In the words of Ian Barton, the academy’s vice principal, “Showing 3D content on our SMART

Gaia 3D Solutions for Schools, Colleges & Universities - IT for Education, Local Authorities and Business

Shelfield Community Academy is the first school in the UK to work with Gaia Technologies to embrace and develop the use of 3D technologies in the classroom. Through the implementation of 3D lessons, the school has seen a dramatic improvement in student participation, retention and comprehension.

“Teaching in 3D eradicates the time lost in lessons. Using the 3D learning solution I can teach 30% more than I can in a normal classroom!” Michael Murphy, Head of Humanities Faculty, Shelfield Community Academy

“We knew that a 3D learning solution would dramatically enhance our teaching processes and develop students’ learning skills in a way that cannot be compared to the traditional text book approach.” Bernard Dickenson, Principal, Shelfield Community Academy

Gaia 3D Solutions for Schools, Colleges & Universities - IT for Education, Local Authorities and Business

Written by Professor Dr Anne Bamford, Director of the International Research Agency

What is 3D in the classroom?

Computer generated animation has been in development for some time with early work dating back to the 1960s. Not surprisingly, the first commercial use of three-dimensional (3D) animations was a representation of a human, known as the “Boeing Man.” It was not until the 1990s that 3D within the general entertainment industry became more widespread. The release of “Avatar,” the movie, broke all box office records and established a new level of sophistication in 3D imaging. The use of 3D in the classroom has emerged in the past 12 months and offers enormous potential as a tool in teaching and learning. DLP-powered1 3D projectors use millions of microscopic, digital mirrors that reflect light to create a picture. DLP imaging technology is so fast, it can actually produce two images on the screen at the same time: One for the “left” eye and one for the “right” eye. Then 3D glasses combine the two images to create a 3D effect. The single-chip version of DLP is used in many projectors, with the technology being used in over 50% of the projectors currently sold.

Children and 3D

Children and young people own a lot of technological devices and use them regularly. As indicated by the recent pan European research2, 90.1% of pupils had a computer, 85.3% had at least one mobile phone and 74.6% owned handheld games.3 It also found that pupils are frequent users of online technology, with over 91% of pupils using the internet for at least one hour per day.
In terms of their experience of 3D, 90% of pupils had seen a 3D movie, with most pupils having seen three or more 3D movies. The pupils were very knowledgeable about general innovations in 3D and were highly informed consumers of the 3D products currently available. The pupils possessed very positive attitudes towards 3D and were keen to have more 3D in their lives and in their learning. The teachers that were interviewed acknowledged the importance of good quality technology for the pupils of today as they are “digital native” learners, as the following comments from teachers exemplify:

“The kids are into technology. We need something different in the classroom. It is more philosophical than just putting computer in the classroom. Technology is not just about learning the content. Technology will change the view of life. Children must have different points of view on life.” – Teacher comment

“The pupils wanted, and expected, very high quality animations.” – Teacher comment

Why is 3D important?

Children find it hard to understand what is not visible. Visual learning improves the pupils’ understanding of functionality and by seeing the whole of something, children are able to understand the parts. The research results indicated that the pupils had a strong preference for visual and kinesthetic learning, with 85% of the pupils preferring seeing and doing, while only 15% of pupils preferred hearing.

“Teachers talk a lot and you just sort of tune out, but when you see things it is there and suddenly it all makes sense.” – Pupil comment

Complex concepts become more easily digested when reduced to imagery. The research results suggested that the 3D animated models were able to represent information in the most economical manner to facilitate learning and comprehension, thus simplifying complex, abstract and impossibly large amounts of information into a coherent form. By rendering the world visually, the children were able to understand greater levels of complexity, as the animations allowed the pupils to see structures and to see how things worked. In particular, the 3D animations made it possible for pupils to move rapidly from the whole structure to various parts of the structure, including to the microscopic and cellular levels. This process of amplification and simplification seemed to be particularly effective as an aide to understanding.

“The 3D comes in to the lesson… Makes an infinite difference and then goes back again. It really makes a phenomenal difference.” – Teacher comment

“It gives the pupils a better chance to visualize various parts of the lesson. The children can easily imagine and it makes these imaginings visual.” – Teacher comment

The 3D content in the classroom appears to ‘come out to’ the pupils. The deepest 3D and the most animated content appeared to have the greatest effect on learning and retention. These highly vivid experiences make the learning very captivating to the senses. During class observations, 33% of the pupils reached out or used body mirroring with the 3D, particularly when objects appeared to come towards them and where there was heightened depth.

The impact of 3D on academic results

The results of the research indicate a marked positive effect of the use of 3D animations on learning, recall and performance in tests. Under experimental conditions, 86% of pupils improved from the pre-test to the post-test in the 3D classes, compared to only 52% who improved in the 2D classes. Within the individuals who improved, the rate of improvement was also much greater in the classes with the 3D. Individuals improved test scores by an average of 17% in the 3D classes, compared to only an 8% improvement in the 2D classes between pre-test and post-test.

The marked improvement in test scores was also supported by qualitative data that showed that 100% of teachers agreed or strongly agreed that 3D animations in the classroom made the children understand things better, and 100% of teachers agreed or strongly agreed that the pupils discovered new things in 3D learning that they did not know before. The teachers commented that the pupils in the 3D groups had deeper understanding, increased attention span, more motivation and higher engagement.

The findings from the teachers was also evident in the findings from the pupils, with a higher level of reported self-efficacy in the pupils within the 3D cohort compared to the 2D control groups.

