BETT 2012 - obligatory "What are you looking for?" thread

[GrumbleDook]

Other than the blindingly obvious (coming to the EduGeek Technical Help Point to gaze at the wonder of the admins, mods, helpers and gophers as they give astounding advice to all and sundry ... even if it is "If you look at the map on the inside of the show guide you will then be able to find the smoothwall stand who are not next to us anymore but are at a bigger and better stand a few seconds walk away"!!!) ...

What are the things at BETT you are looking for?
Have you been asked by the teachers / SLT to look for anything in particular?

Personally ... I'm looking at assistive technologies and see what improvements have been made in it this you for mobile devices, and also having a look at how VLE providers are coping with the recent changes (loss of grants, shortfall in school budgets, etc) and what they are offering to schools that makes them special.

[Iain.Faulkner]

Well we've had a change in Headteacher, and I've been asked to look at bringing in a solution to aid us in emailing parents and also that will allow us to text parents :-)

Very happy as I've been after something like this for the 3 years I've been here!

[vikpaw]

Well we've had a change in Headteacher, and I've been asked to look at bringing in a solution to aid us in emailing parents and also that will allow us to text parents :-)

Very happy as I've been after something like this for the 3 years I've been here!

I'm sure you know the usual suspects are schoolcomms, groupcall, SLG and/or InTouch (if you're with SIMS), but last year i also found a couple of stand-alone (meaning i hadn't heard of them before) stands offering good deals on texting services, really cheap if you are in the UK. On the emailing side, i would imagine many VLEs are capable of managing that, especially if you have exchange.

[vikpaw]

I'll be looking out for VLE resources (moodle / sharepoint) ; new tablets / android devices ; new MIS systems ; grading / assessment systems ; tools that aid analysis of data / using the data already in the MIS.

As well as, catching up with all our suppliers and EG comrades )

[jamesreedersmith]

Technology on the desk type ideas (ideas to bring technology to every table in every class ) for research/collabrative learning etc.

Like a tablet per table weather this be Android, IOs, WinMo, Win 8 etc.

[plexer]

I'm going to do some tiger hunting.

Ben

[vikpaw]

Oh, i am really keen to find out about tools / advice regarding bulk usage / management of iDevices in a school environment. I saw loads of charging last year, but want to look at management, backup, synching, app distribution / control etc.

[Domino]

I'm going to do some tiger hunting.

Ben

That's a rather old OSX version, surely they've updated by now?


....I'll be hunting Smoothwall Gav's expense account.

[nephilim]

If I go, aside from helping on the stand, be looking at visualisers and presentation methods without the need for interactive whiteboards.

[localzuk]

Free stuff...

I'm interested in large scale touchscreen LCDs like the Sahara ones, to see how they're coming along in terms of price performance, IPad/Mobile device management systems, meeting some of the people I know I've dealt with over the last 5 years but haven't met yet.

[plexer]

That's a rather old OSX version, surely they've updated by now?


....I'll be hunting Smoothwall Gav's expense account.

Dook v2.06?

Ben

[crc-ict]

Free stuff...

I'm interested in large scale touchscreen LCDs like the Sahara ones, to see how they're coming along in terms of price performance, IPad/Mobile device management systems, meeting some of the people I know I've dealt with over the last 5 years but haven't met yet.

Don't think you'll get any of those things for free... ;-)

[meadowgirl]

Assistive Tech stuff, digital signage, the obligatory LCDs Vs Projectors price comparisons, access devices-- how to use iPads without intergrating the damn things--- individual pupil basis for communication etc. Software too.

pie in sky stuff too-- im using my visit to help push for better usage of what we have and to help plan the 3 year budget ideas.

[Boredguy]

Any freebies that we can get off the stands and a day out of the office.

[russdev]

One thing will of interest is to see if we see some of ultrabooks start to filter through or do we have to wait till next years BETT. We might have to wait as lot of companies will be releasing ultrabooks at CES few days before and will have to see if any stands manage to arrange something to get them onto the stands... Stones website have said will have some.

As I can see ultrabooks will become very useful within the education sector lightweight and long battery life....

Russell