caffrey Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 Our school has recently signed up to SIMS and in the proposal there is something called SIMS Apps with no information on it (just Remote registration, and access to data on Mobile device), we were told on installation that it isn't ready yet - what exactly is it?
GREED Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 If you have heard of Groupcall's Emerge app, it is basically that but from Capita. I'll relent from my amusement on how this affects the political landscape and just invite @PhilNeal to give a bit of an explanation as to what it is. From what I remember from BETT, it is a dedicated app that gives basic functionality on the go, access to records take attendance, behaviour records. First iteration is for teachers, branching out to a parental app soon I believe (if not, it should).
vikpaw Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 There is a thread that mentions it. Basically it's an app for teachers, but at the moment it comes as part of SLG. Have you also signed up for their SIMS Learning Gateway sharepoint system? I've not heard of it being available as a standalone tool.
GREED Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 I've not heard of it being available as a standalone tool. yet ;)
caffrey Posted April 24, 2014 Author Posted April 24, 2014 Nope we haven't signed up for the SLG as far as I know (nothing in the proposal), I looked at the SIMS website and found this SIMS Teacher App | capita-sims.co.uk and noticed it needed SLG is this correct ?? Any idea of time scales too? The installer said about September time...
vikpaw Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 That's when the SLG version will be mainstream. I can't imagine it will be independent by then, if ever...
caffrey Posted April 24, 2014 Author Posted April 24, 2014 Going to be interesting when I tell SLT that they can't have SIMS on the iPads without spending a huge sum of money then.... We currently use E1 which is of course web based and is no problem...
GREED Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 Going to be interesting when I tell SLT that they can't have SIMS on the iPads without spending a huge sum of money then.... We currently use E1 which is of course web based and is no problem... I don't mean this in any harsh way, but you have bigger issues with your current MIS provision come summer...
caffrey Posted April 24, 2014 Author Posted April 24, 2014 I know, we've already had SIMS ordered and installed ready to go, to take over from E1, I wasn't privy in the choice of a new MIS so I'm unsure as to what was said about the use of iPads and SIMS.
vikpaw Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 I'd start configuring and testing remote desktop , so at least there is a vague workaround using an iPad.
caffrey Posted April 24, 2014 Author Posted April 24, 2014 RDP server or to individual machines?, that'll be a joy...
Sylv3r Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 Yep, as a few of the others point out above it only works with those using SLG. Not sure when the release date is, but I believe its before September.
ass17 Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 (edited) From the horses mouth at the SIMS independent schools conference a few weeks ago: SIMs teacher app will be release in beta during May (requires SLG). General release is October (requires SLG). Bad move when school starts in sept. Tut tut sims!! An SLG independent app 2015. Edited April 24, 2014 by ass17
caffrey Posted April 24, 2014 Author Posted April 24, 2014 Well I'm glad I never signed the contract, makes me wonder what was said at the consultation meeting especially as our school is going very iPad centric...
robjduk Posted April 24, 2014 Posted April 24, 2014 SLG is nothing but a poorly coded pain in the arse and far as I am concerned, Capita products are a stain on education. Please go and 100% confirm you are not required to run SLG as part of your deal as they require a couple more servers and sharepoint licences. 1
caffrey Posted April 25, 2014 Author Posted April 25, 2014 Decision was made behind closed doors, they also didn't take into account that SIMS is local on the network so it needed a new server, sql licence and cals etc...
TheScarfedOne Posted April 25, 2014 Posted April 25, 2014 I have had a lot of discussions about the SIMS App (range - can I call it that yet @PhilNeal?) and the SLG tie in... So, here is the deal. Yes - SLG is required, but it would be better to think of it as you have SLG, and are getting the Apps included FOC. They will, in time be one product bundle of Parental Engagement - as SIMS becomes more truely modular and role-based in future. Yes, the product is not fully ready yet, and that has a lot to do with making sure it is right and has the functionality being asked for at user groups. You dont say whether SLG is being hosted by the school or by Capita - who can and do host. Many of the SLG implementations I see where there are complaints are surrounding the Sharepoint engine underneath rather than SLG itself. Now - dont get me wrong - there are actual parts of SLG which are just plain horrid - but it has improved significantly over recent releases; with much more customer (ie parent) focused UI elements rather than "boxy" tables. What you have to remember is that this product was about meeting a specific agenda - and many using it dont use it even for that now. I see many using it with staff on site as a "Sims-Lite". I would strongly suggest getting in touch with the account managers and clarifying exactly what you have bought, and then we can have a proper discussion about it and ways forwards rather than product bash.
vikpaw Posted April 25, 2014 Posted April 25, 2014 It's not about product bashing. It sounds like it was sold as a feature rather than a free perk of SLG. That's just plain wrong. It is a great concept but designing it and bundling it around SLG was a poor decision in my opinion. So as a product it just doesn't make sense. I'd sooner pay for Groupcall which is cheap enough for a site license and is readily available now.
caffrey Posted April 25, 2014 Author Posted April 25, 2014 I've just been reading the Technical guide for onsite install and it's way way overkill just for a single app for iPads (even the online version) , SLG will probably not even get used either so would probably just be bought exclusively for the app which is just a waste.
TheScarfedOne Posted April 25, 2014 Posted April 25, 2014 It will be a feature of SLG once on full release; much like the Data Collection bit is a feature - and was developed after the original SLG scoping (and looks completely different). The homework tie-in (and future Assessment Manager/Curriculum Structure) parts are much the same too. There is a technical tie in between the way in which SLG currently works, and the way the Apps will work - thats why you cant have one without the other. It needs the web services to communicate with. Im expecting, certainly from discussions Ive had, that there will eventually be a consolidated Web Service - which will take in the InTouch stuff (which still used the horrid VPN - that is going very soon).
GREED Posted April 25, 2014 Posted April 25, 2014 (edited) Sorry Stuart, everything you say is very true and great, you know more than most I think, but I think the simple fact is the apps is tied to SLG so that capita can force the sale of SLG which is stupidly expensive and a ridiculous product given the usability against the time it has been on the market! There has been huge demand for the app, shortsighted wouldn't even begin to cover the decision to tie it in to SLG... Edited April 25, 2014 by GREED
caffrey Posted April 27, 2014 Author Posted April 27, 2014 Realistically without the actual licencing costs, how much hardware / cost am I looking at hosting in house ? From a quick look at the technical guide there's a few servers and sharepoint licencing involved as far as I can tell.
PhilNeal Posted April 27, 2014 Posted April 27, 2014 I think the simple fact is the apps is tied to SLG so that capita can force the sale of SLG which is stupidly expensive and a ridiculous product given the usability against the time it has been on the market! SLG is our way of giving Internet access to teachers, pupils & parents; the Teacher App does this too and for the ~2000 schools using SLG they won't have to pay any extra. BTW the Teacher App also utilises lots of the SLG routines. @GREED I do wonder if you have seen SLG lately? It is very attractive & highly usable including flight paths, homework setting, data collection sheets etc. I do still come across schools that haven't set it up to take advantage of the screens that were introduced years ago. After the Teacher App trial which is taking place shortly, it is possible that we will make some changes to ways that our products are sold.
GREED Posted April 27, 2014 Posted April 27, 2014 @PhilNeal I wonder if you have seen the near consistent responses on here and elsewhere that tells the tale of an incredibly expensive product (please don't mention LA deals!) for what is now something quite antiquated, compared to other offerings. I saw SLG 6 months ago, again at BETT. Is that soon enough? It is welcome to see that there may be a different model of selling this in the future. Perhaps I'm not best to argue this point, you are probably right, and you know me I'm happy to be proved wrong!!!
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