iscott

Good one for geographers... https://zoom.earth/

I'm trying to set up an 'in-house' (restricted) LAN (no access to Internet) for students to explore some networking concepts using their (school-managed) Chromebooks, e.g. accessing a Raspberry Pi server for them to set up locally based web server etc. I have a router set up - wifi signal clearly showing on my phone, but for some reason the Chromebooks aren't picking up the broadcast signal, automatically picking up the school-assigned WiFi signal they usually use. School Chromebooks can access home-based WiFi so students can work at home, so I'm assuming they aren't 'locked' to only in-school WiFi (or is there a setting we need to change?) Grateful for any pointers as to how I can get this set up.

We recently moved from Impero to Classroom Cloud (largely Chromebook-based WiFi student devices with some Ethernet-connected wired desktop PCs in computer rooms) A "whitelist-only" list of websites has been implemented to cut-down on students playing games etc but have now hit some hurdles: - some desktop PCs have the Classroom Cloud software working, others not (some desktops show up on the teacher desktop PC but not others - no idea why!) - majority of Chromebooks no longer have access to the built-in camera (ticket has been raised with Classroom Cloud and is with their dev team but has been that way for weeks) - majority of Chromebooks have the 'Files' drive blocked (again flagged to Classroom Cloud dev team but still waiting...) Any suggestions on a way forward would be greatly appreciated on how to resolve the above. Alternatively - any suggestions on a better solution that works for a largely Chromebook (+ WiFi) based school? Many thanks.

Yup - SIMS Was hoping there was an easy way to identify e.g. a field such as SEN on a marksheet which linked back to an item on the reporting tree... any/all ideas much appreciated!

Our data manager is swamped, was hoping there was a 'beginner's guide' or similar I could follow for myself to build a report to find out how to add fields to an MS Word doc (school wants us to create 'context sheets' for each class - class name, number of males/females, names of HPA high prior attainers, names of MPA medium prior attainers and names of LPA, names of SEN, names of EAL, mean CAT scores, names of students with <12 yrs reading age etc in each class). Currently manually transferring across from marksheet to MS Word doc 'template' - it's a pain. Here's hoping...

Was wondering the best (easiest?) option to have students broadcast their (Chromebook) screens to the teacher display (Viewsonic screen) at the front of the class when doing individual or group presentations? Currently we have Impero (not working very well), hoping there was an alternative to having students 'share' their work/file (on Google Classroom) with me and running it that way. TIA.

Still on the hunt for a text editor for students to do some HTML editing, came across this 'notepad online' (which doesn't have annoying ads that persist in some other online notepad offerings I've looked at) : https://browserpad.org/

Hi, Does anyone have a list of Chromebook (free) apps they have set up for student use on student Chromebooks in schools, specifically for KS3/KS4 (+ KS5?) Comp Sci lessons? Currently I'm in need of a 'text editor' (looking at "Code Pad Text Editor") for students to build web pages using HTML (can't do this in Google Docs). Students need to be able to 'manage files' including creating a folder to store their web site, create sub-folders for images etc and create their HTML files in their 'web page folder', which are then viewed from their browser. Would be really useful to have a comprehensive list of apps to provide to our IT to push out for student use... a localised Python IDE would also be really useful. I know a lot of this could be done 'in the cloud' but looking for a more 'localised' solution (based on current scheme-of-work I'm working from). Any (free) 'file management' app available, for students to 'manage their files' would also be great. Many thanks, Ian.

https://excalidraw.com/ - came across this (looking for 'Chromebook tools' for students to use in class, browser-based diagramming tool https://app.diagrams.net/ - also for diagramming (good for making network diagrams in class)

Just started at a new school back in September - school (secondary) uses Chromebooks so am navigating my way through a number of issues... also some queries. Never encountered chromebooks in a school setting so am working a bit in the dark.. 1. Multiple times at start of a lesson, 'my Internet is not working' - is this just an issue with too many chromebooks trying to access the same wifi access point (most times it eventually gets sorted, although just before the holidays had one chromebook just flat refusing to access wifi despite multiple 'reboots') 2. Given we're a secondary school, would be useful to have access to some 'apps' - thinking things like Thonny for Python coding which has a Linux option... would it be possible to 'enable developer tools' to get the Linux env set up, install Thonny (read somewhere this shows an icon on the 'chromebook' side of things?) then lock-off the developer tools side but leave Thonny working? 3. Kind of linked to 'point 2' above - is it possible to have a 'locked down' Linux side as well as the chromebook side? Possible to 'image' a chromebook with a 'standard setup'? School (naturally) is concerned about leaving things 'not totally locked down'. 4. Not having a 'right-click' option (coming from a Windows env previously) - is driving me nuts. Short of advising future years to purchase a mouse (chromebooks are parent-purchased at the start of the year), is there another option? Would be good to be in touch with another (ideally secondary school if possible) that has gone down the chromebook route to exchange ideas on what is possible and not possible. School has some (very old) PCs in 'computer labs' but not putting any money in, so desktops are gradually dying + not being replaced so need to look at practical options with the chromebooks to move forward. TIA.

