jallsop

For this, i would still go with a PC solution. Maybe mount it in your rack, and use a bluetooth mouse and keyboard. If you start having fixed DMX outputs being sent via one controller, and then want to use another controller, you can end in a right mess. We used to have an analogue mixing desk, and Martin Lightjockey on the same DMX bus, but it just caused chaos. We now just use Lightjocky, with a basic sequence written for assemblies, which you just select from the sequence list. You password the PC, and it connects to the DMX via USB. Hide wires away, and bobs you're aunty.

I didn't say i would ride back up again. We have a very well equipped train or bus service with spaces for bikes. Failing that, the wife in the car. I'm an IT guy, not stupid.

I used AB tutor to connect to all workstations, and then send them all a polite message, before remotely terminating the application after 20 seconds.

Not much TBH, I'm going down to the valley tonight to buy some over expensive tools to replace the ones that maintenance have purloined from me. Might do the same trip on my mountain bike on Saturday. Mind you, going down to the valley for me means driving down around 800 metres in vertical height, over an 8km distance. Its a fun road normally, but its raining cats and dogs over here at the moment.

As far as the TV idea goes, I've seen it work quite well, using VGA from a computer, although it wasn't made as a touchscreen. We actually had two tvs running off of one PC, and the same image could be on both panels, one either side of the teachers area, using the connect to a projector tools in windows, and a simple VGA splitter/booster. Cost for two 46 inch panels (actually cheap TVs) and mounting was around £1200, plus a bit of cabling which we would have had to have done for the IWB and Projector anyway. Worked really well, and with a touchscreen PC, or even better, using one note or similar, would be better than IWB, IMHO.

Having done timetabling in both Nova T4 and T6, albeit a few years ago now, I can honestly say that either version of Nova makes an excellent timetable creation tool. It just needs the right information. I suggest you contact your LEA (If you still have access to it) for a little bit of training. I took 2 or 3 one day courses. T6 was the replacement to T4, and did everything T4 did, but added on a few extra bits. I found it an easy thing to use after a little while getting used to it. You do need a through understanding of the terminology, such as blocks, groups, periods and schedules (If they haven't made the terms easier). Once you get stuck in, it can be very powerful, and help scheduling duties and all sorts. It's a little late in the year for this year to be written, as i used to aim for it all to be done in time for the British GP, around the end of June, early July. It might be worth having a go with it, and seeing if it can come up with a timetable quickly. I had one year when the whole process only took 2 attempts to get a good, optimised timetable. Just pure luck, though nova does take the headache out of a lot of the scheduling.

I will investigate. Our french versions have unusual names for some things, which are not direct translation. Update for example is Mise a Jour, which is files of the day. !!!!!

I vote for small french diesel. Cheap to buy, insure, and run. Last forever if serviced properly. I've had french cars for around 15 years and the only fault was an electric window winder motor, which was made in the UK. Japanese build quality is better, but you pay for it in the servicing costs, even if you do it yourself. Either that, or pick up an old Duratec engined Fiesta or Escort. Cheap as chips, reasonably reliable, and plenty of spares available.

Whenever i have used this, its been less than successful at restoring, and i've treated it as more MS bloat than anything useful. Is it now better? The scheduling part is fine, but it doesn't make a temporary store, should the drive not be attached, to auto-backup when the drive is attached. Its fine if you're dealing with a bunch of well trained adults, but when you're dealing with a selection of 10-19 years olds, from every corner of the globe, It doesn't function as well as it might.

Hi Working in a BYOD school means i'm often plagued with the "My computer has stopped working, can you get my work off it?" For many of them, since Macs are 95% of the devices, i simply reply "Use your time machine backup." The usual reply is "Whats that?", but thats another point entirely. The thing is, the tools are there, for free. The problem is the 5% who use windows. There is no automated system built in, unless i'm mistaken, to create a backup to a USB HDD. What do people use? Preferably free. Its made more complex as almost all students are non native English speakers, so a multi lingual solution would be preferable. Suggestions?

