Anseo.net recently bought ourselves a digital dictaphone and our roving reporter Rozz is walking around the IPPN Expo asking teachers, principals, guests and businesses their thoughts on technology in primary education. We should have a nice podcast ready over the coming days so you can find out what the word on the ground really is!
Archive for January, 2010
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Review: Imex Touch IWB
January 29th, 2010 
Simon 
Imex have had a busy year in Ireland. I met Peter Niblock, the MD of Imex, last year at a course I was giving. While Imex have an almost 75% market share of Interactive Whiteboards in Northern Ireland, their penetration down south was less so. Peter showed me the Imex board which I reviewed during the summer and I mentioned that I felt a touch board was an essential thing for any board these days, so hence their offering, although robust, didn’t tick my minimum boxes!
Since then Imex have won the NCTE producrement contract to sell projectors to schools and this year they are one of the main sponsors of the Irish Primary Princpals Network (IPPN) conference 2010. I went to their stand to visit them and congratulate them on their success this year and lo and behold I found a new Interactive Whiteboard AND it’s touch-based AND you can write on it with whiteboard markers! Hooray! (12/3/10 OOPS! I just got an email from IMEX to say that they were wrong about it being safe to use with whiteboard markers – this is something they are working on)
The IMEX Touch board does everything I require an IWB to do and it comes at a good price, with a good warranty and good service. Peter said that they designed it based on my comments on this blog but although I’m happy to be plamaused and flattered, this was probably coming anyway!
The one thing I really like about the ethos of IMEX is their assurance of the quality of their products. It’s almost impossible to break them and they last forever. The IWB also comes with IMEX’s own software which is getting better looking all the time. I’d say it’s a very close second to Promethean’s ActivInspire. In fact, if I were to have this software, I probably wouldn’t bother buying the ActivInspire software separately as it’s that good. There’s lots of lovely quirky Flash activities, great clipart and a number of other fun videos and bits and bobs.
My next IWB review is going to be a thoroughly different affair with so many boards finally adapting my 3 requirements. The market is converging this way and it’s the little things that are going to matter in 2010. Will there be a supporting visualiser? Will there be good pre-made content? What more can I get for my money? The Imex Touch comes for a very reasonable price for a short throw solution and it’s yet another board that would sit nicely in a classroom in my school.
CESI Conference timetable
January 29th, 2010 Simon 
Review: Epson BrightLink
January 28th, 2010 Simon 
The lines have been blurred! Here is a projector that doubles up as an Interactive Whiteboard. Epson are an international company who have a base in Ireland and will be selling this board. According to some press release, this combined projector and IWB will
“shake up the interactive whiteboard (IWB) market, two projector manufacturers have just released new products that can turn virtually any surface into an IWB.
The development means schools no longer have to buy separate hardware to enjoy the benefits of IWBs, whose interactive surface and ability to engage students have made them quite popular in classrooms.” (http://www.eschoolnews.com)
So will it be a “game-changer”? Will we no longer be buying Interactive Whiteboards as we know them? The simple answer is: It depends.
It depends on price. I haven’t got a definite Irish retail price but from converting the UK rate, it works out at around €1,800. This is a good start. The minimum price for an Interactive Whiteboard with short throw projector is at least €200 more expensive.
It also depends on its accuracy. I tested the IWB with its pen and found it to be incredibly accurate. This is also good.
It also depends on how good it is compared to other IWBs on the market. Well, I’d be worried if I were a manufacturer of pen-based IWBs. Boards based on eBeam or Mimio should be very afraid. This projector has easily as good functioning as these brands and comes in a few hundred euro cheaper. I’d probably be a little worried if I were Promethean or any of their clones. This projector wipes out the need for these boards in every way as not only do they utilise pen-input, if they are projected onto a matt-whiteboard, they double up as normal dry-wipe boards. Now, if you’re a manufacturer of any of the touch-based boards, I wouldn’t worry…yet.
Soon this technology, if it’s successful, may become ubiquitous in schools due to their cheapness and the fact that they’ll probably be allowed under the NCTE purchasing framework. (They are projectors first and foremost).
IF Epson get this right, they could easily take a massive chunk of the IWB market. With other smaller companies starting to produce these types of projectors in the UK, it’s not long before one of them will travel to Ireland and clean up. Having said that, I won’t be buying until they develop a touch-based version of their hybrid projector/IWB. But when that day comes, it will truly be ground-breaking.
