Senin, 31 Agustus 2015

Guide to Rugged Computers

We have a comprehensive guide about Rugged Computers on the Group Mobile website

This guide will teach you about rugged computers and the features that make them different from conventional computers, as well as some other considerations such as vehicle docking, warranties and the price vs. the cost of owning a rugged computer.

Click here to learn more on rugged computers

Group Mobile Makes The Inc. 5000 List

Group Mobile is proud to announce that we made the 2007 Inc. 5000 List. The Inc. 5000 is a list of the nation's fastest growing private companies. Group Mobile ranked # 595 overall as well as # 15 in the Computers and Electronics category and # 20 out of all companies located in Arizona.

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Proposed HNC/D Computing Frameworks

Information posted on the HN Review Blog on the latest versions of frameworks.

Interested in writing SQA Unit Specifications?

We are holding a Unit Writing Workshop on Thursday 8th October 2009 in the Glasgow Marriott Hotel at 1300 hours until 1630 hours for those who are interested in writing SQA Unit Specifications for future projects within the Computing Team. This workshop is ideal for those who have no or limited experience but also for those who have had past experience but would like to 'brush-up' on their existing knowledge and skills.

Places are limited so if you are interested, click on the URL below to register:

http://tinyurl.com/unitwriting

We plan to hold two workshops per year so if you are unable to make it along on the 8th October, we plan to hold another event Spring 2010 so please keep checking the blog for future updates.

Out of the Office

I stop tonight for a 2 week break where I head off into the Hollywood Hills to soak up some sun.

In my absence, Angela will deal with any urgent enquiries and I shall pick up all other enquiries on my return to the office.

Have a nice day !

Internetworking/Multimedia event

Today is the latest date when you can register for the above event online. Places will be organised on a first-come basis so please register ASAP if you're interested in attending. More information on the Internetworking e-group.

People wanted!

I posted a message on the SQA mailing list this morning appealing for people to assist with a number of new projects that the team are about to commence.

We're looking for unit writers/vetters, assessment writers/vetters, teaching material writers and other roles. I asked anyone who may be interested in helping to contact Angela. The work is interesting -- and paid.

Minggu, 30 Agustus 2015

Group Mobile Social Media

Now you can keep up with Group Mobile on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Use the links below to get updates on the latest in rugged mobile computers, accessories, vehicle mounting solutions and more!

Follow us on Twitter

Become a Fan on Facebook

Connect with LinkedIn

For more information regarding rugged mobile computing visit www.groupmobile.com or call us at 1-866-RUGGED-8.

Some SQA history for you

SQA is celebrating the 80th anniversary of HN qualifications this year. Ted Hastings recently sent me an interesting history of HNC/D Computing which he wrote in the 1990s. It brought back many (happy) memories to me since I taught these awards at both Clydebank and Cardonald colleges.

Sabtu, 29 Agustus 2015

iKey Rugged Keyboards

iKey Rugged Compact Keyboard
The DP-88 is a small footprint keyboard that meets harsh use standards. It has 88 full size keys with embedded notebook key functions. The DP-88 is a perfect fit for industrial, kiosk, or mobile computing needs. Constructed in a small-footprint compact case, the DP-88 allows for space-saving and mobility, and a secondary legend can be accessed with a number lock key.




iKey Rugged Keyboard with Oversized Keys

iKey’s innovative DP-72 mobile keyboard was designed to accommodate rugged applications in manufacturing, material handling and remote data entry. Its oversized keys are color arranged and feature a roomy layout for convenient gloved-hand use. It features a small-footprint design, mounting holes in its case, and a large numeric pad. Like other keyboards in the IKEY line, the NEMA 4X DP-72 is constructed using a robust polycarbonate case and industrial silicone keypad, sealing it from dust, liquids, and corrosives.


iKey Bluetooth Keyboard
iKey introduces the first Bluetooth compatible, wireless industrail keyboard with an integrated touchpad. This fully=sealed keyboard meets NEMA 4X specifications meaning it is resistant to dirt, dust, water, ice and corrosives. Built with an industrial silicone rubber keypad and a rugged ABS polycarbonate case, it is submersible and easy to clean with disinfectants. The compact design and internal Bluetooth module make it highly portable. It is an ideal fit for mobile material handling, food and beverage processing, mediccal, and other environments where rugged flixbility is a ncecessity. It requires 2 AA batteries for power and does not require a USB dongle.

For more information regarding rugged mobile computing visit www.groupmobile.com or call us at 1-866-RUGGED-8.

Software Development in Scotland

The Chairmain of Google, Eric Schmidt, delivered the MacTaggart Lecture in Edinburgh on Friday. He criticised British education in general but specifically the teaching of Computing: "Your IT curriculum focuses on teaching how to use software, but gives no insight into how it's made."

Scotland has avoided that. Software development has always been a key part of the Scottish curriculum. At a time when computer science and programming was being reduced in the UK, the Higher Still programme protected "pure" computing, while reacting to pressure (which existed at the time) to introduce a "softer" course by creating a new suite of courses in Information Systems. The Curriculum for Excellence continues that tradition through the proposed Computing & Information Science courses, which also feature software development as a key part of the curriculum.

Software development has been a key part of vocational qualifications in Scotland. We recently developed a suite of NPAs in Computer Games Development, perhaps the first national qualification of their kind in the world. And there is a dedicated HND qualification (HND Software Development [PDF]) that focuses on programming. The current HN Review consolidates the place of programming by making it a mandatory part of the new HNC award, and every one of the new HNDs.

All of that might explain why Scotland punches above its weight when it comes to software production, with 25% of the UK's jobs in the video games sector being located here. The country has established an international reputation in computer games production and SQA has supported this through an extensive range of qualifications in this area.

Contact Hilary for more information about NC/NPA Computer Games Development or contact Caroline for more information about HND Software Development or HNC/D Computer Games Development. Contact Derek if you want to know more about the role of programming in the Curriculum for Excellence.