“I think I will get better test results. It is easier for me to remember with 3D. Then I will do well.” – Pupil comment

The pupils felt strongly (84% agreed or strongly agreed) that 3D had improved their learning. High levels of pupil satisfaction with 3D learning were also evident with an 83% approval rating.

The pupils in the 3D class were more likely to recall detail and sequence of processes in recall testing than the 2D group. Both pupils and teachers stated that 3D made learning more “real” and that these concrete, “real” examples aided understanding and improved results. The 3D pupils were also more likely to perform better in open-ended and modeling tasks.

During the research study, several tests were undertaken to test for regression. Teachers were asked to note the pupils’ retention (memory) after one month, both in terms of qualitative and quantitative differences between the retention in the 3D-based learning and the non-3D-based cohorts. Open-ended tasks were given to determine the impact both on retention and on recall. The teachers noted changes in the manner in which the 3D and 2D pupils recalled the learning. For example:

• The 3D pupils were more likely to use gestures or body language when describing concepts
• The 3D learners had better ordering (sequence) of concepts
• The knowledge of concepts was greater in the 3D cohorts (especially when a new concept had been introduced through 3D)
• The 3D cohort had enhanced skills in describing their learning including writing more, saying more and being more likely to use models to show learning

“In this school we find that theoretical retention is a problem. As I see it, the 3D increases visual retention and this boosts learning.” – School principal

The pupils in the 3D classes could remember more than the 2D classes after four weeks. Not only were there differences in the quantity of material recalled, but the pupils who studied with 3D remembered in a more connected ‘systems’ manner. Pupils in the 3D class gave more elaborate answers to open-ended tasks and were more likely to ‘think’ in 3D. Many pupils, when answering test questions, used hand gestures and ‘mime’ to recreate the 3D experience and to enable them to successfully answer the test questions. To quote one teacher, “The children said ‘I won’t forget it.’ It was more in their faces.”

“When the teacher shows a model if it is small you can’t see it, but with 3D even if the teacher moves around or a big kid is in front of you the 3D will always move in front so you can always see things clearly.” – Pupil comment

The impact of 3D on classroom interactions

The use of 3D in the classroom led to positive changes in pupils’ behavior and communication patterns and improved classroom interaction. The “on task” conversations and questions in the classroom increased after 3D was seen in a lesson. The pupils in the 3D group were more inclined to ask complex questions. The pupils were highly motivated and keen to learn through a 3D approach. The teachers found that the use of the 3D technology led to a deepening of pupils’ understanding, increased attention spans, more motivation and higher engagement.

“In class with 3D you have the ‘Wow’ effect. This helps with behavior. The pupils are too interested to be disruptive. They get involved and forget to be naughty! I would like to keep using it and use it for different topics.” – Teacher comment

The post-survey of teachers revealed that 100% of teachers felt that the pupils paid more attention in 3D lessons than other lessons, and 70% of teachers noted that the pupils’ behavior had improved when using the 3D. The main factor appeared to be that levels of attentiveness increased during and immediately after the 3D experience. On average, 46% of pupils were attentive at five minute interval tests during the non-3D part of teaching the lesson, compared to 92% of pupils being attentive at five minute intervals during the 3D part of the lesson. Interestingly, when the 3D part of the lesson was over, attentiveness continued to rise and would remain high for the rest of the lesson. For example, 96% of pupils were attentive in the five minutes following the 3D. It appears that the 3D experience and resulting questions continued to promote attentiveness. Boys and pupils with attention disorders showed the most positive change in attention levels and communication (including asking questions) between 2D and 3D.

“The class certainly pays more attention in 3D. They are more focused. That is important in this class – 8 out of the 26 pupils in this class have attention problems, so I am thrilled with the impact of 3D. They sit up and are really alert.” – Teacher comment

“3D in the lesson makes them concentrate more. They have to focus and concentrate.” – Teacher comment

The teachers were more likely to adopt different teaching pedagogy in 3D lessons as compared to 2D lessons. The teachers encouraged more conversation and collaboration with pupils during the 3D lessons, and the pupils felt that their teachers were better and “nicer” when they taught with 3D.

“When there is 3D the teacher is sort of happier. I think because we like it, then he likes it. We understand things and there are better examples.” – Pupil comment

“I can’t describe it but in 3D lessons the teacher changes. She is better. Sort of happier… actually we all change.” – Pupil comment

The teachers’ pedagogy often changed with 3D and this helped to maintain pupils’ motivation – 100% of teachers agreed or strongly agreed that pupils had fun learning in 3D and 87% of pupils found learning in 3D more interesting.

“As the teacher, I went to the back of the room. The pupils drive the computer and run the lesson.” – Teacher comment

Strategies for implementing 3D in the classroom

It is comparatively easy to implement 3D animations into the regular classroom environment. To begin teaching with 3D, a teacher would need access to:

• A DLP 3D-enabled projector: The majority of new projectors purchased for schools already have this capability, and future purchases of DLP projectors are generally no more expensive than those that are not 3D-capable.
• A laptop or PC with good graphic capability: Most standard PCs and laptops can be fitted with the necessary upgraded graphics card for only a small cost. More recent laptops tend to have adequate graphics cards.
• 3D content: There are a number of 3D software content providers and currently more than 3,000 pieces of free 3D content available online.
• 3D active glasses: There are a number of companies making ‘active’ glasses. They vary considerably in quality and price. Ideally the pupils should have a pair of active glasses each so that the fit and comfort is suitable for the individual child. Class sets of glasses are also available.

The 3D animations work best in a normal classroom with low level lighting. Special screens are not needed and the 3D can be projected onto almost any surface. It works effectively for schools to share portable equipment, though teachers preferred using fixed equipment in the classroom so that setup time was kept to a minimum.

