tben2505 Posted January 28, 2015 Posted January 28, 2015 Hello folks I've looked at groupcall and the SIMS app but wondered if anyone has encountered other multi-platform app to allow staff to take registers and record behaviour/achievement? I like the SIMS app but it's only on tablets at the moment and to have a nice simple app on your phone would be very useful. Groupcall is OK but wondered if people know of others I could look at! Cheers folks, T 1
tmcd35 Posted January 28, 2015 Posted January 28, 2015 They should be paying me commission for this - twice in one morning, but I really can't fault Go4Schools.
Seb1780 Posted January 28, 2015 Posted January 28, 2015 We currently use Emerge from Groupcall which works on phones and tablets. However, the introduction of the SIMS Teacher App is making us thing again as it introduces more functionality and is likely to be cheaper for us (we already have SLG as part of our package). We use Go4Schools and it is a good solution but we feel their Attendance and Behavior modules are currently a little short of what we want, no detentions for example.
tben2505 Posted January 28, 2015 Author Posted January 28, 2015 Great - how do you find Emerge? It seemed a little slow on the demos I've seen...and I'm not crazy about the interface either - the new SIMS interface is lovely. Yes - we'd need detentions on the app...can emerge do this? T
Seb1780 Posted January 28, 2015 Posted January 28, 2015 We've not had any real issues with Emerge - biggest headache is for the Attendance Officer as we use afternoon lessons to complete the PM session register so if a teacher has taken the register using Emerge in the middle of the playing field they need to remember to walk along the touchline to get it to upload. Apart from that issues were limited to training / usage issues. Emerge does not do detentions, but then again Emerge does write back ALL attendance and behavior data to SIMS and we use detentions there. Go4Schools will only write back session attendance data (for census purposes), all other functionality remains in Go4Schools so it needs to be complete if we are to rely on just one tool.
GREED Posted January 28, 2015 Posted January 28, 2015 Just like to respond to @Seb1780 here, if you issue with Emerge around uploading registers on the school field is due to a lack of connection (as in WiFi connection), then we can easily accommodate this for you to post via 3G/4G. It is a feature of Emerge and has been for a while. Would also like to thank @Seb1780 and @tben2505 for the feedback on the Emerge product.
Seb1780 Posted January 28, 2015 Posted January 28, 2015 Just like to respond to @Seb1780 here, if you issue with Emerge around uploading registers on the school field is due to a lack of connection (as in WiFi connection), then we can easily accommodate this for you to post via 3G/4G. It is a feature of Emerge and has been for a while. Yes, I understand that, but the lazy sods could do with the exercise In the list of things our Attendance Officer has issues with, it's very much a minor one and was meant as an indicator of the lack of problems we get with Emerge. Would also like to thank @Seb1780 and @tben2505 for the feedback on the Emerge product. You know where the buttons are 1
GREED Posted January 28, 2015 Posted January 28, 2015 Yes, I understand that, but the lazy sods could do with the exercise In the list of things our Attendance Officer has issues with, it's very much a minor one and was meant as an indicator of the lack of problems we get with Emerge. You know where the buttons are Well I thank you properly then now I found the button!
wardsidjame Posted February 22, 2015 Posted February 22, 2015 (edited) We have just tried the Sims teacher app and have found a few issues. It has to use a microsoft account, all data has to go via the ms service bus (emerge can go direct making it much faster), it has crashed multiple times when testing (emerge on same system has no issues), the the big on is only a person registered as a teacher in sims personelle can use it, we have all our ta's etc using emerge for behaviour and also have hlta's who register forms, they cannot use the Sims app due to this Sims can do Marksheets but this is a feature update in Emerge in a couple of weeks. Sims is cheaper though by quite a lot as we already host SLG but for the minute after a week with Sims im sticking with Emerge, if Capita sort the issues though this may change next year unless Emerge drop the pricing. Edited February 22, 2015 by wardsidjame 1
PhilNeal Posted February 22, 2015 Posted February 22, 2015 Following your feedback we'll make the adjustment to allow TAs etc to be activated - that's fairly straight forward. Using the Azure service bus shouldn't be an issue - something else is going on. I'd be grateful if you could log a case with us.
wardsidjame Posted February 22, 2015 Posted February 22, 2015 We have had numerous calls logged with Capita and have also been told the teacher restriction wont be lifted. The service bus isnt an issue but as with emerge it is significantly slower than it being local, this is to be expected but you dont get the choice with the teacher app, It will be next year i think when we will reasses the differences and decide again, Sims is much cheaper but i think a few things need ironing out before we can be confident enough to move.