Sector Panel meeting

The Sector Panel for Computing & IT met today. The Panel meets once per year to provide advice and support to me and my team about strategic developments in the sector. There was an excellent attendance today, with 18 people attending, representing schools, colleges, universities, training providers, employers, IT vendors, and professional bodies.



We have recently expanded the membership of the Panel to try to get more diverse views, and today's meeting certainly achieved that goal. There was lively debate around a number of issues such as employment trends, CPD needs of Computing teachers, e-learning, digital literacy, and Modern Apprenticeships, among many other topics.

We had a particularly interesting discussion about CPD for teachers in colleges. The new HN awards are state-of-the-art in terms of their contents and several college representatives reported problems ensuring that teachers were able to deliver the new units. One of the actions I will take forward is to report this concern to those agencies with special responsibility for CPD in the college sector.

We also had a good conversation about Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) compared with "open solutions" to e-learning that utilise social meda.

It was good to hear the employer representatives so up-beat about the demand for Computing staff now and in the future. A number of recent reports have commented on the shortage of skilled IT staff. It was also heartening to hear college representatives report huge demand for places on their Computing courses.

Chris Morrow of E-Skills UK is a member of the Panel and told the meeting that he is leaving E-Skills in September. Chris has been a good friend of SQA over the years and will be missed.

The Sector Panel is not a talk shop. After every meeting we create an "action list" that we work through to ensure that the Panel makes a real contribution to the sector.

I plan to change the name of the Panel from "Computing and Information Technology" to just "Computing" to reflect the change in terminology that I have previously described.

We're always looking for new members of the Panel so please contact Caroline if you would like to know more about its work and consider joining it. Although the Panel only physically meets once per year, we use social media to keep in touch throughout the year so it's a great way of finding out what's going on in the sector and contributing to the work of SQA.

Qualification Support Team for NC/NPA awards meets

The QST for the NC/NPA awards met yesterday afternoon for the first time. There was a great turn-out with almost 20 people attending, representing schools, colleges and the workplace. The QST is responsible for National Certificate, PC Passport and other NPA awards.

Since it was the committee's inaugural meeting, we spent most of the time explaining the changes that have taken place to these awards but future meetings will be more interactive.

The purpose of the QST is to represent centres and let me know what changes you'd like to see or what support materials you need. It also considers feedback from centres, so if you ever write to me with suggestions, it's the QST that will consider them.

Although we're not looking for more members right now, contact Angela if you're interested in serving on the committee at some future date.

Welcome to Tony

Tony Hamilton has joined the SQA team as administrator. We've also re-shuffled some of the responsibilities within the team. You can download the current organisation chart here.

Jumat, 28 Agustus 2015

NC Computer Games

As you know, we've been busy developing a new National Certificate at SCQF Level 6 in Computer Games Development to build on the existing Level 5 award.

We are hoping to validate this award next month but we need to get more feedback from stakeholders prior to the validation event. So, I would appreciate if you would complete an online survey: there is one for college lecturers and school teachers and another for employers.

Please contact Hilary if you want to know more about this project.

NC Digital Media Computing Level 6

Bobby and I met yesterday to discuss the progress of the NC DMC level 6 Award. The award went live this month with the arrangements document and Units available to download on the SQA Website. We are currently producing Assessment Support Packs for the following Units:

Computing: Digital Media Elements for Applications
Computing: Office and Personal Productivity Applications
Computing: Computer Hardware and Systems
Computing: Authoring a Website
Computing: Plan and Build a Computer Network
Digital Acquisition and Editing: Audio
Digital Acquisition and Editing: Video

These packs will be available and on the Secure Site in October.

Welcome to National Qualifications colleagues

SQA is actively looking at ways of using technology (and particularly Web 2.0 tools and services) to work more closely with schools, colleges and other centres. We're currently looking at tools like blogs and wikis to help us do that in a more inclusive and collaborative way than we've done in the past. The result should be that you notice a change in the way that SQA communicates and works with you in the coming months and years.

One immediate change is that the NQ Computing team (the team responsible for Computing qualifications in the school sector) is going to join this blog and post information about that sector. So, welcome to Derek and Dave!

In fact, it makes good sense since Computing qualifications are not neatly split between colleges, schools and workplaces, with qualifications such as PC Passport spanning all three.

Anyway, it nice to see the whole SQA Computing team collaborate in this way.

Kamis, 27 Agustus 2015

New Getac E110 Fully Rugged Tablet

The Getac E110 fully rugged tablet is designed with field and customer service applications in mind. It is powered by an Intel® Atom 1.86GHz processor and 4GB RAM. It has an 64GB solid state drive contained in a fully-rugged Magnesium Alloy case. It meets MIL-STD-810G and IP65 standards for durability and protection against dirt, dust, water, motion, vibration, temperature and other factors that would quickly damage or disable a commercial-grade tablet computer. The Getac E110 also has a 5-year bumper-to-bumper warranty!

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Qualification Review Teams

SQA has received money from the Scottish Funding Council to improve articulation from colleges to universities. We plan to form subject-based Qualification Review Teams (QRTs) to take this forward in each area. So, I will be leading the QRT for Computing. This QRT will look at ways of improving articulation from the new HND awards to degree courses.

We will look at various ways of doing this including, but not limited to, changing the structure of the awards, offering alternative assessment approaches, and providing guidance about teaching and learning. The structural changes would be limited to something like the addition of one, or more, units designed to improve progression (such as a a unit on study skills).

It's an important and exciting project. And we're looking for college representatives to join the QDT. Ideally, you would be a promoted member of staff, with current or previous experience of teaching HNC/D Computing, and an interest in, and knowledge of, articulation between college and university. If you fit some or all of those criteria and you are interested in joining the QDT, please contact Caroline. Your college will be paid for release, and your travel expenses will be paid (including overnight when necessary).

The first meeting takes place on Tuesday, 25 September.