“We are sure that the system should be in every school and be available for every teacher.” – Principal comment

The teachers were able to effectively use 3D in the classroom without any specific professional development. They found it easy to integrate 3D technology into their regular lessons with six out of the 15 schools also modifying their teaching and learning pedagogies in response to the introduction of 3D. The teachers and pupils also creatively proposed ways that 3D could be successfully integrated across the curriculum. The teachers felt that 3D animations allowed them to teach topics in more depth and use less time than conventional teaching methods.

“I have found that the 3D saves time. Of course not in the beginning as you get to know how to use it. But it certainly saves time in the lessons. It is the only tool of its kind that exists. The pupils can learn all at the same time and they learn a lot at once and so I find I can actually cover more in the same time.” – Teacher comment

There was an 8.8 out of 10 teacher satisfaction level for implementation of 3D in the classroom.

Some fun activities to start using 3D

Try some of the following ideas…

• Have pupils move their bodies to ‘feel’ the virtual 3D
• Give pupils clay or dough to model as they watch the 3D animation
• Re-use 3D animations; for example, use a science-based animation in the art class or use the history animation in the language class
• Put the pupils in the ‘driver’s seat’ and let them develop lessons around 3D content
• Get a 3D camera and start creating your own 3D content – start with images in nature
• Create your own 3D logo so that when the pupils see that on a worksheet, they know they can also see things in 3D
• Encourage pupils to make their own ‘commentary’ to accompany 3D animations
• Project the image on unusual surfaces – try your T-shirt or the surface of the desk
• Study a 3D artist or learn about how our eyes see 3D
• Compose music to accompany 3D animations
• Use 3D animations without the sound or labels to revise for tests
• Invent learning games to accompany the 3D animations

The pupils were asked to imagine how 3D animations might change their learning in the future. These are some of their ideas:

“All thinking and learning will be different in the future. We will always have 3D in the classroom and we will use it when we want. There will be books with 3D inside them. You hit on the image and then it becomes 3D. It will sort of come up from the page. I want this.” – Pupil comment

“We will have screens built into the tables and then we can touch things and they will be 3D.” – Pupil comment

“The classroom should be more like a planetarium. We would all sit in a circle and then the image would be all around us. Let us call it a 3Dtorium! We would not have chairs. We would sit on bean bags. We would not need to wear glasses and it would be interactive, like Kinect. Maybe we could program our own 3D and make PowerPoint presentation in 3D. Maybe there will even be 4D and we would have sensory experiences… jets of air, smell, great sound. There would be simulators and we would follow the flow of the blood. We could have electronic text books on a kindle or iPad. Technology makes learning more interesting. Technology will never stand still. It will always be advancing and that is exciting. We will need to know technology for our future jobs.” – Pupil comment

Background to the research

Known as the “Learning in Future Education” or “LiFE” project, a team of researchers led by Professor Dr Anne Bamford, Director of the International Research Agency, undertook a detailed research investigation of the impact of 3D on pupils’ learning. The goal of the LiFE 1 project was to determine the most effective type of 3D experiences in the classroom, and to measure the value and impact of these experiences on pupil learning and achievement. The pilot research also examined learning strategies and teaching processes and measured the meaningful impact on educational outcomes.
The research took place between October 2010 and May 2011 across seven countries4 in Europe. The study focused on pupils between the ages of 10-13 years learning science-related content. The research project involved 740 students, 47 teachers and 15 schools across France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Turkey, United Kingdom and Sweden. Equality of access is the law in Europe, so the schools included children from different backgrounds and with learning or behavioral challenges integrated into the general classes. The 15 schools in the study were selected on the basis of direct contact as well as from recommendations by local education authorities. All schools voluntarily agreed to participate. The study involved: Private and public schools; single sex schools; city schools and rural schools; high and low academic achieving schools; technology-rich and technology-poor schools; large schools and small schools; primary, middle and secondary schools; and experienced and less experienced teachers. In each school there was a ‘control’ class and a 3D class. Both classes had the same instruction, but the 3D class also had the 3D resources.

LiFE 1 has provided a unique insight into the impact of an immersive and interactive classroom experience.

Suggested further reading

Annetta, Len, Klesath, Marta, Holmes, Shawn (2008) “V-Learning: How gaming and Avatars Are Engaging Online Students” Innovate: Journal of Online Education. Vol. 4, No 3, Feb-March

Bamford, Anne (2011) “LiFE: Learning in Future Education. Evaluation of Innovations in Emerging Learning Technologies” in press

Braintrack (2010) “VLearning: Is the Future Of Online Education A 3D Virtual Classroom?”
http://www.braintrack.com/online-colleges/articles/vlearning-is-the-future-of-online-education-a-3d-virtual-classroom

Merchant, Guy (2010) “3D Worlds as Environments for Literacy Learning” in Educational Research Vol. 52, No 2, pp 135-150 Monahan, Jerome (2010) “Lessons in 3D Promise Students Entry into New Worlds” in Classroom Interactions http://www.guardian.co.uk/classroom-innovation/3d-lessons-in-schools

Stroud, Sara (2010) “The Classroom in 3D” in THE (Transforming Education through Technology) Journal http://thejournal.com/articles/2010/02/01/the-classroom-in-3d.aspx

Tay Lee Yong and Lim Cher Ping (2010) An Activity Theoretical Perspective towards the Design of an ICT-Enhanced After-School Programme for Academically At-Risk Students.” Educational Media International . Vol. 47, No 1, pp 19-37, March.

