Crawford Colleges deploy NetOp School

At a time when the educational sector is investing heavily in IT in public schools and in-service training in the public and private sectors, NetOp School from Networks Unlimited provides educators with everything they need to create a true interactive learning environment on their network.

Crawford Colleges have also begun reaping the benefits of NetOp School. The product has become indispensable for training grades 8-12 pupils in computer literacy.

"Instead of struggling with blackboards, whiteboards, or overhead data projectors when instructing students on how to use computers, we have turned the PC itself into a `blackboard` using this significant educational tool," says national IT manager Sue Musto.

NetOp School, which now also supports Windows 2000, functions as an "interactive blackboard", broadcasting the teacher`s screen to all the student PC`s simultaneously. "For example, our teachers can demonstrate on each PC how to work with charts in a spreadsheet, or tables in a text document," Musto explains.

"With NetOp School, teachers can monitor each student`s PC screen automatically without interfering in their work, and identify which students need help," says Networks Unlimited product manager Ighsaan Akoojee. "The remote control feature allows the teacher to not only view the student`s screen, but also control the mouse and keyboard. They can then take over the student PC for individual instruction. The Remote Control feature can also be used to maintain the student PCs directly from the teacher`s PC via the network.

"Students can also participate in a conference session (chat room), where they can write messages to each other. Teachers can use this feature to write messages or instructions to one or more students."

NetOp School is so easy to use, adds Musto, that very little training is needed. "It literally takes five minutes to explain how the product works and to start using it," she says. "Additionally, since we began using NetOp School around three years ago, we have found that our learners` concentration levels are significantly enhanced, owing to the fact that they only have to focus on their own PCs, and not on a board or projector in front of the classroom."

Although NetOp School has so far only been deployed at Crawford College campuses in Johannesburg and Pretoria, Musto says plans are on the cards to introduce it at the other campuses located countrywide.

"At a time when education is becoming increasingly expensive, NetOp School provides a cost-effective means to train children in computer literacy - thereby equipping them with essential skills for the modern work place," Musto concludes.