Decline in IT students threatens UK success

National Certificate in Computing Developments

The unit specification writing for this initiative is now underway. A training day was held for writers on Saturday the 27th of August. Everyone was keen and looking forward to producing a robust and flexible award. The target is to have the awards available at SCQF levels 4 and 5 in June 2007 with the SCQF level 6 and NPAs (National Progression Awards) available for June 2008.

If you require any additional information you can contact Angela Lees (angela.lees@sqa.org.uk) 0845 213 5475.

Mike Jannetta
(mike.jannetta@sqa.org.uk)

HN/SVQ Computing & IT Showcase Event

It was pleasing to see so many individuals from centres who attended the recent HN/SVQ Computing & IT Showcase event held at the Radisson Hotel. The event was a chance to network and review the developments or consider the new products that are available. I hope that you or, your centre, went home with up-to-date information which will help you (or your centre). Thanks must go out for the feedback that we have recieved here at the SQA and we will be sending out a CPD certificate to each of those individuals who requested.

The next event is in the initial planning stage and will be based around PDAs (Professional Development Awards) in the coming months (probably December or January). At this event, we will be updating centres on the PDAs available in our area and looking at where we can develop specific PDA awards to fill any gaps. Syd Woods (North Glasgow College) (syd.woods@north-gla.ac.uk) has been carrying out research in this area and he will gladly listen to your suggestions or provide you with information from his current research.

If you require any additional information on the PDAs that are available then please contact Caroline Douglas (caroline.douglas@sqa.org.uk) (0845 213 5473).

Mike Jannetta
(mike.jannetta@sqa.org.uk)

College consortium to develop NC materials

I've just heard that a number of colleges have got together to form a consortium to develop teaching and learning material to support a number of units within the new NC programmes.

Please note that this is not an SQA project. The initiative is being led by Mike Jannetta of Glasgow Met. So contact Mike if you want more information.

Defining the subject

I've mentioned before that SQA was in the process of re-organising Verification Groups (VGs) as a result of a report from the Royal Society about the past and future of the subject area. That report made a strong recommendation that Computing should be viewed as three distinct, but linked, subject areas: Digital Literacy, Information Technology and Computer Science. It also recommended that awarding bodies across the UK adopt this taxonomy.

SQA was happy to follow that advice. The first tangible change is this re-organisation of VGs, which I have been working on over the summer and is almost now complete. The new groups have been created and we are in the process of assigning EVs to each group. I used the following definitions to help me create the groups and assign qualifications (download here).

This is about more than just a change of name. The Report made it clear that seeing the subject area in this way (as having three branches) is fundamental and will have important implications for every aspect of the subject. From SQA's perspective, it's a useful way of considering curriculum development and categorising the portfolio of awards. I'm sure colleges and schools and other providers of computer education and training will find it equally helpful.

HNC/D Computing and Networking review

The first meeting of the Qualification Development Team for the review of HNC/D Computing and HNC/D Networking was held this morning.

There was an excellent turnout, with representatives of 11 colleges attending, including Adam Smith College, Central College, Dundee College and James Watt College.


The uniquely collaborative way that we develop qualifications, in partnership with stakeholders, is one of SQA's greatest strengths. These new awards will be shaped by the people who will ultimately deliver them.

The main aim of today's meeting was to set the scene, so I explained the background to the development and outlined some of the tasks that lie ahead of us. The immediate tasks for the team are to choose a lead developer and for this person to carry out consultation with interested parties. So I asked for volunteers and nominations for lead developer, who I am hoping to select in the next week or two.

There is a separate blog for this development, which will record all of the activities and keep you fully up-to-date with what's going on. I don't plan to post much about the review on this blog so please bookmark and visit the project blog.

Rabu, 26 Agustus 2015

New Trimble Yuma 2 Models with Enhanced GPS!

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New 1-2 Meter Enhanced GPS!

The Yuma 2 is now available with a 1-2 meter real time Enhanced GPS positional accuracy using SBAS satellites. Enhanced GPS uses SBAS and a GPS Accuracy Algorithm to provide dramatic improvements. Under the correct conditions, Enhanced GPS allows data collection with 1-2 meter accuracy in real-time, while gathering raw data output for post-processing applications. The Enhanced GPS is integrated into the tablet form factor, adding no weight or need to attach an external GPS receiver to collect GPS data.

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Update on NPAs

We had hoped to have the conditions lifted on the NPAs validated in June. These were:

NPA Software Development (SCQF 4)
NPA Social Software (SCQF 4)
NPA Website Development (SCQF 5)
NPA Computer Hardware & Software now Computer Systems and Networks (SCQF 5)
NPA Digital Photography (SCQF 5)
NPA Digital Media Production (SCQF Level 6)

There have been some unforeseen delays but as all the documentation is now in place they should be on the system by mid-September.

Arrangements for Digital Media Animation G9FC (SCQF 5), Digital Media Basics G9FD (SCQF 4) and Digital Media Editing G9FF (SCQF 5) will be published shortly.

Team diagram

Since I was updating the portflio diagram, I thought that it would be a good idea to also update the team digram.

 
This is another cut-out-and-keep document since it provides important information about who you should contact along with their contact information. You can download it here. You will get a much faster reply if you use this diagram to contact the right person.

Updated portfolio

I updated the portfolio diagram today. This diagram summarises the portfolio of vocational Computing awards, ranging from stand-alone National Units at SCQF Level 3 to Professional Development Awards at SCQF Level 8.


The diagram also illustrates the recently created/revised awards (such as the new HND Computer Science) and the awards currently being reviewed (such as PC Passport).

You may want to download and print this diagram to aid your future planning. The "Useful links" box on the right provides links to web pages where you can find out more about any of these awards.

Edinburgh Interactive 2010

Once or twice per year, I get the opportunity to attend really interesting conferences, one of which is the annual computer games conference in Edinburgh, which I attended today. This year's Edinburgh Interactive 2010 was very good and covered such things as games design, distribution, and business models. You also got the chance to see about-to-be-released games.

