EVALUATING YOUR TECHNOLOGY OPTIONS

Transcription

1 EVALUATING YOUR TECHNOLOGY OPTIONS A rubric is a means of adding clarity, objectivity, transparency and rigor to an evaluation, rating or ranking process where the criteria are essentially qualitative or intangible and the numbers are either hard to come by, nonexistent, or make no sense. These measures are fundamental to the proposal evaluation process. When evaluating technology solutions, the evaluation criteria vary depending on the specific objectives of the educational institution, but the performance measures for each criterion all use the same generic four-step structure: 1. This criterion is not met 2. This criterion is partially met 3. This criterion is fully met (what the buyer is looking for) 4. This criterion is exceeded We recommend using the following rubric to assist in evaluating interactive technology solutions. Your assessments can be inserted into the rubric, providing accountability and transparency to assist with vendor de-briefings. 1

2 Hardware 1) Evaluate the manufacturer s display hardware based on the criteria below: Recommended specification Teq & SMART Vendor 2 Vendor 3 Are there multiple series and sizes of interactive display models to choose from to suit different classroom environments and budgets? Is the interactive display commercial-grade? Is it rated at 50,000* hours? (*brightness reduced to half) Can the interactive display be used without being connected to an external computer? Is the interactive display manufacturer a member of the conflict free sourcing initiative (cfsi)? Does the interactive display manufacturer invest in accelerated life testing (ALT) to ensure long term quality and reliability? Does the interactive display have 5mm thick fully heat-tempered safety glass and anti-glare coating? Does the interactive display feature a low-friction touch surface? Yes 7000, 6000 and 4000 series available in a range of sizes series available in one size. Yes 7000, 6000 and 4000 series. Yes embedded computing included on 7000 and 6000 series. Multiple ports available to connect to a variety of input sources. Yes SMART suppliers are evaluated on their commitment to being conflict-free and to source only from conflict-free smelters. Yes SMART makes a major investment in ALT to ensure longterm quality and reliability. Advanced 4mm glass on 7000 series. Yes fingers glide effortlessly using Silktouch technology, ensuring a smooth, comfortable touch experience. 2

3 Recommended specification Teq & SMART Vendor 2 Vendor 3 Does the interactive display feature 4K Ultra HD resolution? Does the interactive display support Mini PC installation? Does the interactive display feature an OPS slot? Does the interactive display have a convenient input for a USB key? Does the interactive display support freeze frame? Is the interactive display ENERGY STAR certified? Does the interactive display have the following certifications? FCC, UL and CE Does the interactive display have a standard 3-year warranty? Yes 4K Ultra HD resolution offers crisp content clarify and readability. Available on all SMART Board displays. Yes 7000, 6000 and 4000 series. Supports standard VESA mounting holes for Mini PC installation. Yes 7000 and 6000 series. Yes 7000 and 6000 series. Yes all SMART Board displays. Yes 7000 and 6000 series. Yes 3 years standard with one or two year extended options available. May be higher in certain regions. 3

4 Hardware 2) Evaluate the manufacturer s display interactivity based on the criteria below: Recommended specification Teq & SMART Vendor 2 Vendor 3 Does the interactive display offer an accurate, natural and responsive touch experience? Can multiple users interact simultaneously without having to switch to a multiuser mode? Can multiple users write on the interactive display simultaneously in both Windows and Mac operating systems? Can users use a finger to select, a pen to write or their palm to erase without needing to change modes or select a tool from a toolbar in both Windows and Mac operation systems? Can multiple users write, manipulate an object using a finger or gestures, and erase, simultaneously all without affecting the actions of others? Yes Silktouch offers the most accurate, smooth and comfortable touch experience. Available on 7000, 6000 and 4000 series. Yes 7000, 6000 and 4000 series. Yes 7000, 6000 and 4000 series displays support more than one simultaneous touch point (e.g. multiple simultaneous users). Unique pens allow independent collaboration without interfering with each other. Yes Object awareness provides a natural, intuitive experience with the ability to automatically differentiate between pen to write, finger to select and palm to erase. Less disruption to physically and mentally be forced to manually change interaction modes. Available on 7000 and 6000 series. Yes Multiple students can write, manipulate objects using a finger or gestures, and erase all at the same time without affecting the actions of others. Available on 7000 and 6000 series. 4