For more information please visit 3D Classroom Research, Texas Instruments (dlp.com/3dresearch)

1 Digital Light Processing (DLP®) is a registered trademark of Texas Instruments.
2 Bamford, A 2011 Details provided at the end of the White Paper
3 Note: Many pupils had more than three different forms of technology.
4 Eight countries were included in the trial, including Finland, but Finland has been excluded from the research report as their data was collected internally and therefore not verifiable for inclusion in the research report.

Gaia 3D Solutions for Schools, Colleges & Universities - IT for Education, Local Authorities and Business

3D Learning – an Exciting new Teaching Tool for Schools

Full PDF Version

Shelfield Community Academy is the first school in the UK to work with Gaia Technologies to embrace and develop the use of 3D technologies in the classroom. Through the implementation of 3D lessons, the school has seen a dramatic improvement in student participation, retention and comprehension.

Gaia have developed a wide range of 3D learning content in partnership with teachers and students. This content covers the breadth of the curriculum and some of the vocational courses. The content library is available for use and is packaged with the Gaia 3D Viewer. Gaia also offer a wide range of 3D hardware solutions for large spaces, classrooms and individual users.

Specialising in English and literacy, sport and physical education, Shelfield Community Academy is part of the Ormiston Academy Trust, which strongly believes that children should be empowered to maximise their potential through the removal of barriers to learning. One of the aims of the Trust is to raise educational standards by building a world-class network of innovative, high performing secondary schools in partnership with the wider community.

As an Academy, Shelfield has the independence to deliver the curriculum of its choice and adopt the latest technologies and innovative solutions to enhance and improve its pupils’ learning experiences. With this in mind, the Academy decided to partner with Gaia Technologies for the design, development, implementation and support of its unique 3D Immersive Visual Learning System.

“We knew that a 3D learning solution would dramatically enhance our teaching processes and develop students’ learning skills in a way that cannot be compared to the traditional text book approach.” Bernard Dickinson, Principal, Shelfield Community Academy

An Innovative Teaching Solution

“Gaia’s 3D Immersive Visual Learning system changes the dynamic of learning as students learn through observation rather than by instruction,” explained Anas Mawla, Gaia Technologies’ Managing Director. “By using our 3D visual learning solutions, teachers spend less time explaining, as students are able to understand complex relationships and techniques through individual observation. Gaia has brought expensive technology to affordable levels well within the reach of educational establishments.”

“From the outset, this has been a real partnership,” explained Bernard Dickinson, the Principal at Shelfield Community Academy. “We knew that a 3D learning solution would dramatically enhance our teaching processes and develop students’ learning skills in a way that cannot be compared to the traditional text book approach. We wanted an organisation that would work with us, providing the hardware and support and developing custom 3D resources in line with our curriculum objectives.”

“Teaching in 3D eradicates the time lost in lessons. Using the 3D learning solution I can teach 30% more than I can in a normal classroom!” Michael Murphy, Head of Humanities Faculty, Shelfield Community Academy

Impressive Flexibility

Shelfield has been impressed with the flexibility of Gaia Technologies from the early stages of the project. In addition to their in-depth experience, Gaia engineers and consultants fully understand the unique requirements and objectives of the Shelfield teaching staff.

“The partnership is extremely productive,” added Bernard Dickinson. “The combination of innovative technology, staff input and Gaia’s ability to deliver has resulted in an incredible teaching solution.”

Michael Murphy, the Head of Shelfield’s Humanities Faculty, agrees: “Gaia provides an outstanding service on many levels, but their communication skills are first class,” he continued. “Gaia is genuinely eager to help our students learn and works very closely with staff across the Academy to change the way in which our students interact with teaching and learning.”

But it’s not just about changing how students interact with teaching and learning. Shelfield’s 3D Visual Learning Solution is substantially enhancing the way in which information is absorbed by students. Shelfield’s students were born into a world that embraces visual media. Computers, game platforms and mobile phones are a natural part of their lives and the transition from traditional text book teaching to a 3D Visual Learning experience is enthusiastically welcomed by the Academy’s students.

A Real Learning Experience

Shelfield has found that teaching in 3D provides students with an entirely new experience where they are more engaged and productive.

“Teaching in 3D eradicates the time lost in lessons,” continued Michael Murphy. “A lesson that would normally take 60 minutes can now be conducted in 35 minutes, leaving almost half the lesson period available to expand on what has been learned. Using the 3D learning solution I can teach 30% more than I can in a normal classroom!”

The initial Shelfield 3D learning solution implementation, including a wide screen, stereo sound and the core 3D projection system, has been installed in a dedicated suite. Teaching staff book the facility in advance whenever they need it, although the system has proved so popular with students and staff that classroom-based lessons often decamp to the 3D centre so that the subject being taught can be explored in more detail.

“Students are all engaged and excited to be learning. You can visibly see the participation increase when we walk into the 3D suite. Students who are engaged are much more likely to recall and retain information and that is what teaching is all about,” added Mr Murphy.

“A recent geography class used the 3D suite to focus on volcanoes. While discussing the structure and function of a volcano, one student brought up the subject of Pompeii. We were able to naturally flow on with the lesson, using the 3D system to explore Pompeii and walk the students through a Roman town. You just can’t achieve that level of interaction using traditional text books,” explained Mr Murphy.

Using resources like these, students show dramatic improvement and have more fun learning.
Shelfield’s 3D system is used to explore Roman architecture and the Roman way of life.