https://www.blockbench.net/ - low poly 3D model editor (good option for those basic CAD projects?) https://wokwi.com/ - good simulator (emulator?) for Arduino and Raspberry Pi Pico (one I've been using) projects online (if hardware is limited). Can drag/drop virtual connections LEDs, wires etc and code (been using MicroPython with our Picos)

We are running ('online') Python coding exams for AQA A Level Comp Sci and BTEC Comp Extended Diploma - encountering issues with 'restricted accounts' for exam candidates who try to run VS Code but the Python 'extension' isn't installed. Since they have no access to the Internet - they can't download/install the extension themselves. Would hope to get some sort of resolution rather than have IT support in 'on the day' of the exam(s) to manually 1-by-1 get the extension downloaded and installed - hoping there's a better way out there! Would prefer - if possible - also not to have to have IT support log in one by one on each account on specific machines and download/install the Python extension prior to the exams... risk of students sitting in wrong seat/at wrong workstations! We have 'IDLE' but this isn't the best option for many students who are 'used to' VS Code/would like to offer multiple options. Thanks in advance.

https://www.lernsoftware-filius.de/ - need to make sure you choose 'English' as language option for first running of the software. Not as much detail as Cisco Packet Tracer but 'does the job' (have used successfully for GCSE and A-Level Comp Sci)... and it's free!

Anyone had experience of a Fujitsu Lifebook - all of a sudden my HDMI port is not working (to hook up to projector). Any suggestions? Currently looking at doing a re-image but hoping there's a shorter/quicker solution out there! Projector is just not picking up the signal. Have tried alternative laptop which works so defo the Fujitsu HDMI port(?) has issues... Thanks in advance.

Thanks for that. Was thinking (a bit more) - along lines of Google Chromecast - ideally based on teacher's PC which students could 'broadcast through' (if that makes sense?) Without students having to install extensions/software on their BYODs if they could 'cast' their screen through teacher's PC (trying to stop random students casting directly to the projector!), and teacher could then choose a screen to show on projector for demo purposes and discussions. ALA 'wi-fi' version of RM Tutor/Impero etc?

Looking for the best option for Computing/IT class to share screens *but* each individual student has BYOD (primarily laptops - not Chromebooks) so not sure of options. Any suggestions gratefully received!

http://www.lernsoftware-filius.de/ ... works well (there is an English version with a sort-of-translated German to English PDF manual to go with it) Can cover most if not all of the topics with this. Also https://www.cybergamesuk.com/ for interactive exercises around firewalls etc. All of GCSE Comp Sci topics/relevant units can be covered with combo of these.

Hi Stu, Any chance you could share where you found the last free edn of Minecraft? Cheers, Ian.

I need some help/guidance (tutorial?) on extracting data from SIMS to show: student name any SEN/PP etc some academic data specific to the student (ALPS?) some academic data specific to the student (bronze/silver/gold grade targets) Rather than exporting full class list with all the data I'd prefer to have only select data. I'd also like to have an A4 (landscape) report with the data placed at specific positions. No-one in school who can do this so I'm starting from scratch! Thanks, Ian.

We are looking into getting new interactive whiteboards, and are not sure whether the seemingly new swathe of IR boards which seem to have come out on the market are a better option than the electromagnetic options? From what I have heard the EM boards if a part of the board 'dies' then you need to replace the whole board whereas with the IR option you are only looking at replacing a small part. If someone can provide some insight into their experiences on this it would help us. Our situation is a school in India so the systems need to be able to cope with higher than average temperatures (35oC - 40oC +, sunlight and extreme damp during monsoon season). We have had Promethean boards installed for the past 5 years (trial basis, few select classrooms to test) and they seem to have been ok so far. My only concern is that we're looking at rolling out across more classrooms so the level of awareness and care of the hardware most likely will be less. Are IR boards more 'robust'?

I'm actually in India working at a school with very low income/finances available - hence my 'free' requirement! We run a few (very old) servers and a 'computer lab' of sorts of older PCs, all Windows XP. If you could let me know when the download is available, that'd be great. Cheers, Ian.

Thanks for the info - currently I only have 1 post so can't use the PM feature on here yet. I was considering the 'scholarpack' option but couldn't find the download link. Suggestions? Cheers, Ian.

Can anyone recommend a free MIS system that also does academic reporting? Cheers. Ian.