The presentations were particularly good this year, especially the ones on digital distribution and business models. 62% of computer games are now downloaded (rather than purchased in a shop) and the presenter claimed that in future games would be installation-free -- played entirely online without the need to download anything. He pointed out that at present we have a mixed economy (physical products and digital downloads) but that the future would be entirely digital.

The talk about business models was fascinating. The speaker argued that we need to focus on high value customers and stop treating everyone the same. He spoke about the "LTV" ("life time value") of customers and advocated that games should be free to play but then make money through online/virtual purchases. He pointed out that some players of World of Warcraft spent thousands of dollars in the game. Computer games only need to convert a small proportion of the free gamers to high value lifetime customers to make a lot of money.

Both these presentations (digital distribution and online business models) are relevant to more than the games industry. I can see how it could be applied to SQA products and services.

E-Assessment Scotland Conference 2011

I attended the E-Assessment Scotland Conference 2011 today at the University of Dundee. It was my first time at this event. I really enjoyed it. Although most attendees came from the university sector, the college sector was well represented, with 13 Scottish colleges in attendance. I didn't see any school representatives on the list of attendees.


It followed the usual conference template of keynote speakers and seminars and workshops. The keynotes were uniformly good. The first keynote - from Steve Wheeler of Plymouth University - focussed on the potential of ICT to provide feedback to students. His key message was that UK education focusses on surface learning -- learning that is easy to measure rather than learning that people need to survive and prosper in the 21st Century. He criticised the lack of feedback given to learners: "I got more positive feedback from E-Bay than in 14 years of education."

A recurring theme during the conference was people's preference for Web 2.0 tools and services rather than VLEs and e-assessment systems. Several presenters pointed out that teachers and students preferred to use the same tools for learning that they use as part of the "normal" lives, and found VLEs to be alien.

The afternoon keynote, delivered by Donald Clark, was particularly challenging. Donald argued that assessment is not keeping up with external changes. He criticised the "obsession with factual knowledge" rather than "real learning", and emphasised to importance of learning by doing. He, too, was unimpressed with VLEs and e-portfolio systems. Donald argued for "less assessment, more use of formative assessment, more peer assessment, and greater use of simulations and games-based assessment". He was particularly critical of the lecture system in Higher Education, which, he argued, was only good for knowledge transfer, and ineffective for deep learning.

I was invited to participate in the panel session at the end of the conference, which I enjoyed. One of the questions asked was about trends in e-assessment. I expressed my view that we are in the middle of a technological revolution in society but only at the start of the corresponding educational revolution. Education is conservative and moves slowly, but radical change is coming.

Selasa, 25 Agustus 2015

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Popularity of awards

Around this time of the year, I get the annual statistics for my subject area. I received the data for 2013/14 today. It always makes interesting reading. It's fascinating to see what's actually popular in centres.

It takes me a little while to do a detailed analysis of my area but a quick glance reveals that the single most popular award is (new) HNC Computing. But the entire HN family of awards is growing in popularity, particularly HND in Software Development. That's a big change from 10 years ago, when numbers were declining.

A stand-out statistic is the uptake of the NPA in Computer Games Development, which is hugely popular in Scottish schools and colleges. That's particularly pleasing since, when we devised it, it was a bit of a gamble since, some thought, that the interest in computer games was a fad. The feedback from the centres is that learners really enjoy the course and learns vital skills (including coding).You can find out more about NPA in Computer Games Development by contacting Hilary.

The entire subject area is growing in popularity mainly, I suspect, because of the great job opportunities and the increased focus on coding as a life skill. Don't forget to download the entire qualification porfolio.

DIVA website is now up-and-running

The SQA website now has some pages dedicated to DIVA - the Digital media and ICT Vendor Alliance. DIVA is intended to improve the vocational relevance of SQA awards - and provide learning material to centres.

E-learning materials for HNC/D Computing

Over the years, mainly thanks to ESF funding, we have managed to produce various e-learning materials for units within HNC/D Computing. The list has grown slowly and is pretty impressive. In fact, you could use it to offer an entire qualification online. Caroline reminded me a few days ago of the URL where the material is located and I thought I'd pass it on. It's here. I'd be interested to know, from those of you who have used it, what it is like.

HN update letter

The annual HN update letter was sent to Distribution yesterday to be sent to centres. It should arrive later this week. The readers of this blog can download it now.
Discover Simple, Private Sharing at Drop.io
Save File: HN update letter - August 2010.doc

It contains important information about vocational Computing qualifications at SCQF Levels 7 and higher so please check it carefully.

Senin, 24 Agustus 2015

Key Features of a Rugged Computer

Rugged computers differ from commercial computers in a few significant ways. Some of the differences between rugged and commercial computer are as follows:

Casing
Rugged portable computers are made out of magnesium which provides protection against drops and other bangs and knocks.

Shock-mount
A rugged computer’s disk drive is shock-mounted. The shock-absorbing materials allow the disk drive to withstand drops and vibrations that are prevalent in a moving vehicle.

Waterproof
Fully rugged computers are sealed against the outdoor elements such as rain, dust, dirt and other environmental elements. This also protects against liquid spills, such as coffee or soft drinks, which can often occur in a mobile environment.

Brightness of the display screen

Most semi-rugged and all fully-rugged portable computers offer brighter displays for excellent outdoor viewability.

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Computer games

Angela and I visited Stow College this morning to discuss computer games. Stow recently developed an HNC Computer Games Development which they are offering this year for the first time. I was there to discuss how SQA could support the new award. We agreed to develop a number of assessment exemplars.

We also discussed the possibility of devising one or two National Units in this area - specifically units (probably called Computer Games) at Intermediate 1 (SCQF 4) and Intermediate 2 (SCQF 5). These new units would be part of the on-going modernisation of National Certificate provision.

You can get more information about the HNC award from Angela Lees.

Work experience initiative

The Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council is providing funding a for a new student placement programme, focussing on three areas -- one of which is IT. The e-skills placement programme, led by Edinburgh Napier University, will place 750 students in IT companies. The placements will last up to one year.