“3D isn’t a gimmick. It allows us to develop skills within our students far more effectively. It has changed the way we teach: students can learn at a faster pace, the whole process is more effective and efficient, and we can improve students’ abilities to understand and learn.” Bernard Dickinson, Principal, Shelfield Community Academy

Branching Out

The success of the 3D learning solution and the impact that it has had on both teachers and students has encouraged Shelfield to evaluate the practicalities of replicating its 3D learning solution across other parts of the Academy so that it can be used as a day-to-day teaching tool in classrooms.

“We initially saw our 3D resource as playing a key role in teaching complex subjects, such as science where it can be difficult to describe a concept,” explained Lisa Barton, Shelfield’s Head of 3D Learning. “However we found that our students have really engaged in 3D so we are working very closely with the Gaia team to create new resources to enhance our overall curriculum.”

Changing the Way We Teach

Shelfield Community Academy is developing the 3D concept further across the curriculum. It sees the 3D learning platform as the natural way forward in helping students learn and gain an understanding of subjects, and plans to expand its use of this new and highly successful teaching tool across all departments.

Bernard Dickinson concluded, “With Gaia’s help we have thoroughly investigated the whole concept and have developed our approach to learning using 3D in particular to help students appreciate concepts and understand more easily how things interrelate. 3D allows us to develop skills within our students far more effectively. It has changed the way we teach: students can learn at a faster pace, the whole process is more effective and efficient, and we can improve students’ abilities to understand and learn.”

“Gaia Technologies is leading the way in this technology and supporting the Academy in the content creation and development of the hardware and software used in this incredible teaching tool.”

Gaia 3D Solutions for Schools, Colleges & Universities - IT for Education, Local Authorities and Business

A video to demonstrate how Gaia’s 3D Visual Learning software can be used to teach students more effectively and more efficiently. With testimonies from current teachers and heads at Shelfield Community Academy.

Gaia 3D Solutions for Schools, Colleges & Universities - IT for Education, Local Authorities and Business

Ysgol Friars Case-Study (PDF)

Key Facts

Size: 1300 students
Type of managed service: Managed ICT service for all curriculum and administrative provision and service and leasing agreement for the equipment.
Risk mechanism: Service Level Agreement
Transfer of staff: No

Key Benefits

Outsourcing ICT provision provided the following benefits:
• Reliable equipment—up to date equipment which works
• Predictable costs—the school now knows how much the service will cost year on year
• Greater opportunities for learners—higher volumes of equipment providing reliable access for students
• Motivated staff and students—an increase in motivation: both for teaching staff and students.
• Greater efficiency for staff—the school now has a computer in every classroom enabling the staff to do all their reports on line as well as monitor students.

Background to the school and its ICT provision

Ysgol Friars is a co-educational comprehensive school with over 1300 pupils aged between 11 and 18. There has been a school bearing the name of Friars in the City of Bangor since 1557. Ysgol Friars serves Bangor City, Anglesey and Gwynedd. The managed service was introduced in September 2004. Prior to this, the school was running equipment which was seven to eight years old, unreliable and causing huge problems with confidence for staff and students. At the time there were about 140 computers and two aging servers, with little money to spend on new equipment.

Reasons for Considering a Managed Service

Due to continual reliability issues, Ysgol Friars recognised an urgent requirement to update or replace most of their aging IT equipment. It was determined that equipment would need to be leased to allow a step change—and the option of a managed service was considered a logical extension of this. The existing support contracts were very limited in scope and not meeting the needs of the school. Underpinning all this was recognition that pupils were not receiving the IT exposure and training they were entitled to. Solutions and options were researched by the school’s ICT team, and the governors approved a proposal from the school’s management team to lease both equipment and services.

Approaching Suppliers

Building on the requirements defined by the ICT staff, a tender document was compiled. The school sought a company who could supply all elements of a managed service, including staff training and supply of new equipment, but who were flexible enough to upgrade existing equipment wherever practical. Equipment, software and support service components can be removed or added in an agreed contractual manner.

Overcoming Issues

There was some uncertainty over the implications of adopting a managed service and the school worked during the procurement to understand what the service would “feel” like day to day. The compatibility between the school staff and Gaia was an important part of the selection criteria and helped minimise the risks.
It was important to keep the existing network running whilst implementing a new technical infrastructure and integrating existing equipment. This was done by working closely with Gaia’s technicians so they fully understood the school’s requirements. This phased introduction was implemented as a partnership between Gaia and the school—mainly during the summer holidays—with the technician focused on re-imaging existing systems and doing routing maintenance. This was the start of the introduction of BECTA’s Framework for ICT Technical Support (FITS) processes by the technician.

Benefits

The need to buy in the managed service arose from equipment being old and unreliable. The most immediate tangible benefit was an improvement in the reliability of the equipment. Existing computers that met the agreed minimum level (about 120 in all) were upgraded. Those not meeting the specification were disposed of by Gaia.Students now have a greater choice in how they learn, and the school can offer them a greater choice in what they learn—relying on a reliable network and increased number of computers. This has translated into more motivation in learning.
Staff now have better access to ICT with a computer in every classroom, and so are able to do reports online, use accessible email, and monitor their students’ work and progress.
This increase in use and confidence is in turn leading to increased demand for ICT from staff and students. IT is anticipated that the leasing and managed service model will provide an affordable and sustainable means of meeting this demand.
Gaia has offered the school an online service help desk which is FITS compliant and follows IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) as a system of best practice. A help desk is imperative in order to keep track of repairs and work requested and undertaken around the school. All staff are kept informed about processes and timescales of work carried out. All staff have access to information regarding the progress of work.
Proactive monitoring of the network by Gaia is part of the managed service. Monitoring systems alert Gaia’s support staff to potential network problems, enabling them to take corrective action. The school also received two weekly visits from a support technician during which he inspects the network and attends to any issues. Gaia installs any new equipment and software and provides training on its use—reducing the risk for the school of introducing new technologies and software.