Sadly not, as there is no .ac.ch for Swiss international schools. We tend to just use .ch which means its difficult to convince them to give educational accounts, despite having the name of the school in the address. I've also had some experience of offline Prezi in a previous school. Wasn't that impressed TBH. I tend to slam the photos into iMovie, and do a quick movie with default settings, randomising the transitions and adding the funky titles from the templates. Cos most don't use mac, they're wowed by it.

The problem with almost all media handling tools like these is that the File-->Save just creates a library file, rather than an actual product that is transferable. I have had hells own problems with the kids and iMovie here. They need educating in the Export tool, to make the video or whatever. I usually find that the old response of 'what video' when searching the USB drive a useful one. I filter for MOV, MP4 etc, so when it shows no video, they look confused, and actually ask for help, which of course, I freely give. Sometimes its easier for you to do these things yourself, however. A quick note on Prezi etc. Being web based, you can't always be sure of an internet connection in every place they want to show the video. Outside, in a marquee in the middle of the sports field for graduation lunch. Nope, thought not. :-)

We have had this occur more recently with out WPA2 enterprise network, specifically with win 7 machines. The only way round it we found was to manually import the certificate. Some win 8 machines refuse to stay connected. Driving me mad, but since we're BYOD, and most are macs its not a massive problem.

That nails it. I was going to update from cs3 (I know) up to the next version, but not cloud. I can't afford the kind of prices they are going to charge for this. one year service.

Hmm. Not sure i'd agree on quicker. We've had some issues with it opening network documents via wifi connection. Sometimes taking the absolute p in terms of time. 2-3minutes for a 150 to 200K document. Wifi connection is fine with other apps etc, so its not this. Plus some horrendous glitches opening old office 03 files.

When you say courses, on the front page, do you actually mean Categories? The top level, usually found across the top, under the school banner, and user details box. If so, then these are not organised by alphabet at all. You have complete control of where everything goes in the following location. Administration / ▶ Courses / ▶ Add/edit courses (Moodle 1.9.xx) where the little green arrows indicate where in the 'list' you wish them to come. I warn you, that it can take time to reorder them. I had to do this after a change of policy. Not a happy camper that day.

This can be managed, like duties for staff etc, as a 'lesson' within the timetabling module in most MIS systems. You just create an extra lesson at the end of the day, make it a vertical lesson, which makes it open for all students, and then populate as needed. This means all staff can have access etc. J

Hi, There are a number of options that use a browser based system for access on any device. 3sys (WCBS Pass), iSams to name but two. If your school is boarding, with things like laundry services etc, then whatever you choose needs to be able to either plug into these systems, or have its own way of managing them. Theres nothing worse than having 2 or 3 systems and trying to get them to work. I'm in a similar position here, and we're just embarking on the MIS hunt, after using an internally developed web MIS for a few years. We're part of a larger group of schools, so we don't have total freedom to choose. 3Sys seems favourite for the group. We'll see.

Hi all, Thanks for the comments so far. As I said. We don't have the option of choosing our MIS, as it is the one employed by the group of schools we are now a member of. We have a web based MIS, but will not be carrying forward any data initially, so we're going for a clean install. Interesting that you say we need someone to lead the process from our end. We were hoping they would be fully engaged.

Thanks for the links. I had read this, and am attempting to find out about not just day to day running, as mentioned in this and other threads brought up by the search, but actual implementation process issues as well. We don't have the option of choosing our MIS, as it is the one employed by the group of schools we are a member of.

Hi all, The school I work at is currently seriously considering movement to WCBS Pass/3Sys for the academic and pastoral management. We are a small independent school in Switzerland, so some more normal UK options are not going to be suitable. Does anyone have any hints, tips or experiences they'd like to share. Especially when it comes from setting this up from scratch, without importing data from any existing MIS. Also any other ideas on successful implementation and daily use would be welcomed. Thanks

Great, even less time to rebuild, rewire and install new kit. Just what everyone needs. I don't really need to spend time with my family. At all. Ever!

think it was sp3.

Depending on the network security settings, also check you have service packs installed. I had a teacher bring in an old machine that belonged to the school, and she was about to scream trying to connect, when she gave it to me, and i (eventually) realised that is was XP with no service packs installed. No WPA2 enterprise security settings.

I would insist on a macbook pro to use the right software to set them all up. If they're paying for 30 iPads, then £1000 is not a lot more for it.