I plan to meet with Michael Kowbel, of E-Skills UK, to discuss how SQA can link to this initiative.

In the meantime, contact Michael if you want to know more about it.

Assessment lecture

I attended an early morning lecture on assessment in Edinburgh today. Professor Dylan Wiliam of the University of London gave a Masterclass on the role of assessment in the education system. It was a fascinating talk from one of the worlds leading experts on assessment theory.

During my recent secondment, I produced a paper on Assessment 2.0 [PDF], which described how we can use Web 2.0 technologies to generate evidence for assessment. It would be interesting to know how practitioners are responding to Web 2.0 and if/how you are using these tools in the assessment process.

NC Digital Media Computing Level 6

Please note that from August 2009 there is a new Group Award code for NC Digital Media Computing at Level 6 (G9GK 46). This is because the core skills Numeracy Unit (optional within mandatory section) has been added to the framework at Intermediate 2 (F3GF 11). The Arrangements document is being amended accordingly and will be back on the website shortly. In the meantime please contact me for any further clarification required.

This information will be included in Bobby's update letter to centres.

E-Assessment Scotland Conference

I "attended" a webinar yesterday morning, as part of E-Assessment Scotland's online programme. It was an early start (8am) since it was also part of the Transforming Assessment project, which is run by a group of Australian universities (for whom it was 5pm). The webinar was entitled "Assessment and the Manifesto for Teaching Online". It was very interesting and challenged many educational orthodoxies, such as emphasising the dangers of plagiarism, which the Manifesto claims will alienate learners.

I gave a presentation in the afternoon. It was entitled "The Need for a Taxonomy to Facilitate E-Assessment" and, I hope, it was more interesting than it sounds. I was pleased at the "attendance" -- 28 people joined the webinar. It seemed to be well received.

Recordings of all of the presentations will be made available after the conference. The conference itself (the face to face event) takes place next Friday and you can still register.

Minggu, 23 Agustus 2015

Just 8 days left to enter for a chance to win a $100 American Express Gift Card

Remember to visit the Group Mobile Facebook Fan Page by August 31st. Post relevant content about any Panasonic Toughbook model and you'll be entered to win a $100 Gift Card.

The winner will be chosen randomly on September 1, 2010 from all posts submitted between 12:01am PDT July 27th through 11:59pm PDT August 31st. The winner will be notified by email and announced on our Fan Page.

For more information regarding rugged mobile computing visit www.groupmobile.com or call us at 1-866-RUGGED-8.

Computing uptake meeting

I attended a meeting at Jordanhill College yesterday afternoon about encouraging school pupils to choose Computing as a subject. This meeting was a follow-up to a two day workshop in May (that I did not attend).

The meeting was chaired by Andrew McGettrick (Strathclyde University) and there were representatives of various universities (including Glasgow and Edinburgh) and national organisations (including Learning & Teaching Scotland).

We had a fascinating discussion about various aspects of the issue and agreed a number of action points, including a response to the current consultation on A Curriculum for Excellence, to ensure the subject (and the whole "digital world") is properly recognised.

I was keen to attend this meeting since uptake in Computing/IT at school has a knock-on effect at college, and I am aware of concerns about falling uptake of HNC/D Computing.

Qualifications Development Forum

The team work within the Qualifications Development directorate within SQA, and every year the whole directorate attend a forum event. There was an event yesterday afternoon, held in Glasgow.

These events are a collection of workshops, from which each person chooses to attend three. I attended one about the Curriculum for Excellence (CfE), another about research in assessment, and one on the design of qualifications.

It was particularly interesting to catch up with what's happening with CfE. This is an important national initiative that will effect all of education, not just schools. I noted that draft course rationals, structures and unit specifications will be published later this month, and final arrangements this time next year (apart from Advanced Higher).

My favourite workshop was the one about research in assessment. We spent most of the time discussing the need to modernise education in general, and assessment in particular, but recognised the barriers to change. One particularly interesting piece of research related to giving adults credit (within HNC/Ds) for their previous work experience -- but most respondents (learners and employers) emphasised the academic value of HN qualifications and didn't want to "miss out" on any part of these programmes.

The workshop of "product architecture" (that's qualification design to you and me) was also interesting because SQA is looking at ways of changing the way we design and define awards.

It's great to get away from e-mail and telephone for an afternoon and catch up with the bigger issues facing SQA.

Sabtu, 22 Agustus 2015

Versatile and Rugged Voice-Ready PDAs

Group Mobile carries the leading brands of rugged handheld computers such as Getac, DAP Technologies, Timble, and Unitech. A few of our voice-ready handhelds are featured below...

Getac PS236 — Built for extreme conditions to deliver all you need

The Getac PS236 is an ultra-rugged handheld PC built to meet military standards (MIL-STD-810G) with high-speed wireless networking capabilities. A built-in GPS receiver, E-compass, altimeter, and 3 megapixel camera have been carefully integrated to create an all-in-one rugged handheld computing solution. The Getac PS236 offers compatibility and flexible connectivity for a wide variety of industrial and outdoor applications. A SIM slot, located inside the battery compartment, enables the unit to function as a phone and also enables HSDPA wireless WAN communication. The PS236 has a 3.5-inch sunlight readable display with touchscreen. It's 4GB memory storage, plus an external SDHC card slot supporting up to 16GB, ensures efficient data processing and ample storage. The PS236 also has an incredibly long battery life of up to 12 hours to maximize uptime.

Unitech PA550 — Combines rugged construction with smart phone functionality

The new Unitech PA550 pairs industrial construction with smart phone functionality, making it well suited for sales automation and field service applications. It features a rugged enclosure that is able to resist water and dust and withstand 4-foot drops to concrete. Despite its compact size, the PA550 is an extremely powerful mobile device. It is powered by a high-speed Marvell processor and Windows® Mobile 6.5 operating system. The PA550 has a QWERTY keypad and a sunlight readable display for easy viewing in outdoor environments. It also boasts an exceptional battery life for extended device runtime, an auto-focus 5.0 megapixel camera with flash allowing users to take photos and video for proof of service applications, and a 1D laser scanner. High-speed 3.5G WAN, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth®, and GPS capabilities allow the PA550 to meet the demands of mobile business applications.


