Maintaining an interactive flatpanel display (IFPD) is just like maintaining a computer or smartphone – there are actions that need to be taken if the technology is to keep operating effectively.
Historically, interactive whiteboards (IWBs) in classrooms have been used as display devices, meaning that any required IT maintenance was generally fulfilled via PC updates. However, with leading IFPDs now shipping with integrated operating systems, they need to be looked after in much the same way as a computer.
In an ideal world, software updates will be applied as soon as the prompt to do so appears – but in school environments, that’s not always practical. It can be difficult to time the rollout of updates around busy schedules, but it’s important to schedule updates at least every half term or on a quarterly basis.
As well ensuring your IFPD’s operating system and software is kept up to date, it’s also important to manage the volume of applications, resources and files stored on it. As with any digital media device, keeping too much data on it at once will hinder its performance. IT managers and technicians are typically tasked with the responsibility of maintaining a school’s IT systems, but they’ll rarely be in a position to know what onboard data can or can’t be deleted, nor which files or apps have fallen out of regular use.
It can be useful to provide teaching staff with guidance on looking after and maintaining the devices in their classroom, and remind them that following some straightforward steps now will help to maintain performance of their IFPDs and reduce the likelihood of problems occurring in the long term.
Adopt a ‘quarterly clean policy’, whereby staff must uninstall any apps they no longer use and remove unwanted pictures or other redundant files from their image library. Once staff get into the habit of doing this regularly, it’s likely to be adopted as common practice. Some schools may even take the step of appointing pupil ‘digital leaders’ who’ll remind staff to carry out such tasks and assist with digital ‘cleanup’ procedures.
Simple actions, such as turning off an IFPD at the end of the school day, can make a significant difference to a unit’s performance, running costs and lifespan. Older IWB systems could take a long time to shut down and start up, but newer IFPDs typically do both much faster and are therefore less likely to infringe on valuable lesson time.
With schools increasingly facing budgetary challenges, taking care of your EdTech will ensure that it can be used to its full potential and last as long as possible. A well-maintained IFPD will ultimately mean that your teachers are able to consistently access a range of fantastic learning apps and any other media resources they love to use in lessons without hindrance.
Pete Millar is a technical consultant at Promethean.
