NEWS RELEASE
May 2009: The New South Wales Department of Education and Training begins trials in three schools of its new wireless netbook 1:1 program named Laptops4Learning. This will be the largest netbook rollout into a single school system the world. Funded by the Australian Federal government’s Digital Education Revolution initiative, more than 260,000 Netbooks (or “Compact Learning Devices”) will be placed in the hands of every Year 9, 10, 11 and 12 student and every high school teacher over the next three years.
The trials are currently being conducted with year 9 in three high schools – Cherrybrook, Arthur Philip and Denison College – Bathurst Campus, and in another world’s-first, these Lenovo netbooks are being tested with Windows 7 RC – the pre-release version of Microsoft’s newest operating system.
Furthermore, installed on these netbooks alongside Microsoft’s flagship Office 2007 and Adobe software such as Photoshop and Premier Elements and Dreamweaver Flash is Student Response Network! Every netbook rolled out to students will include the SRN Client and every netbook supplied to teachers will include both the SRN Client and the fully-registered SRN Server software. Here’s the first screenshot of the L4L student netbook running Student Response Network on Windows 7 RC:
Soon, every public high school student in New South Wales will be given a new way to contribute in the classroom.
Hi. Thought you might be interested to check out the forum I have just created for teachers to discuss the uses, shortcomings, lesson ideas, etc of the NSW DER Laptops. Please pass the details on to other teachers.
By: Duane Galle on July 9, 2009
at 10:10 am
Shall do Duane.
By: paralleldivergence on July 9, 2009
at 10:26 am
I have only just got my DERvice today. I immediately looked for SRN. I found the client but not the server. Do you know what they have done with it?
By: Col on August 17, 2009
at 9:50 am
The T1 Laptop image was produced months ago. At that stage the SRN Server module wasn’t included because laptops for teachers was an afterthought, hence only the client was supplied. When the T1 image is updated for the full Windows 7 instead of the pre-release, it should be included.
In the meantime, you’ll have to run SRN server on another projected PC or laptop.
By: paralleldivergence on August 17, 2009
at 10:16 am
Unfortunatly, on the new T1 image there is no sign of SRN.
We have it on the few new T4L machines recieved late last term.
Not allowed to say more.
By: Al on October 30, 2009
at 4:11 am
Yes, several applications have been removed as they are being “reviewed” prior to inclusion. Approved applications will be remotely installed onto the devices when they conclude the review. The timeframe is unknown at this stage. Contact your regional DER manager to lodge a formal request for when it will be available.
By: paralleldivergence on October 30, 2009
at 4:54 am
Stu,
On our Faculty Development day today we have been trying out the Student Response Network application on the local area network at Oatley. We have two questions:
1. Will the SRN be available on the DER netbooks? It has not been installed with the latest SOE image on the laptops.
2. How do we purchase the full version for installation on the campus LAN?
The computing teachers have been very impressed with the application and we are now writing some lesson material that will reference the SRN application.
By: Anthony Allison on December 15, 2009
at 3:32 am
Hi Anthony,
1. I expect it to be pushed out to the student laptops in early 2010.
2. You don’t have to purchase it, NSW DET is already licenced. You need to click on Order at the top, then click on the link for NSW DET Public Schools on the top of that page for instructions.
By: paralleldivergence on December 15, 2009
at 3:45 am
What is happening about the SRN server and client on the DER laptops. The new lot that have arrived haven’t got it nor the old ones?
By: Nicole Close on May 13, 2010
at 3:50 am
Hi Nicole. Please ask your Regional DER Manager to ask the question of the DER people in State Office. I am still waiting too.
By: paralleldivergence on May 13, 2010
at 6:23 am