DAP M2000 — Bundles memory and features into a condensed size

DAP's M2000 Series is among the smallest and lightest-weight rugged PDAs offered. It runs Windows CE and comes standard with 128MB SDRAM and 1GB flash ROM. It features a 3.5-inch color LCD display with touchscreen and a choice between an alpha-numeric (M2010 model) and a full-alphabetical (M2020 model) backlit keyboard. The M2000 has plenty of memory for storing data locally and a user-accessible, memory-expandable SD slot. It communicates wirelessly via Summit Radio WLAN 802.11b/g and Bluetooth, or optional GPRS. It also features a hot-swappable battery to maximize uptime and an optional 1D laser or 1D/2D imager for barcode scanning. Other integrated options include GPS for navigation and mapping, and high frequency or ultrahigh frequency RFID functionality for goods tracking when barcodes are not available. With so many rugged features, the M2000 is perfect for use in field service, utility, transportation, logistics, parking enforcement, and warehouse environments.

For more information regarding rugged mobile computing visit www.groupmobile.com or call us at 1-866-RUGGED-8 (866-784-4338).

Xplore’s iX104C4 Tablet PC













Xplore
’s newest addition to their product line is the versatile and durable iX104C4 Tablet PC. The iX104C4 powered by an Intel dual core processor and contains a 120GB IDE hard disk drive. It comes standard with 1GB of DDR2 RAM, with the option to upgrade to 2GB. It supports both Vista Business and XP Tablet PC Edition operating systems.

The triple-layer magnesium housings, patented bumper system, and customized gaskets allow for the durable iX104C4 to survive in the most challenging environments. The iX104C4 is warranted to US Military Standards (MIL-STD 810F), withstanding exposure to drops on concrete, vibration, extreme temperatures, as well as dust and moisture.

The iX104C4 tablet PC features a 10.4” XGA TFT display with an active digital sensor. There is the option to upgrade to a resistive tough digitizer (dual mode) display, or an optional dual mode AllVue Xtreme LCD display for enhanced indoor/outdoor viewability.

With a starting price of $3,895, the iX104C4 Tablet PC is a great deal for a tablet PC that packs power and function into the most rugged mobile computer in the industry.

Click here for more information on Xplore’s iX104C4 Tablet PC.

HN Graded Unit Exams

Today I met with Bobby to give an update on the current status of Exam Graded Unit production for 2008. These are well underway and within our original project timescale. We are producing 9 exemplars in total - Computing (x 3), Information Technology (x 3) and Interactive Multimedia Creation (x 3). These will be in addition to the existing bank of exemplar exam materials currently available.

These will be available for download from the SQA secure website from December 2007.

Follow us on Twitter

I mentioned in a post last week that I would write something about our use of Twitter. The team has been using Twitter for a year, and around 250 people now follow us. That's not bad, but we would like it to be much higher.

Twitter is a "micro-blog", which means that it's used for small messages. We use it for updates and other bits of information that we think you want to know. Not everything in this blog is "tweeted" and not everything we tweet is blogged. For example, the blog permits us to write longer posts and explain things more fully than Twitter. Twitter permits us to share "tit-bits" of information -- such as one of the team being unavailable or a link to an educational website. The blog is a diary of what the team is doing; our tweets are little messages. It's best to follow both - the blog and our tweets.

Twitter has evolved into a powerful educational tool. Most organisations now have a Twitter feed. You can follow national organisations and nearly every educationalist of note has a Twitter account. For example, we follow large organisations such as E-Skills UK, individual centres such as the Computing Department in Lasswade High School, and individuals such as Alex Salmond. Many teachers use Twitter for teaching.

So, I hope you chose to follow the SQA Computing team. It's a simple, convenient way to find out what's happening within the team and what we're working on. Simply click the "Follow" button on the right.

Jumat, 21 Agustus 2015

The World's Best Outdoor Viewable Display

General Dynamics Itronix has found a new way to increase screen brightness on rugged mobile computers, without sacrificing battery life or processing performance. The new DynaVue display balances display brightness and contrast ratio and virtually eliminates the internal reflections that wash out display clarity.

Click to Learn More

PC Passport Assessment Support Packs (ASPs)

I have been receiving enquiries relating to the PC Passport ASPs, in particular, when will they appear on the SQA secure site?

We are working closely with our in-house publications team to turn these materials around as quickly as possible. Priority has been given to Beginner & Intermediate levels (School & College versions) with Workbased versions for all levels to follow soon after.

My colleagues within publications have informed me that some of the packs should start to appear on the secure website within the next 7-10 days.

Access to this material is through your SQA Centre Co-ordinator.

Satisfaction survey is open

The centre satisfaction survey for 2013 (session 2012/13) is now open.

We've been doing an annual survey for a couple of years now and we use the results to try to improve the service that we provoide to centres. Although we don't share the results publically, we do carefully consider them and try to identify our strengths and weaknesses, so that we can try to keep doing the good things and improve the not-so-good things.

The survey only takes five minutes and your time would be appreciated. You will find the survey at this URL:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SQAComputing13

Thanks in anticipation.

Welcome back

I've been trying to find the time since Monday to post a "welcome back" message. I still miss the long summer holidays (as a Head of Department I was probably going to lose them anyway) and I know the "return to work" feeling that many of you will be currently experiencing. Anyway, welcome back!

The summer holiday has been quite productive for the Computing team. We've progressed the HND Interactive Media development and commenced the HND Computer Games Development.

I'll be writing to centres in the near future with my usual annual update letter, although it won't contain anything that readers of this blog won't know about already. It's a pity that I have to maintain the two forms of communication (web and traditional) since this places an extra burden on my team. I'm sure that the day is coming when update letters are a thing of the past.