I object to Framework companies advertising in schools
January 26th, 2010 Simon 
I received an email from a company offering me a complete package to fulfil the NCTE’s procurement framework. The company are called IT Systems and they are a HP partner. This means that because HP were one of the chosen few companies that we are allowed to buy from under this restrictive scheme, we can buy from this company.
The system, which costs €1,199, will give me a computer, projector, wireless keyboard and mouse. This is the minimum requirement for a classroom. Aside from the fact that this is expensive, I think it’s unfair that smaller, more local companies are being kicked to the kerb here. I could name half a dozen companies who could provide this “special” package for less than ITSystems but they aren’t allowed because they’re not big enough. (Apparently, there’s a clause that companies with less than 10 employees are not eligible in this scheme, which rules out most local businesses).
If I want to buy some piece of hardware, I have to send an email to these chosen companies through a special address. They then respond to me in turn. I think that’s enough advertising.
What will surely happen now is that schools will send an email with the product already in mind to this procurement list. For example, “I would like a complete classroom solution – PC, projector, keyboard and mouse – please. 50% will go on cost and 50% will go on being near Limerick.” Voila, they’ll get the system above.
If this system is to be done as fairly as possible, I don’t think it’s appropriate for these chosen companies to advertise further in schools. It gives unfair advantage to them in a supposed fair system and it pretty much salt in the wounds of the local businesses who will inevitably lose out. Oh…and for the record, ITSystems will only charge you a meagre €379 extra for a 3-year guarantee and installation! €379? It just gets more baffling everyday.
CESI 2010 – the venues
January 24th, 2010 Simon Below are the two venues for CESI’s annual national conference. Again, I would urge as many of you to go to this conference as much as possible. Every year I leave with new ideas and new enthusiasm.
Friday 5th February, Evening Venue, The Heritage Hotel
The beautiful Portlaoise Heritage Hotel will play host to the Friday evening CESI Meet. It is in walking distance of the train station (3 minute walk) and a 10 minute stroll to Saturday’s venue, Portlaoise College.
When booking, be sure to ask for the CESI Conference rate. Single Room: 1 night @ EUR85 Bed & Full Irish Breakfast per night. Double or Twin Room: 1 night @ EUR65 Bed & Full Irish Breakfast per person sharing per night
4. Saturday, 6th February, Portlaoise College
The Saturday day programme will be held at Portlaoise College. This 700 pupil college caters to senior cycle, secondary pupils and also PLC. Featuring five computer rooms with 25 to 35 workstations each, the conference will not be short on rooms for workshops!
Projector Procurement now on
January 21st, 2010 Simon The NCTE have released the procurement procedures on short throw projectors. This spells an end to companies who were offering alternatives to the chosen six projectors on the list. The companies selected are: DCB, Dell, Image Supply Systems, Imex Instruments, Meritec and Promethean.
The projectors are: 3M SCP716, EPSON EB-410We, NEC NP610S EDU, Sanyo WXE46, Hitachi ED-A100 and the Sanyo PRM-20. They range in price for a fully installed sytem from €1,100 to €1,580, which I guess isn’t a complete rip-off. However, it does worry me again that the companies involved will get unfair advantage over smaller businesses. I must say I was a little surprised not to see a projector with in-built IWB capabilities. I think it’s probably a good thing though.
If I were to have a big gripe about this, and I’m sure companies selling interactive whiteboards will to, is that if they have a load of projectors that are not on this list, they are useless to them as schools can no longer buy them. Presumably, these companies will simply have to change projectors and adjust their prices accordingly. This could mean an increase in the selling price of IWBs, which is a pity.
Just for balance, I have to agree with the NCTE that there is no longer the option of buying long-throw projectors anymore. Previously, I had seen little difference in their use but since prices have come down so much, I think it’s worth the extra couple of hundred euros to invest in this technology.
Keynote Speakers at CESI 2010
January 21st, 2010 Simon Every few days Anseo.net will update you with some information about CESI 2010 to make sure it stays in your mind! Of all the conferences in the technology/education sector, this is one that primary school teachers shouldn’t miss. Full information can always be found of CESI’s own page, http://www.cesi.ie. Below is some information about the keynote and capstone speakers. I have seen both speak before and they will blow you away with their enthusiasm and the simple things one can do in the classroom using technology.
