotely. Luckily, there are lots of readily available resources out there to assist.
Getting to Grips with WiFi
Chris Reina
TeachTech Support
Why WiFi?
WiFi began life in 1971 in Hawaii but not until 1991 did the standards begin to be ratified in The Netherlands. By 1997 the first international standards were released and it has grown significantly in the last 24 years.
Nearly all schools are using some form of wireless technology and the need to connect to a WiFi network is a critical infrastructure for schools and educational institutions nationwide.
Like many technologies, WiFi has a complicated backend. While front-end users generally simply have to choose the SSID (network name) and enter a password to connect - understanding to a small extent what happens to allow the simplicity of this is important.
There is often common confusion as to how wireless networks work and I hope to go some small distance to explaining this.
How to Keep Your Computer Running Smoothly
Val Gavin
Gavin Computer Services
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Basic Computer Maintenance
Your computer; no matter what you use it for, needs a minimum amount of maintenance and servicing to keep it running fast and smooth, you wouldn’t expect your car to be clean and ready on a daily basis without regular servicing, you would clean your car of the detritus that all of us manage to accumulate; like receipts, sweet and other food wrappers, drinks bottles and all the stuff that is left over from our busy lives.
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Similarly your computer requires regular physical cleaning, you can use a vacuum cleaner at a low setting to clean out air vents especially cooling fan vents, it is amazing to see how much dust and lint gets trapped in those areas, causing your computer to overheat and thereby shorten the life of delicate components. For other areas use a hand duster, there are many out there, powered or manual to clean keyboards and other hard to reach parts of your computer, I don’t advise using pressurised air, as many of those contain liquids that can cause serious damage to sensitive circuitry.
VIRTUAL DESKTOP INFRASTRUCTURE
A Virtual World Where the Benefits are Real
Trevor Collins
Assistant Principal
Bandon Grammar School
ICT initiatives in Irish education in recent years have led to many changes in teaching and learning, including what is taught, how it is taught, and the infrastructure for teaching and learning. This article focuses on the use of Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI). It describes a journey of a school changing from the traditional ICT model to one of the newest (and hopefully best) systems available in using cloud-based VDI. It also discusses an action-based pilot programme undertaken in the local area.
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The work undertaken has been solidly founded in the best practice of education literature. Those behind the change in infrastructure have won awards at local and national level and have been positively reviewed by business and academic management.
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This is an ongoing journey, bringing about a transformation in the conservative world of education may prove difficult – but difficult roads often lead to the most wonderful destinations. Virtual Desktop Infrastructure is here to stay, and it is becoming standard practice in business. This article explains how VDI can improve ICT infrastructure in education in Ireland. The system is virtual, but as we will see, the benefits are very tangible!