It would be nice if this blog was more interactive in the coming year. I'm pretty sure that it has a high readership but there is little use made of the comment facility (or the polling facility - the current poll has three votes) and that's a pity because it's one of the strengths of online communications.


E-mail reminders

It can be a pain to continually check this blog for new posts. If you don't want to add this site to your RSS feeds then you can arrange to have an e-mail sent to you whenever a new message is posted. The e-mail will contain a link to the post and a 100 word excerpt. The service is spam-free.

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Team training

My team try to use ICT to communicate with teachers and lecturers. Once every year we take a day out to review our use and discuss new ways of working. Today was one of those days.

We discussed the various online services that we use. Services such as Jiglu, Blogger, Drop.io and Groupsite. We took the opportunity to tidy the online groups -- so don't be offended if you have been removed from some old ones.

We also spent some time adding to our Groupsite profiles. If you haven't already done so, don't forget to join the Computing Groupsite and add do your own profile. This is one of the new services we intend to use in the coming year.

Another new service we intend to use is Twitter. We created an SQA Computing Twitter account called, unsurprisingly, "sqacomputing" so please follow us at @sqacomputing. We will use it to notify followers about important news and events relating vocational Computing courses -- but we promise to use it sparingly so that you are not bombarded with updates.

One of the outputs from today will be a new and updated list of online groups that we use to support teachers and lecturers. Hilary will update the list of groups and post an updated summary sometime next week.

Kamis, 20 Agustus 2015

Lease Financing Now Available on Rugged Computing Products

Leasing ApplicationSave cash and credit and get the rugged computing equipment you need at a price you can afford!

Group Mobile is now offering fixed-term lease financing of rugged computer products ranging from $1,000 to $25,000. This new service allows our customers to get the rugged computing equipment they need at a price they can afford.

Many companies lease computer equipment to improve cash flow. Leasing allows companies to build a cash reserve, free up credit lines, and receive huge first-year tax incentives. Leasing is a wise business decision for all business people, regardless of their company size or credit profile. 
 
Customers interested in the financing program begin the process by filling out a short credit application on Group Mobile's website that provides an instant credit decision. Upon approval of the application, a Lease Consultant will work with customers to finalize the details of the transaction. At that point, documents will be prepared and sent to customers via e-mail.

Fixed leasing terms range from 24, 36, 48, and 60 months. This means that unlike traditional financing, there is no need to pay more each month to reduce interest. Leasing does not accrue incremental interest, so monthly payments never change. Visit http://www.groupmobile.com/lease-financing.aspto learn more about the benefits of leasing and to apply for financing.

Mobile technology

The Sector Panel suggested that we look at qualifications relating to mobile phone technology so Hilary and me met with Jim Krieger, of Anniesland College, this morning to discuss a proposal from Jim for a new NPA in Mobile Technology.

It seems a good idea to me. We discussed the possibility of developing a suite of awards at SCQF Levels 4, 5 and 6 (just as we did with the new NPAs in Computer Games Development). The awards would be quite small, consisting of a new National Units at each level. There was a general view that such awards would be very popular in schools and colleges, and contribute towards the goals of a Curriculum for Excellence.

SQA has a new process for approving developments such as this (and part of that process is to check that we have the capacity to actually carry out the work) so I couldn't make any commitments today but it sounds like a good idea that we should take forward to the next stage.

Rabu, 19 Agustus 2015

Great Scottish Run

Sorry for posting a personal message on the blog, and I promise not to make a habit of it, but I'm running in the Great Scottish Run (half marathon) on 2 September on behalf of Cancer Research and I'm looking for sponsors. You can donate/sponsor me online here. We have an ambitious target (£1,500) and any amount would be appreciated.

Awarding Body Forum

The E-Skills Awarding Body Forum met today. The Forum consists of representatives of various awarding bodies (such as City & Guilds and EdExcel but including SQA) who meet to discuss areas of common interest relating to S/NVQs.



Today's meeting focussed on the new IT User awards and the IT Professional awards which are currently under development. The main news relating to IT User is that E-Skills is about to finalise a credit transfer system to allow candidates to transfer "old" units to the "new" units. The system isn't quite finalised but when it is SQA will produce its own credit transfer system (based on E-Skills framework).



The awarding bodies agreed to jointly develop evidence requirements for the new IT Professional Standards. This means that the same standards will be applied to anyone across the UK who undertakes these new qualifications. More information will follow. The IT Professional SVQs will be available from 1 January 2005.



Please subscribe to the SVQ online community to keep up-to-date with developments. Contact Jack Robertson if you have specific queries relating to IT User or John Coleman if you have specific queries relating to IT Professional.

Limited-Time Discount on the Brother DSmobile 700D Portable Duplex Scanner - Only $199!*

Group Mobile is offering a limited-time $50 discount on the Brother DSmobile 700D Portable Duplex ScannerThe Brother 700D scanner offers easy color scanning for virtually anyone — whether you are a mobile professional or using at home. 

The Brother DSmobile 700D Portable Duplex Scanner is versatile so you can scan media that is the size of a business card, up to 8.5" x 14" legal size documents — all at up to 600 dpi. Perfect for scanning receipts, news articles, handwritten notes, school papers, photos, recipes and more. The DSmobile 700 even allows you to scan two-sided documents in a single pass. So simple to use, the DSmobile 700D is the perfect scanning solution to help reduce paper clutter and help get better organized. 

The DSmobile 700D is lightweight and portable, so it won't take up much room in a briefcase or on your desk. And as it is powered by the USB system in your computer, you don't need any batteries or AC power supply. Learn more about the Brother DSmobile 700D Portable Duplex Scanner and all Brother Mobile Printing and Scanning Solutions.


*Offer good until August 30, 2013

Using the right unit specification

I spent most of this afternoon proof reading the annual reports from the Senior Verifiers for my subject areas. I'll post something about these reports later, but one comment seems particularly appropriate at this time of the year.

