SCHOOL ICT NEWS BULLETIN No 146 - 05/06/2009 Published by Children’s Services Radio in Schools The Radio in Schools project is a simple podcasting portal that enables pupils and teachers to create podcasts in a safe, secure environment. There’s no special equipment to buy. There is a modest yearly subscription ranging between £200 and £600 depending on the size of the school. Users of all ages are able to share their podcasts internally or externally on their Radio in Schools personalised homepage. They can easily share and embed podcasts into their own school website to help engage parents and the local community. Following its launch in Norwich last Friday at Larkman Primary School, Radio in Schools will be rolled out across the entire East of England including Suffolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire. It is supported by the commercial radio industry too, including Heart locally. You can sign up your school for a month’s free trial via Heart’s website www.heart.co.uk Author: Jill Duman Warning Message in Outlook using the Norfolk Exchange Platform Schools using the Norfolk Exchange platform will have previously experienced a warning message the first time a send and receive occurred using Outlook each day. This message was caused by a security certificate that was not fully compatible with Outlook. This certificate has now been replaced with a certificate that does not exhibit this error. Author: Jay Zelos New features available in Outlook Web Access since service pack 1 was applied If you use Outlook Web Access to view your emails then some new features are now available, including creating personal distribution lists. The following link provides full information and instructions: http://www.eficts.norfolk.gov.uk/nsix/emailmigration/exchange_2007_sp1.aspx Author: Terry Elden Email Spam Update As previously mentioned a new Spam filtering service called MessageLabs is being implemented on the Norfolk exchange platform to eliminate up to 99% of Spam entering your schools mailboxes. After a successful rollout to ICT Solutions test account, four schools have been configured to use the new Spam filtering service. Once these schools are happy with the new service, a further 16 schools will be added. After a successful pilot all remaining schools will be added. The official MessageLabs website can be found at: http://www.messagelabs.co.uk/products/email/anti_spam.aspx Author: Amanda Carr Change to mail relay on the Norfolk network The existing mail relay (smtp.esinet.org.uk) on the Norfolk network used for sending email from email clients configured for RM Easymail, Hotmail, AOL etc. is due to be replaced with new hardware as it is reaching the end of its usable lifespan. More information will be provided in due course. Author: Jay Zelos Projectors: Important Information Recent technological developments in projector and interactive whiteboard design have allowed inherently safer ‘ultra–short throw’ devices to be brought to market. These employ sophisticated optics to enable the projector to be mounted above the display screen and so close to it that it becomes impossible for a user to directly expose their eyes to the beam. Following the release of documentation form Health & Safety Executive (HSE) & Becta in relation to Projector Health & Safety, Norfolk County Council ICT Solutions have raised this area of concern with Norfolk County Council’s Health & Safety Advisor. Subsequently we have been advised that Norfolk should be adopting short throw projectors as standard. The emergence of ultra short throw projectors presents a positive step forward in the development of technologies that support interactive learning and teaching and at the same time provide a safer classroom environment. The widespread use of interactive technologies to enrich the learning and teaching experience already makes a valuable contribution to the educational process. When used in accordance with the established HSE guidance these technologies can be an effective aid to learning and institutions should actively develop the application of existing interactive whiteboard technologies embedding their use within teaching and learning. Below are links to the documentation that is referenced within this documentation: www.hse.gov.uk/radiation/nonionising/whiteboards.htm schools.becta.org.uk/index.php?section=re&catcode=ss_res_env_02&rid=12898 Please be aware that whilst every effort will be made by ICT Solutions and 3rd Party contractors to procure short throw solutions there will be some scenarios in which this is not possible. This could be down to ceiling heights, wall compositions etc, if this is the case we will work with you to install the most satisfactory solution possible. If you require advice or guidance with regards to short throw projector options please call ICT Solutions on 0845 303 3003 and ask for a member of the Contracts team. Author: Rob Price e¹ Workshops Unfortunately due to lack of availability of venues, there will be no e¹ workshops this term. All schools having their day 3 training this term will, however, have an opportunity to raise their questions in the afternoon session of day 3. Venues have already been secured for the October workshops. Invites will be issued the first week of the new school year. The project team are now working to secure venues for spring term 2010 workshops. Author: Carole Barwell Gold Data Cleansing Reminder Schools due to migrate to e¹ in the next academic year need to ensure their data cleansing is complete before they transfer the pupil data for leavers to the next school, if that school is on e¹. This is to ensure that the quality of data within the e¹ is maintained. Author: Carole Barwell

SCHOOL ICT NEWS BULLETIN No 146 - 05/06/2009

Published by Children’s Services

Radio in Schools

The Radio in Schools project is a simple podcasting portal that enables pupils and teachers to create podcasts in a safe, secure environment.