The conference keynote address will be delivered by Joe Dale, leading practitioner in the area of ICT and modern foreign languages. Joe has inspired countless teachers worldwide to try their hand at using blogs and podcasts to expand their teaching methodologies. Joe’s blog, www.joedale.typepad.com, has been nominated for two Edublog Awards in the last there years. Ask anyone who attended Joe Dale’s presentation at CESI Conference 2008 – you will not want to miss this keynote!
Our Capstone Speaker, Conor Galvin, is familiar to many schools ICT enthusiasts here in Ireland and the rest of Europe. Conor is a Lecturer and Researcher at UCD’s School of Education and Lifelong Learning as well as recent chairperson of CESI. A member of the Minister’s Strategy Group on education ICT, Conor does not hesitate to ask the hard questions of both policy makers and teachers!
Review IQBoard
January 21st, 2010 Simon 
I haven’t reviewed an interactive whiteboard for some time now and after visiting the BETT show in London last week, I found some new boards to play with including this one, the IQBoard. Sourced by a company called Mediascene who are working in partnership with Sight and Sound, (who sell the excellent Teamboard), I had high hopes for this board. It promised my three criteria – one you can use a magic pen with it, two you can use your finger or any other pointy device on it and three you can use a dry wipe marker on it.
From playing around with it, it is an excellent board. It’s sturdy, accurate and has everything I could ever want with an IWB. I don’t find this minor issue a big problem but only one user can interact with the board at a time so I wasn’t bothered by this admission from the salesperson. The most important factor was the price. You can get the board for around €2,195, which includes a full installation including a projector. This is a good price in my opinion.
Essentially the IWB market is starting to go in the same direction with touch-based and dry-wipe solutions becoming the norm. The differences between them are minimal. You’ll have to check out prices, guarantees, servicing and all that other stuff now as that’s becoming as important. In the IQBoard’s case, standard guarantee is 3 years with a 5 year option available. The other thing that’s driving the IWB market right now is all-in-one classroom solutions. By this I mean companies are creating IWBs, slates, visualisers and other materials designed for interactivity. The IQBoard does have accompanying slates but I’m quite happy to use different brands with different IWBs.
Mediascene have been around for many years selling computers in the early 90s and are now embarking in the IWB world with many partners. I don’t think they’re going to disappear anywhere so you’re looking at an established company. They have big ambitions to get the IQBoard to be the 3rd biggest selling IWB on the market within two years. I’d imagine Prim-Ed will be trying to get that slice of the pie with the Genee Board and their new Hitahci Starboard. It’s going to be an interesting couple of years.
CESI Conference 2010
January 18th, 2010 Simon The Computers in Education Society of Ireland (CESI) National Conference will be held Friday and Saturday, 5 & 6 February 2010. The change in date, one week earlier than previously announced, presents the exciting opportunity of holding the conference at Portlaoise College and the nearby Portlaoise Heritage Hotel. This change in location marks the first time in many years that the conference will be held outside of Dublin.
Similar to the 2009 conference programme, the conference weekend will consist of two events – a Friday evening CESI Meet (Portlaoise Heritage Hotel) and a Saturday full day conference programme (Portlaoise Community College). For those new to CESI, a CESI Meet is a semi-formal evening of sharing information, ideas and projects with colleagues. You can view a report of our most recent CESI Meet (including a full list of presentations and a video clip) here.
The Saturday programme will consist of as many as 30 presentations/workshops aimed at highlighting good practice in ICT usage from primary, post-primary and third level teaching settings. Joe Dale, leading practicioner in the area of ICT and modern foreign languages, will be presenting on the Saturday. Joe’s blog, http://www.joedale.typepad.com, has been nominated for two Edublog Awards in the last there years.
The Heritage Hotel will be offering a special overnight rate to conference attendees. For further details on the special rate and conference news, be sure to read your upcoming CESI Conference News emails or visit http://www.cesi.ie in the weeks ahead.
CESI, www.cesi.ie, has promoted the use of ICT in education at all levels in the Irish Education System since 1973. It is a voluntary body that draws its members from primary, post primary and third level teachers. The CESI Conference is generously supported by Teachers Professional Networks (http://www.tpnetworks.ie) and the National Centre for Technology in Education (http://www.ncte.ie).