5 Recommended specification Teq & SMART Vendor 2 Vendor 3 Can multiple users use different colored ink without being locked into the choice of their partner? Is the interactive display able to operate both with and without pens? Is the interactive display able to automatically differentiate and select a pen when it is picked up from the pen tray? Can the interactive display be enabled to turn on when someone walks into the room using presence detection technology? Does the interactive display feature a low contact detect height for accuracy and reliability of writing and touch? Are the interactive display s pens quiet when used on the display surface? Does the interactive display support 3 rd party objects as input devices for mouse select or pen (e.g. tennis balls, pointers, etc.)? Yes Pen ID allows students to collaborate simultaneously in the pen color of their choice without interfering with each other. Available on 7000 and 6000 series. Yes 7000 and 6000 series. Designed specifically to improve the ease of use and tool selection process. Eliminates the dependency on using a software tool selection menu. Yes 7000 and 6000 series. Yes 7000 and 6000 series. <1mm for 7000 series. Yes pens on 7000, 6000 and 4000 series are engineered specifically to reduce harsh tapping or scratching noises to increase usability and comfort for teachers, and reduce distractions for students. Yes 7000, 6000 and 4000 series. All SMART displays are designed to be used by educators or student of any motor skill development need. 5

6 Hardware 3) Evaluate the manufacturer s display embedded computing based on the criteria below: Recommended specification Teq & SMART Vendor 2 Vendor 3 Does the interactive display include embedded computing that allows for one-touch access to a range of classroom applications Does the interactive display s embedded computing include whiteboarding functionality that enables in-room and remote session participants to write in the shared workspace simultaneously in real time and save captured notes from any web-enabled computer, mobile device or other compatible interactive display? Is there an embedded computer or external device that requires addition power and input cables? Does the display or computing appliance include whiteboarding functionality that allows users to share whiteboard content in real time with remote participants using a unique URL? Does the display or computing appliance include whiteboarding functionality that allows users to save their whiteboarding content for future access? Does the display or computing appliance include direct access to education-specific lesson delivery software? 6000 series displays series displays. The whiteboard mode in iq technology enables up to 250 students to contribute to on-screen content directly from their mobile devices, in real time, from anywhere. Available on 7000 and 6000 series. No iq technology (standard on 7000 and 6000 series displays) is a truly embedded option that does not require external cables, or the use of the displays ports series displays series displays series displays. Educators and 6

7 students have direct access to SMART Notebook Player, where Notebook files can be sent to and stored on the SMART Board for easy access at any point in time. 7

8 Recommended specification Teq & SMART Vendor 2 Vendor 3 Does the display or computing appliance include direct access to education-specific game-based learning software? Does the display or computing appliance include direct access to education-specific online co-creation software? Does the display or computing appliance include a built-in web browser? Does the display or computing appliance include WiFi and Ethernet connectivity options? Does the display or computing appliance include platform-agnostic wireless screen sharing for mobile devices via AirPlay (ios), Chromecast (Android) and Miracast (Microsoft), without the need for an app to be installed on any device? Does the display or computing appliance include guest-pc input? Does the display or computing appliance allow you to customize which applications are accessible? Is the computing appliance software upgradable? 6000 series displays. Educators and students and students have direct access to a range of SMART lab game-based activities series displays. Educators and students have direct access to SMART amp workspaces series displays series displays series displays series displays series supports preview capability and onscreen selection series displays series displays. Both manual 8

9 and automatic over-the-air updates are supported. Do the applications and software provided via the embedded computer / appliance require in-app purchases? No. 9

10 Software 4) Evaluate the manufacturer s interactive educational software solution based on the criteria listed below: Recommended specification Teq & SMART Vendor 2 Vendor 3 How does the interactive educational software fit with your school or district software strategy? Does the software allow for the leveraging of existing classroom technology? Is the software easy for teachers to learn and navigate? How many clicks does it take to access tools? Does the software include an adaptive toolbar that responds to actions by giving users the relevant tool choices when they choose a certain object? Does the software support multiple simultaneous touches and multitouch enabled gestures (when used with compatible hardware)? What content and templates are provided within the software to help new users create advanced and engaging content with ease? Does the software include an interactive activity builder that allows users to SMART offers the SMART Learning Suite, which combines lesson delivery, assessment, student collaboration and game-based learning software into one ultimate education suite. SMART Learning Suite integrates with SMART Board interactive displays, works on third-party displays, and connects with students & teacher devices to turn lessons into enriching learning experiences. Yes the software is designed for a walk up and use experience. Most tools can be accessed with 1-2 clicks. Yes SMART lab allows for the creation of a variety of game-based 10