There’s no special equipment to buy. There is a modest yearly subscription ranging between £200 and £600 depending on the size of the school.

Users of all ages are able to share their podcasts internally or externally on their Radio in Schools personalised homepage. They can easily share and embed podcasts into their own school website to help engage parents and the local community.

Following its launch in Norwich last Friday at Larkman Primary School, Radio in Schools will be rolled out across the entire East of England including Suffolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire.

It is supported by the commercial radio industry too, including Heart locally.

You can sign up your school for a month’s free trial via Heart’s website www.heart.co.uk

Author: Jill Duman

Warning Message in Outlook using the Norfolk Exchange Platform

Schools using the Norfolk Exchange platform will have previously experienced a warning message the first time a send and receive occurred using Outlook each day. This message was caused by a security certificate that was not fully compatible with Outlook. This certificate has now been replaced with a certificate that does not exhibit this error.

Author: Jay Zelos

New features available in Outlook Web Access since service pack 1 was applied

If you use Outlook Web Access to view your emails then some new features are now available, including creating personal distribution lists.

The following link provides full information and instructions: http://www.eficts.norfolk.gov.uk/nsix/emailmigration/exchange_2007_sp1.aspx

Author: Terry Elden

Email Spam Update

As previously mentioned a new Spam filtering service called MessageLabs is being implemented on the Norfolk exchange platform to eliminate up to 99% of Spam entering your schools mailboxes.

After a successful rollout to ICT Solutions test account, four schools have been configured to use the new Spam filtering service. Once these schools are happy with the new service, a further 16 schools will be added. After a successful pilot all remaining schools will be added.

The official MessageLabs website can be found at: http://www.messagelabs.co.uk/products/email/anti_spam.aspx

Author: Amanda Carr

Change to mail relay on the Norfolk network

The existing mail relay (smtp.esinet.org.uk) on the Norfolk network used for sending email from email clients configured for RM Easymail, Hotmail, AOL etc. is due to be replaced with new hardware as it is reaching the end of its usable lifespan. More information will be provided in due course.

Author: Jay Zelos

Projectors: Important Information

Recent technological developments in projector and interactive whiteboard design have allowed inherently safer ‘ultra–short throw’ devices to be brought to market. These employ sophisticated optics to enable the projector to be mounted above the display screen and so close to it that it becomes impossible for a user to directly expose their eyes to the beam.

Following the release of documentation form Health & Safety Executive (HSE) & Becta in relation to Projector Health & Safety, Norfolk County Council ICT Solutions have raised this area of concern with Norfolk County Council’s Health & Safety Advisor.

Subsequently we have been advised that Norfolk should be adopting short throw projectors as standard.

The emergence of ultra short throw projectors presents a positive step forward in the development of technologies that support interactive learning and teaching and at the same time provide a safer classroom environment. The widespread use of interactive technologies to enrich the learning and teaching experience already makes a valuable contribution to the educational process. When used in accordance with the established HSE guidance these technologies can be an effective aid to learning and institutions should actively develop the application of existing interactive whiteboard technologies embedding their use within teaching and learning.

Below are links to the documentation that is referenced within this documentation:

www.hse.gov.uk/radiation/nonionising/whiteboards.htm

schools.becta.org.uk/index.php?section=re&catcode=ss_res_env_02&rid=12898

Please be aware that whilst every effort will be made by ICT Solutions and 3rd Party contractors to procure short throw solutions there will be some scenarios in which this is not possible. This could be down to ceiling heights, wall compositions etc, if this is the case we will work with you to install the most satisfactory solution possible.

If you require advice or guidance with regards to short throw projector options please call ICT Solutions on 0845 303 3003 and ask for a member of the Contracts team.

Author: Rob Price

e¹ Workshops

Unfortunately due to lack of availability of venues, there will be no e¹ workshops this term. All schools having their day 3 training this term will, however, have an opportunity to raise their questions in the afternoon session of day 3.

Venues have already been secured for the October workshops. Invites will be issued the first week of the new school year.

The project team are now working to secure venues for spring term 2010 workshops.

Author: Carole Barwell

Gold Data Cleansing Reminder

Schools due to migrate to e¹ in the next academic year need to ensure their data cleansing is complete before they transfer the pupil data for leavers to the next school, if that school is on e¹.

This is to ensure that the quality of data within the e¹ is maintained.