Job Interview tomorrow

[jamin100]

Got an interview tomorrow for ICT manager at a secondary school near me.

Its the usual format, interview then technical test etc.

I'm confident about the technical test and i have most of the points mentioned on the person specification.

The one thing i have no experience with however is SIMS. Currently have CMIS where I am now. Are these 2 systems that different? I know they basically do the same job. What is SMIS.net Learning Gateway? is it some kind of reporting to parents function? or a VLE type system??

Anyway just doing some last minute research into the school etc and brushing up on some server stuff incase im asked in the interview.

[irsprint]

Prove you can use a MIS system, dont bluff, just understand the jist of things, thats how I got my job.

[jamesb]

An MIS system is pretty much an MIS system regardless. SIMS is built on MSSQL.

SIMS Learning Gateawy is basically a Sharepoint site with various web parts which allow students, teachers and parents (and various others if necessary, according to the road map) to access data at the school such as attendance, performance, and so on.

Teachers can also access more functionality via the site.

It is not, and this is important to note, a VLE. A VLE is a web platform (or other networked platform I guess) for delivery of learning resources. SIMS Learning Gateway is for reporting to parents via the web, as well as providing access to students and staff via the same.

Some schools have set up a VLE alongside SLG by using the Sharepoint functionality.

Good luck.

[stevenewman]

It is not, and this is important to note, a VLE. A VLE is a web platform (or other networked platform I guess) for delivery of learning resources.

Don't let Capita hear you say that ...

SIMS Learning Gateway is the next generation learning platform. It allows schools to give users a single online workspace both inside and outside of school.

From this, teachers, pupils and parents can access the pupil data held in your school’s SIMS Management Information System alongside a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), email, local authority web sites and countless other software used by schools.

[tech_guy]

Best of luck with the interview.

[jamin100]

thanks guys. Interview is at 11.

Have worked in a high school before and as i was leaving we were just starting to install sims.net but that was 5 years ago.

Been working as a network manager for a primary school for 5 years and the decision was made to move to CMIS before i started.

Like you say there both MIS systems that achieve the same thing just with a different interface. From what i can remember is SIMS.net a browser based application? Do you still have to mess around with LANID's like the old SIMS?

[matt40k]

Good luck.

SIMS is pretty straight forward. It shouldn't be too difficult for you, so long as you stay on the techy side of things.

SOLUS = updates, SupportNet = forum

exams, sysman, nova are all non- .net modules which are v.6 (or lower), they are written in delphi.
Most is within the main .net program (v.7), they are written in c#

You know know more then most

EDIT:
LANID are gone.
SIMS is .net application, ie .exe on workstation with tons of dlls

SIMS drive normally S
To install S:\setups\simsinst.exe

FMS is the SIMS finance package, tis non-.net, does have some issues with networked laser printers.

[jcollings]

An MIS system is pretty much an MIS system regardless. SIMS is built on MSSQL.

SIMS Learning Gateawy is basically a Sharepoint site with various web parts which allow students, teachers and parents (and various others if necessary, according to the road map) to access data at the school such as attendance, performance, and so on.

Teachers can also access more functionality via the site.

It is not, and this is important to note, a VLE. A VLE is a web platform (or other networked platform I guess) for delivery of learning resources. SIMS Learning Gateway is for reporting to parents via the web, as well as providing access to students and staff via the same.

Some schools have set up a VLE alongside SLG by using the Sharepoint functionality.

Good luck.

But SLG is a Sharepoint platform and perfectly capable as being used as a full VLE after all LP+ is only a sharepoint solution but is most definitely a VLE.

[jamesb]

But SLG is a Sharepoint platform and perfectly capable as being used as a full VLE after all LP+ is only a sharepoint solution but is most definitely a VLE.

Absolutely, but in and of itself SLG is not a VLE.

The Sharepoint platform that the site rests on is a different matter, and can be pretty much whatever you want.