11 Recommended specification Teq & SMART Vendor 2 Vendor 3 choose from a set of activities and visual templates to create activities in under five minutes? activities in under 5 minutes, with many templates and themes. Users can also download thousands of free pre-created, editable content and templates from SMART Exchange. What special tools does the interactive whiteboard software offer? Does it include advanced math tools? Advanced 3D tools? Does the software enable users to integrate teacher and student mobile devices into the lesson? Can the teacher interact with content and conduct collaborative two-way lessons from a single ipad anywhere in the classroom? Can students contribute to the lesson, respond to planned or spontaneous assessments and engage in interactive activities from any web-enabled device? Does the software include a formative assessment component that utilizes student devices? An integrated math equation editor and Geogebra widgets give users access to the full math functionality of the software and user-created content. Advanced 3D tools allow users to insert and manipulate 3D models, including downloads directly from Trimble 3D warehouse. Yes the software connects student devices using any internet enabled web browser. Students can contribute to collaborative workspaces, take assessments, and complete gamebased activities on devices. Teachers can interact with SMART Notebook using the ipad mobile app, and with SMART amp using nay web browser. Yes SMART response 2. 11

12 Recommended specification Teq & SMART Vendor 2 Vendor 3 Are formative assessment results instantly available in a variety of formats that are straightforward and easy to understand; allowing for real-time changes in instruction? Are question lists interchangeable between activities and assessment? Does the software include automatic handwriting recognition and conversion combined with intuitive text editing capabilities? Can users edit, move, delete, modify or insert text objects without needing a keyboard? Does the software provide direct access to a variety of high-quality lesson activities? Are several of the lesson activities designed specifically for multiple users? Yes SMART Learning Suite supports formative assessment utilizing student devices in SMART response 2, SMART amp and SMART lab. Assessments can be placed anywhere throughout the lesson flow and launched with one click. Class and individual results are shared instantly and teachers have the ability to export SMART response 2 results to Microsoft Excel. Yes question sets using the same list types (eg: single, matched, quiz) and word lists are interchangeable between activities and assessments. Yes handwriting recognition is available in multiple languages. Text pen allows for editing of text using handwritten ink, without the need for a keyboard. Math equation ink editor provides handwriting recognition for complex math symbols. Yes SMART lab offers a variety of customizable activity types with multiple themes that can be tailored for any grade level or subject. Activity types can be completed with 12

13 Recommended specification Teq & SMART Vendor 2 Vendor 3 multiple simultaneous users collaboratively or competitively. SMART Exchange also offers educators a free online repository of customizable pieces of educational content. Does the interactive educational software work with Google and Microsoft products? Does the software include network administrator tools to help with easy installation and maintenance? Does the software provide access to upgrades and service packs? Does the software include game-based learning activities? Are these learning activities customizable? Yes a single sign-on to SMART Learning Suite can be done with any Google or Microsoft account. SMART amp, a web-based learning platform, leverages Google Apps for Education to enable co-creation and fosters student collaboration on devices. Yes The SMART Install Manager tool is available for easy customization of our installers. These installers, and any customizations, are designed to be used with industry-standard deployment tools as needed in your environment, such as Microsoft SCCM or Apple Remote Desktop. A SMART Learning Suite subscription entitles customers to the latest upgrades, features and service packs. Yes SMART lab offers a variety of game-based templates that allow teachers to easily create games with 13

14 Recommended specification Teq & SMART Vendor 2 Vendor 3 their own content in under 5 minutes. Is the software compatible with any web-enabled device? Does the software support BYOD and other device implementations regardless of the type of web-enabled device? Are users required to install and maintain dedicated apps to use the software? Yes, the software is compatible with any web-enabled device making it device agnostic and supporting BYOD and other device implementations. SMART lab and SMART response 2: can be used on any internet enabled device with a browser SMART amp: can be used on laptops, Chromebooks and tablets with screen sizes >5ʺ Does the software support student participation inside and outside of the classroom? Does the software enable seamless transitions between commonly-used classroom tools within a single application? Does it allow teachers to understand, assess and guide collaboration without interrupting the learning? Does the software include a full equation editor keyboard? Does the software enable content co-creation and collaboration on a shared digital canvas? Yes SMART amp allows participation anytime, anywhere. Yes SMART Notebook includes one-touch access to SMART amp, lab and response 2. SMART lab activities and response 2 assessments are embedded directly onto SMART Notebook pages, seamlessly providing activities and assessment without interrupting learning. Yes Collaboration using simultaneous contribution is a fundamental feature of SMART amp and is available throughout the software. Additionally, a SMART lab 14

