I N F O R M A T I O N
  T E C H N O L O G Y

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The IT Support Team have been very busy over the summer holidays unpacking a hundred and forty new leased PCs (Intel Dual Core Technology) and installing them in the three senior classrooms and Prep School computer room.

The Science Department also has twenty four laptops on trolleys for use in all labs. In addition the DT cluster of PCs was updated as well as a cluster of thin client computers in FT. We are also trialling administration users with these thin client machines. Thin clients are diskless and uncomplicated computers that logon directly to a server requiring little or no local processing ability. These are ideal for the typical MS Office users.

The IT teachers are delighted with software purchased by Mrs Dodsworth, ICT Co-ordinator, called NetSupport. This enables the teacher to monitor student activities and intervene when required. They also have a button that blanks the screens to gains students attention as well as a switch to remove the Internet for the lesson – bliss for teachers!

The ICT teachers have attained outstanding examination results in ECDL, GCSE, AS and A2. Yr 9 produced some outstanding web sites using Macromedia Dreamweaver as well as animation in Serif Draw, image manipulation using MS Picture Manager and Photo Editor. They also used all their skills to research information about genetically modified foods and wrote an informative leaflet. They produced newsletters using a cross curricular activity with Geography. Yr 7 last year completed two of the seven modules required to pass the European Community Driving Licence. They achieved an 83% and 84% pass rate which, for an adult qualification that requires a pass of 75% or above, was outstanding.

Yr 8 used their skills to research effectively and annotate their research about Parliament, enhancing their word processing, spreadsheet, database and desk top publishing skills. They also extended their skills in using a painting and a computer aided design package.

The IT Support Team have now provided remote access for all students regardless of year group. Just logon to the following web site and follow the instructions. Students will be able to access their own user area and use school software for any homework or projects set by teachers (no excuses for being at home ill as they can logon and complete the work set)! www.royalrussell.co.uk/ict Additional areas of the school are now connected to the school network – the classrooms under the Great Hall, and wireless logons in the Science labs. By Christmas, the three boarding houses will also have wireless access to the school network in their recreation and study areas (not bedrooms).

After Christmas, it is planned that half of the classrooms in the Prep School will have interactive whiteboards and digital projectors. The following year the remaining rooms will have the same technology.

The IT Support Team had a very busy summer holiday providing all these additional resources and are grateful to the maintenance team who put up interactive boards and projectors and altered classrooms for use with computers. The IT teachers have used the resources to the best of their abilities to make lessons informative and interesting.

Mrs S Dodsworth