GREED Posted February 22, 2015 Posted February 22, 2015 Sims can do Marksheets but this is a feature update in Emerge in a couple of weeks. Sims is cheaper though by quite a lot as we already host SLG but for the minute after a week with Sims im sticking with Emerge, if Capita sort the issues though this may change next year unless Emerge drop the pricing. Indeed, long awaited Markbook write back will be available in the March release. But I would be interested to know, when you have had a chance to play with the new release, if the other features add real value too (as it leads to the second point!) Which include Fire Registers, improved behavior and achievement recording processes, dinner money registers (for primary schools obviously!), and our Emergency 'Help Me' feature to alert staff in the school to come help you in an emergency... funnily enough! I really wish I could say more and tell you where Emerge is going in the next year you will love it... but both the Mods, and my Director would shoot me! My reasons for saying this is, regarding price, Capita are in a great position because you are already paying them money for SIMS let alone SLG so they can afford to take a hit on TeacherApp for you... and why shouldn't they it is like an extra module when it comes down to it. Perfectly acceptable and would expect nothing less. I would love to say Emerge can drop to that low low figure but in a race to the bottom Capita will win every time (reasons above). Emerge is competitive to the standard TeacherApp price, in fact within pounds now, and depending on the options appropriate to your school numbers, both TeacherApp and Emerge can be very reasonable price wise. Kudos to Capita for making the market even more competitive, a bonus for schools! Kudos all round really it is definately worth checking it out exactly as you have done here, competition really is great we love it because it forces better and better products to come to market... win win for schools! But I'll leave with the question: is it all about price or would you pay a 'perceived' premium for the extra features, better features or a more stable and reliable product? Answers on a postcard!
PhilNeal Posted February 22, 2015 Posted February 22, 2015 @wardsidjames Making it available for TAs is a no brainer - sorry you have been told otherwise.
wardsidjame Posted February 22, 2015 Posted February 22, 2015 Yep for the minute its Emerge for us, price isnt everything but unfortunatly school budgets arent what they used to be and its 3x the price. However unless the Capita issues are addressed then it isnt a viable option anyway, most important think for me is does it work well as teachers wont use it if its got issues
Steven_Cleaver Posted February 22, 2015 Posted February 22, 2015 Another option might be PARS Connect this would allow you to take registers, add behaviour and achievement and much more. This might do what your after.
GREED Posted February 22, 2015 Posted February 22, 2015 Another option might be PARS Connect this would allow you to take registers, add behaviour and achievement and much more. This might do what your after. What are it's offline capabilities?
Steven_Cleaver Posted February 22, 2015 Posted February 22, 2015 In essence PARS Connect sits on its own IIS Server and I am not sure it has offline capabilities as you would need to be able to Connect to the IIS Server.
vikpaw Posted February 24, 2015 Posted February 24, 2015 (edited) I doubt PARS can do offline, and it's not an app. However, a good option nonetheless with detention, behaviour, assessment capabilities. Plus a good company and all their other stuff is amazing. Also i believe CHQ can do something similar as well but couldn't find any info, though i don't think they have an app. I might be wrong. Reggie do attendance with an app, but not behaviour as far as i can tell. I was recently contacted on twitter by Titus Learning who do VLEs, and they have a new app to compete with SIMS teacher app, but i couldn't find anything on it, so i think it must be a new thing. Edited February 24, 2015 by vikpaw
Steven_Cleaver Posted February 24, 2015 Posted February 24, 2015 (edited) I doubt PARS can do offline, and it's not an app. However, a good option nonetheless with detention, behaviour, assessment capabilities. Plus a good company and all their other stuff is amazing. Also i believe CHQ can do something similar as well but couldn't find any info, though i don't think they have an app. I might be wrong. Reggie do attendance with an app, but not behaviour as far as i can tell. I was recently contacted on twitter by Titus Learning who do VLEs, and they have a new app to compete with SIMS teacher app, but i couldn't find anything on it, so i think it must be a new thing. Vikpaw as always is correct can't do offline and isn't an App just links to web interface but as he says is a good option is a demo site that you can login to have a look at PARS Connect Username: Blacka Password: abcd.If you want to have a look and as Vikpaw says good company with great products and support. They also have a Parental Portal called Insight which we have been using for a few years and which has been excellent and they also have a demo site for this. Edited February 24, 2015 by vikpaw 1
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