Looking Forward

The school now has a strong baseline ICT facility with reliable equipment and a consistent look and feel. The school can now look at introducing new technology. The learning platform is work in progress and the school is keen to introduce this in order for the pupils to have out of hours access to the network and to learning materials. Increased use of ICT facilities has put more pressure on existing rooms/suites and consequently laptop suites were added in 2005 and 2006. The need for more space for extra ICT equipment has led to more use of wireless, personal digital assistants and laptops around the school.

Gaia 3D Solutions for Schools, Colleges & Universities - IT for Education, Local Authorities and Business

Download Case Study (PDF)

In September 2007, The Leigh City Technology College became The Leigh Technology Academy. In January 2008, the Academy occupied the new state of the art buildings which allows them to continue to deliver the ground breaking model of education.

Gaia was selected to help the Academy deliver its ICT Project.

The Leigh is one of the highest achieving state comprehensive schools in England and wants to become the best – a centre of excellence for education. The Academy consists of four Colleges, each with its own Principal. The smaller schools within the Academy, develop deeper relationships and lay stronger foundations for learning which underpin outstanding achievement. The Academy offers three specialisms – Business and Enterprise, Sports and Technology. It has a national reputation for innovation, research and development.

Gaia Delivers on Time and on Budget

Gaia’s Senior Project Manager, Dr. Ayad A-Mawla was pleased to report that the ICT Project was delivered on time and on budget.

Gaia was able to call on its suppliers and contractors to ensure that exact products were delivered and that work was meticulously planned in order to avoid any overruns. The focus and attention Gaia paid to the project meant that over £30k was saved from the £1.2m budget.

Secure Wireless Access

Gaia worked closely with the Academy to implement a wireless cloud to enable Anywhere Learning.

Over 70 Wireless Access Points were distributed in key locations of the building to enable students to securely roam without interruption in and around the building and regardless of the number of simultaneous student connections to the wireless network. This discreet use of ICT has been a major contributory factor in the school’s increasing levels of attainment.

A State of the Art Building

Keep the Link!

The progress of the construction project dictated that parts of the old campus will continue to be used for administration and teaching. It was therefore necessary to establish a link between the new Academy building and the old Campus, 100s of meters across a busy road.

The link needed to be a reliable under all weather conditions. Also connectivity needed to run at sufficiently high speed to enable heavy data, voice and media traffic.

Using its long experience in wireless technology Gaia designed and implemented a 70/80Ghz radio link between the buildings which comfortably delivered a 1.2Gbps high quality data and voice link.

Users in the old Campus are served using the new infrastructure across the road. services are run from the new building across the road.

Cisco Systems as a Base Infrastructure

Gaia worked closely with the Academy to design the state of the art LAN infrastructure.

As a leading Cisco Partner, Gaia helped the Academy design and implement a Cisco based infrastructure that would protect their investments for many years to come.

The design involved two 10Gbps linked 6509 switches acting as a Core and linked up to 48 Cisco 3650 Switches with teamed up 4Gbps fibre SFP in 6 distribution zones around the Academy.

State of the Art VoIP as Standard

Gaia worked with the Academy to design and implement a telephony system that is based on Cisco VoIP Call Manager and Unity.

Gaia needed to upgrade the existing system that the Academy operated and migrate its functionality to the new system. The migration included new lines, PBX, Voice Mail, and Handsets including wireless based ones. Cisco Unified Communications Manager provides voice, video, mobility, and presence services for up to 60,000 users. The system is a scalable, distributable, and highly available enterprise-class IP telephony call-processing system.

Every Project needs a Hero

A project such as the Leigh Technology Academy, requires the dedication of a great many persons who devote time and effort to ensure its success. This is no more true than in Mr. Mark Poulter, the Principal of the Darwin College and the Project Director. Mr. Poulter and his experienced ICT team were key to the success of the project. Mr. Poulter’s infectious eagerness towards technology has inspired both colleagues and pupils alike.

Largest Implementation of iMacs

The Academy has chosen to use Apple devices. Nearly 1000 iMacs have been deployed in the Academy. That is an average of one computer for every 1.2 students.

This all-new, all-in-one iMac packs a complete, high performance computer into a beautifully thin design incorporating 20-inch widescreen. It includes built-in wireless, the new Mac OS Leopard and the new iLife ’08. The new iMac will allow the students to do everything from sharing photos to creating movies to building websites.

To complete the picture, Gaia also helped the Academy specify the Apple MacBook as the portable device for students and teachers. Over 300 MacBooks have been deployed throughout the Academy using secure Apple trolleys.

A special education pricing deal with Apple, meant that the Academy was able to maximise their budget.

Gaia 3D Solutions for Schools, Colleges & Universities - IT for Education, Local Authorities and Business

Gaia wins ICT Project for Excelsior

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Excelsior Academy was set up by the Excelsior Academy Trust – sponsor Lord Laidlaw – and Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and opened in September 2008.

The academy serves the community in the west of the city and actively involve families in supporting their children’s learning. It is part of the Newcastle family of schools.

The Academy occupied the new state of the art buildings which allows them to deliver the ground breaking model of education. Gaia was selected to help the Academy deliver its ICT Project.

The Excelsior Academy is one of the highest achieving state comprehensive schools in the North East of England and wants to become the best – a centre of excellence for education. The Academy consists of Five Colleges, each with its own Principal. The smaller schools within the Academy, develop deeper relationships and lay stronger foundations for learning which underpin outstanding achievement.

