Interview Presentation

[knightrider]

Hi Guys,

Just found out I've got a interview. Part of it is giving a presentation on the following:


‘The College is to have a new building constructed. What future technologies/services would benefit the College? - consider hardware, software, infrastructure, Audio-Visual, telecommunications, e-learning and costs.’

Now I've got idea's just not sure if they are 'future proof' enough. All the info I have got is that they have a VLE (Blackboard).
Any ideas on future technologis/services would be very welcome.


Cheers
Knightrider

[James_C]

Who knows what advances in technology are just around the corner? Do we even need to cable a building anymore or is wireless technology going to be sufficient. You could argue for and against on a number of various things but it all comes down to what they hope to acheive out of the building, is it ever going to be a high end computer lab as that would change things considerably. Hard one to answer but good luck.

[fs171]

For 'Wireless technology' there is still a need for cabeling

[James_C]

For 'Wireless technology' there is still a need for cabeling

Yeah but no, firstly you don't have to flood rooms with outlets, secondly there are meshed wireless networks and other backbone and dual band wireless technologies to ALMOST eliminate the need for cable. And like I said - what is just around the corner with higher wireless throughput.

[mavhc]

a) bandwidth needs will only increase in time
b) wired is always faster than wireless

however c) most devices will be wireless in future

therefore, to maximise bandwidth for wireless devices as much as possible should be wired

At the highest cost, but most flexible:

Everything should be software switched, link all displays (projectors, tvs) back to a central rack, which can, via software, switch and input to any multiple of outputs. Those inputs can be from a laptop via vga/hdmi over ip device, or software to do the same in the laptop, or some apple TVs in the rack which receive streaming video from ipads

All phones IP, all mains switches, lights, speakers, heating, doors, windows controlled by software

Then reduce from there taking into account budget, current cost/benefit analysis, cost of retrofitting, money saved due to automatically turning off lights/printers/tvs/heaters, opening/closing windows

[mthomas08]

For 'Wireless technology' there is still a need for cabeling

I have to +1 on this. Nearly every staff laptop here uses wireless and we always say "Use a cable when possible". Its faster end of.


Some of ur laptops the wireless activates after logging on - kinda bums out when you have mapped drives! And there are also spots where the signal strength is very weak. Until our school is covered by a single wireless system - not two. And staff are able to actually move from one to another without being disconnected, problems will always occur.

Anyway: Mobile devices seem to be what everyone is talking about. iPads or look at the new surfaces/windows 8. Sooner or later the next server version will be out as well.

Us here on Frog have FrogOS coming next year and I am hoping to setup dedicated websites for mobile device access. This means students could access everything from their device including homework.

With Frog we are also in the process of putting a lot more online, Secure Gateway - Remote access to your system either to real machines or virtual PCs.

Department websites which have an entire course documentation online in web pages - making it easier to update for the staff member and not IT/Web developer.

So hopefully one day we will not only have access to everything from home, but from any device and everything online Which also technically makes it all cloud based.

Hope some of those things above adds to your list, remove access to everything is popular here. And Secure Gateway has been given "impressive" comments by staff using it.

[pete]

Dedicated Comms riser in a central location.

If the ceiling doesn't lend itself to a usable crawlspace (loose insulation), install box conduit and fixed (can't pull out completely) pull cords before putting up the plasterboard / drop ceiling. Any cable run should be in a duct (speakers, hdmi, network, vga, phone, alarm cable) rather than loose or velcro'd to a beam.

And if you can afford it, in-floor channeling before the floor is poured with a couple of options for layout.

Design the building so new things can be added without a lot of faff - I would give a Biology teacher's left testicle for in-floor cable ducting in our tech & science labs.

[IrritableTech]

Remember that every school should have teaching and learning at it's heart. Everything you suggest should be an idea to help deliver the curriculum.

1:1 schemes get forward thinking SLT's thinking whether that is school provided or BYOD.

[mavhc]

True, there's 2 sides, infrastructure and learning. Infrastructure enables learning by making things faster, more flexible, saving money.

On the learning side hardware and software don't matter, we've had the ability to create blogs, wikis, websites, video and audio editing for 10 years, but only 1% of teachers do it. Hire teachers who are creative and willing to learn, provide specialist TAs who are experts in helping teachers and students with technology. Provide incentives, offer as much training as possible.

[knightrider]

Just to let you guys know that I GOT THE JOB!!
I'm absolutely over the moon. What a fantastic early Chrismas Present!!

Knightrider

[elsiegee40]

Just to let you guys know that I GOT THE JOB!!
I'm absolutely over the moon. What a fantastic early Chrismas Present!!

Knightrider

Mega congratulations! What a way to start Christmas!