The Senior Verifier for Computing commented that "there were several instances of centres not using the latest versions of unit specifications". It's pretty fundamental that you are using the latest unit spec. You should  download the current version of unit specifications from the SQA website. You can search for HN units here or NC units here. We also maintain a list of changes to HN units here. Please check you're teaching the right unit!

The EV reports are published later in the year.

Big Data HN Unit

Some time ago I explained that we were developing a new Higher National Unit on big data. The Unit isn't finished yet, but it's a long way along the road so it seems like a good time to get your feedback. Here is the current version of the Unit.



I wanted to develop this Unit is a non-standard way, through collaboration with the wider community. Using this link you can comment on, or edit, the specification. Please feel free to comment or edit as you see fit.

I hope to have the Unit published by the end of September.

How can we help?

Although the qualification team spends most of its time developing and maintaining qualifications and their associated support materials, we can also help centres in other ways. I've created a survey to try to find out what sort of help you would like. I'd appreciate if you would take a second to complete it.

Me, and/or one of my team, can either visit your centre or arrange a public event if there was enough interest.

Please note that we don't do verification/development visits, which is the responsibility of the Assessment Standards team. But we can help in other ways some of which are included in the survey. If you can think of other things we can do for you, post a comment here.

If you have an immediate need for help, please contact me directly.

Following this blog

This blog has been around a long time, since 2004 to be precise. It has gradually built-up a pretty good readership, with around 100 visitors each day. The recent survey showed that it was the second most popular communication channel, after the SQA website.

There are various ways to follow this blog. You can, of course, simply visit this web page from time to time. You can bookmark the URL (http://sqacomputing.blogspot.com/) and add it to your favourites. But that means that you have to remember to come back regularly to check if anything new has been posted.

A better way is to be alerted when there is something new. You can do this via e-mail or via an RSS feed. If you add your e-mail address to the box on the right, you will receive a copy of every message via your inbox. Alternatively, you can add the feed to your favourite newsreader. Google Reader is an excellent, and easy to use, newsreading service.

The blog is mobile-enabled, which means that it renders nicely on most mobile phones or tablets, so you can check the blog "on the move". If you set up an RSS feed, your mobile phone will also be able to access it via that route since there are lots of nice newsreaders for smartphones. I use Feedr.

You can also follow us on Twitter but not every message on this blog is tweeted so you might miss something if that's all you use. I'll say more about Twitter in a future post.

While this blog has been successful in terms of the number of readers, it hasn't been successful as a way of getting feedback from you. Every post has a comment facility and it would be good to see more feedback this year.

Selasa, 18 Agustus 2015

Panasonic’s Toughbook 19, 30 and U1 now even more Tough!

Panasonic has announced that its Toughbook models 19, 30 and U1 are the first computers to be MIl-STD-810G-certified from an independent third-party test lab.

MIL-STD-810G is a series of testing standards and procedures issued by the United States Army, in order to recognize products accepted for use by all agencies and organizations within the Department of Defense.

Group Mobile now offers the tougher Panasonic’s Toughbook 19, 30 and U1 with MIL-STD-810G. For more information please visit www.groupmobile.com or call us at 1-866-RUGGED8.

Enjoy Special Savings on the Panasonic Toughbook 53, Panasonic Toughbook 19, Motion F5v, and Motion J3600!

Occasionally, Group Mobile has overstocks or returns, as well as special deals on rugged computers. These computers are discounted so you can find great deals. Learn more about Group Mobile closeouts and specials...


Panasonic Toughbook 53 Laptop
Save on a Customer Return! 12% off MSRP!

The Toughbook 53 semi-rugged notebook from Panasonic (also known as the CF-53) is one of the most versatile semi-rugged notebooks ever. It features a 14" HD LED display, the latest Intel® Core™ processor, and an oversized multi-touch touchpad. This upgraded Toughbook 53 also includes a 500GB SSD and insertable smartcard reader. This rugged laptop performs like a desktop. Embedded wireless connectivity on the Toughbook 53 includes 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Learn more about the Panasonic Toughbook 53 Laptop Closeout...

Panasonic Toughbook 19 Convertible Laptop
Save on a Customer Return! 15% off MSRP!

The Panasonic Toughbook 19 fully rugged tablet PC is a convertible-style computer that can be used as either a rugged notebook or as a rugged tablet. With the release of a button the Toughbook 19 screen swivels to fold flat and converts from an laptop to a tablet. This base model Panasonic Toughbook 19 has a "finger-touch" touchscreen and runs on Windows® 7. The brilliant LED screen on the Toughbook 19 is readable even in direct sunlight. Learn more about the Panasonic Toughbook 19 Convertible Laptop Closeout...

Motion F5v Rugged Tablet PC 
Save on a Demo Closeout! BRAND NEW! 

The rugged Motion F5v tablet PC by Motion Computing is an innovative slate tablet designed specifically for field service and mobile professionals. The Motion F5v weighs only 3.3 pounds and features a durable design to protect against environmental conditions and accidental situations and Motion's View Anywhere® technology for outdoor visibility. This rugged Motion F5te tablet also includes integrated digital cameras (rear 3.0 MP and front 1.3MP web camera), upgraded barcode scanner, GPS module, 128GB SSD, and Motion's View Anywhere Touch Display. Learn more about the Motion F5v Tablet Closeout...

Motion J3600 Rugged Tablet PC 
Save on a Highly Upgraded Demo Unit! Like New! 

The Motion J3600 is a rugged and powerful tablet PC for field professionals requiring a tough device for working in harsh mobile conditions such as construction, field services, and healthcare. This upgraded J3600 rugged tablet's display comes with Motion's View Anywhere® technology for advanced outdoor visibility, and break-resistant Gorilla™ Glass to make the device suitable for rugged environments. In addition, it also comes with a built-in rear 3MP camera/video, Gobi™ mobile broadband (Gobi 3k), GPS, US mobile keyboard, 8GB RAM for enhanced memory, and a 128GB SSD for increased system storage. Learn more about the Motion J3600 Tablet Closeout...