Gaia delivers on time and on budget

Gaia was able to call on its own implementation teams to ensure that exact products were delivered and that work was meticulously planned in order to avoid any overruns. The focus and attention Gaia paid to the project meant that monies were saved from the £1.8m budget.

A State of the Art Building

Secure Wireless Cloud

Gaia worked closely with the Academy to implement one of the largest wireless clouds in any academy to date to enable Anywhere Learning. Over 240 Wireless Access Points were distributed in key locations of the building to enable students to securely roam without interruption in and around the building and regardless of the number of simultaneous student connections to the wireless network.

This discreet use of ICT has been a major contributory factor in the school’s increasing levels of attainment as Notebooks used within a wireless infrastructure provide pupils and teachers with greater access to information across every subject.

The flexibility to learn without time and place restrictions suits the pupils’ schedules, resulting in higher-quality coursework.

Delivery Against the Odds

The design of the building and the weather caused delays in the construction project which endangered a delay in the Academy’s opening till January 2009 instead of September 2008.

There were a number of issues surrounding support infrastructure to the Interactive Whiteboards, water leaks in the Server Rooms, Construction delays that are common to such a large project.

Gaia, along with everyone else on site, worked tirelessly throughout the evenings, weekends and the insertion of multiple support teams in order to ensure that the delays do not cause the Academy to open late.

Gaia Teams received the highest gratitude from the Academy Leadership Team for their dedication and their Delivery Against the Odds!

Cisco Systems as a Base Infrastructure

Gaia worked closely with the Academy to design the state of the art LAN infrastructure.

As a leading Cisco Partner, Gaia helped the Academy design and implement a Cisco based infrastructure that would protect their investments for many years to come. With industry-leading services and performance, the Cisco Catalyst 6500 Series Switch is Cisco’s flagship switching solution. It delivers the most comprehensive feature sets for core or distribution deployments.

The design involved two 10Gbps linked 6509 switches acting as a Core and linked up to 60 Cisco 3650 Switches with teamed up 4Gbps fibre SFP in 6 distribution zones around the Academy.

State of the Art VoIP as Standard

Gaia worked with the Academy to design and implement a telephony system that is based on Cisco VoIP Call Manager and Unity.

Gaia needed to upgrade the existing system that the Academy operated and migrate its functionality to the new system.

The migration included new lines, PBX, Voice Mail, and Handsets including wireless based ones. Cisco Unified Communications Manager provides voice, video, mobility, and presence services for up to 60,000 users. The system is a scalable, distributable, and highly available enterprise-class IP telephony call-processing system.

Cisco Unified Communications Manager creates a unified workspace that extends enterprise telephony features and capabilities to packet telephony network devices such as IP phones, media processing devices, voice over IP (VoIP) gateways, mobile devices, and multimedia applications.

Every Project needs Leadership

A major project like Excelsior requires the dedication of a great many persons who devote time and effort to ensure its success. This is no more true than in the Leadership Team that was assembled by the Sponsor Lord Irvine Laidlaw. Under the direction of the Executive Principal and the leadership of the School Principals, all staff are responsible for ensuring that all students not only achieve their potential academically, but develop an entrepreneurial ‘can do’ attitude which will stand them in good stead for the rest of their lives.

The Team is led by Philomena Marshall, the Executive Principal and Peter Snowdon, the Business Manager.

Largest Implementation of (IBM) Lenovo

The Academy has chosen for its user devices, Lenovo (IBM). Nearly 1400 Lenovo Machines have been deployed in the Academy. That is an average of one computer for every 1.2 students. An impressive ratio by any standard.

This all-new Lenovo equipment packs a complete, high performance computer into a beautifully thin design incorporating widescreen. It includes built-in wireless, the new Vista and the new Office 2007. The new devices will allow the students to do everything from sharing photos to creating movies to building websites.

To complete the picture, Gaia helped the Academy specify the portable device for students and teachers. Over 1000 Notebooks have been deployed throughout the Academy using secure trolleys.

Every device comes with a host of Office 2007 and wide host of media applications. A special education pricing deal with Lenovo (IBM), meant that the Academy was able to maximise their budget.

Gaia 3D Solutions for Schools, Colleges & Universities - IT for Education, Local Authorities and Business

Meeting the Initial Challenges

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Feltham Community College is a specialist sports and ICT college for students aged 11 to 18, located in the London Borough of Hounslow. The College currently has 1,200 pupils and 150 members of staff. The College has had specialist status since September 2006.

During 2007 it became clear that the existing ICT equipment and Support team were no longer able to provide the quality of ICT service required to match the College’s new specialist status and aspirations. Acting swiftly, the SMT looked to the College’s future and the Hounslow BSF programme (due in 2012), and took the bold decision to procure a Managed Service Partner in advance of BSF. In April 2008, the College requested proposals from all companies approved by the BECTA ICT Services Framework, to provide a fully managed service contract to support all of its ICT needs over three years.

The College was looking for a long term partner who would:

1. Help build staff, student and parental confidence, in order to:

• allow the College to improve the quality of teaching and learning
• allow teachers more time to focus on teaching

Assist the college in adopting the principles of Becta’s E Strategy, namely:

• transforming teaching and learning
• engage hard-to-reach learners
• build an open accessible system
• achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness

2. Help the College align its ICT services with BECTA’s FITS (Framework for ICT Technical Support) and provide a professional service that:

• keeps costs to a minimum
• protects teachers from getting too involved in technical support issues
• enables on-site support staff to provide real value and services
• measure effectiveness by using transparent performance indicators and criteria

It was important to Feltham College that the new service enabled students and teachers to have access to new facilities that would have an immediate impact on learning and teaching and help raise achievement. The College was clear in its wishes to select an ICT partner that would work closely with senior management and demonstrate that they would provide a local, friendly and approachable personal service, not just a voice at the end of a telephone line.