15 Recommended specification Teq & SMART Vendor 2 Vendor 3 activity called Shout it Out! enables simultaneous collaborative contribution from student devices into Notebook. Do the teacher and students have visibility into individual student contributions in a shared collaborative workspace? Can students and teachers easily move between whole class, individual and small group learning as well as project-based and flipped lesson activities? Does the software support both teacher-led and student-led instruction as necessary? Does the software provide access to classroom-ready resources from an online community website directly from the software interface? Does the software provide access to at least 80 lesson activities from an online community that are designed specifically for multiple users? Is there significant and ongoing investment in the development and innovation of the software? Does the software easily integrate with the display s embedded computing solution? Yes All contributions to a shared workspace are tracked providing teachers insight into what content each student is contributing and how often. Yes The software provides classrooms with the flexibility to support a variety of teaching methods and learning styles. In addition, the easy transition between tools enables a seamless transition between teaching methodologies within class. Yes SMART invests heavily in software development. It is a focus for the company and new releases, improvements and features are continually provided to customers. Yes - Teachers may share Notebook files over any network connection, before, during or after class from anywhere to a SMART 15

16 Recommended specification Teq & SMART Vendor 2 Vendor 3 Board 7000 or 6000 series display. Teachers can then select their shared file from the SMART Notebook Player Lobby on their SMART Board and begin teaching. Does the software allow for easy sharing of files to anyone? Yes Teachers can generate a unique URL for their Notebook file which they can then share as needed. Once the URL is entered into a web browser, a copy of the Notebook file will begin downloading. 16

17 Resources 5) Evaluate the content solution based on the criteria listed below: Recommended Resources Teq & SMART Vendor 2 Vendor 3 Are online education resources provided by the manufacturer? Are any of the online education resources designed specifically for multiple users? Can lessons and content be sorted by standard, subject, and grade? Can users see how frequently content is downloaded or recommended by others? Can users preview lessons before downloading? Yes the SMART Exchange provides access to over 350,000 pieces of free education content globally. 17

18 Support 6) Evaluate the manufacturer s support solution based on the criteria listed below: Recommended Support Teq & SMART Vendor 2 Vendor 3 Is phone and online support for hardware available at no charge, with no time limit? Does the manufacturer facilitate an open online community where users can share best practices, download lesson plans and exchange ideas? Does the manufacturer s online community offer more than 60,000 resources, including standards-correlated lessons and applications from leading educational publishers and content providers? Does support include allowing users to conference with the interactive display manufacturer s technical support team? Does the support site include a searchable knowledge base with at least 1,500 resource documents and no access restrictions? Can you easily conference with the manufacturer s technical support? Does the manufacturer provide online technical training? Does the manufacturer offer spare parts that are readily available? Live support is provided for the length of the warranty or subscription term. Online selfservice is provided indefinitely. 18

19 Professional Development 7) Evaluate the manufacturer s professional development solution based on the criteria listed below: Recommended Solution Teq & SMART Vendor 2 Vendor 3 What on-site professional development options does the manufacturer provide? SMART offers both on-site training and offerings through SMART Training Centers. On-site provides a chance for SMART Certified Trainers to come to you and customize a variety of trainings to meet your needs from 1 hour sessions to multiday sessions. What on-site professional development options does the reseller provide? What online professional development options does the manufacturer or reseller provide? Does the manufacturer offer content developed by their user community? SMART Training Centers offer an opportunity for customers to come to visit a facility for a more immersive experience away from the distractions of the classroom, as well as the ability to come to you. Teq offers on-site professional development designed to help educators get the most out of their technology, and refresh or learn new 21 st century skills. SMART provides self-directed videos, courses, tutorials and training material online (at no cost). Teq offers an online Professional Development platform with over 900 courses and on-going teacher support through readilyavailable instructional support. SMART offers an Ed2Ed YouTube channel that focuses on user-generated professional development, as well as a global 19

20 Recommended Solution Teq & SMART Vendor 2 Vendor 3 SMART Exemplary Educator program that provides Teacher2Teacher learning. Does the manufacturer or reseller provide courses for teachers, administrators, and technical staff? Does the manufacturer provide access to resources to help develop and implement your long-term PD plan? Does the manufacturer provide examples or case studies to showcase the effective use of their technology in the classroom? Are there complementary PD and training resources? Does the manufacturer offer to create internal trainers to champion efficacy and implementation in their classrooms - certify staff to train their own staff? Does the manufacturer have an advocacy community of super users who are available for consultation? SMART s Efficacy & Implementation team can help plan and deliver customized training and assess the effectiveness of the technology integration. Visit Yes SMART offers Train the Trainer courses and certifications via SMART Training Centers. The global SMART Exemplary Educator (SEE) Program recognizes skilled and dedicated teachers, technology coordinators and administrators who lead the way in using SMART products to engage students and improve learning outcomes. This community currently includes over 1,600 SEEs globally. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. 20