After a thorough tender exercise, Gaia Technologies Plc were selected as the College’s preferred partner in June 2008.

Deliverables and Outcomes

On selection Gaia immediately set-up a Project Team with a dedicated PRINCE2 Accredited Project to oversee the programme of works, liaise with all parties and become the key link between Gaia and the College.

The initial service included:

• Networking
• Active network equipment
• PC and Servers
• Peripherals
• Projectors and Whiteboards
• Cameras
• Wireless Connections
• Notebooks Trolleys
• VOIP Telephone System

As well as the full integration of the College legacy ICT systems and facilities, the service also included a refresh program, which provides renewal of all PC’s, Notebooks and User Devices on a rolling 3 year cycle.

The initial challenges that had to be overcome, included addressing the dramatic loss of confidence in ICT that had been endured by staff and the extremely tight timescales imposed by the procurement process.

The early works therefore were all about stabilising the existing network, restoring confidence and carefully preparing the way for the new Managed Service. The objective was to ensure a smooth start to the new academic year in September 2008. Early works included:

• Commissioning new Servers
• Commissioning a new email system
• Build and distribute 400 new Laptops
• Establish and setup up a new Helpdesk

Joint Selection of Staff

Among these early priorities was the need to recruit the right on-site Technical Team to run the new Managed Service. Feltham College were very clear during the initial procurement exercise that they wanted to be part of the selection process, and Gaia accommodated this by making college representatives an integral part of the interview and selection process.

Project Methodology

Gaia Technologies understands the importance of winning over all the staff and students quickly, and this is a key element that is always given a great deal of attention for any establishment transitioning to a Managed Service.

This was accomplished in three ways. Firstly, the project had an executive level sponsor Project Manager Dr Ayad Mawla, who was personally involved through every stage.

Secondly, Gaia provided a very hands-on and proactive Account Management service by Anas Mawla, and thirdly, Gaia provided an additional onsite technician, at no extra cost for the first twelve months of the service specifically to help with the transition and to support staff in adjusting to a new service.

It is this level of focus and attention to detail, combined with Gaia’s culture and passion for customer care that has enabled a successful partnership with the college to flourish. This is also echoed in Gaia’s overall flexible and pragmatic approach, which provides a framework under which the Managed Service can constantly evolve and adapt to meet the college’s requirements as they change from year to year.

Equipment, software and support services can be removed or added to the contract as required, in an agreed, simple and sustainable manner.

Gaia and Feltham Community College are currently in the process of reviewing the first 12 months’ successes and challenges, with a view to agreeing how to adapt and configure the managed service to best meet the college’s future strategic aims and objectives.

Partnership, Benefits and the First 12 Months

Gaia’s commitment to customer satisfaction and service quality includes an annual service review carried out by an independent auditor. This review samples feedback from students, middle managers and the senior management team. Below are highlights from the first audit looking back over the initial 12 months of service:

“Prior to the Gaia managed service starting everything seemed to be working but it wasn’t, and so confidence faded. It is fair to say now that confidence has picked up again. My impression is that teachers are more confident that the system is worth preparing for and engaging with. Hardware is staying up for longer and response times are much quicker and a good indicator is that English and Maths don’t complain anymore, whereas they used to do so all the time.”

“Email and communication through the use of IT has picked up an awful lot. Teachers are saving time by communicating through email, rather than leaving phone messages. It is the access to people through having a system that works that has made the real difference, organising visits and links with the junior schools, has just created a whole new world. It is brilliant.”

“The Head Teacher did a Podcast this morning speaking to the children whilst actually at home working on a strategy for change paper, so it is fantastic to now see that sort of thing happening.”

“We are now getting a professional service, where you are comfortable in raising a concern and know that it will get dealt with in a professional manner. They are nice guys who are very approachable and thorough.”

“Generally the two guys are absolutely brilliant and they will drop anything to help you, I also love the way they can go on remotely as my office is probably the furthest away from them, it is absolutely great.”

Summary

The first twelve months have been about creating a robust, reliable ICT infrastructure and an effective curriculum-focused support service. Gaia has successfully established this, clearly meeting all of the College’s initial objectives.

By creating a firm foundation they have paved the way for the College to confidently move forward and build on these early successes. The second year of the service will focus more on the demanding objectives associated with embedding the use of ICT across the curriculum and meeting the objectives set in Becta’s EStrategy.

These include:

• transforming teaching and learning
• engaging hard-to-reach learners
• building an open accessible system
• achieving even greater efficiency and effectiveness

Gaia are now working closely with the College on an ambitious summer upgrade programme that will address the students requirements, including;

• appointing a recent College Leaver as an Apprentice to work with the technical team and provide more support for the students
• completion of further major infrastructure upgrades
• a college wide implementation of the LGFL MLE (Frontier)
• implementation of a Schools 2000 Behaviour Management System
• assorted hardware refresh and upgrades including provision of a new Apple Music Suite

At a strategic level Gaia are working with the Senior Management Team to agree the scope of objectives for the next twelve months and ensure that the ICT and associated Managed Service fully support the College during 2010 and beyond.

Gaia 3D Solutions for Schools, Colleges & Universities - IT for Education, Local Authorities and Business