I’m an 80’s boy so grew up listening to Ska music and bands such as Madness. One of my favourite Madness songs was “You’re an Embarrassment” and this definitely describes how some schools feel about the digital signage they once purchased.
It’s a conversation I’ve had a lot lately with colleagues at TrilbyTV, resellers promoting TrilbyTV and schools thinking about using TrilbyTV. As you know from my previous blog posts and tweets I often walk into schools to find digital signage turned off. When I highlight this to staff when visiting such schools they shimmy past the problem as quickly as possible. It’s like digital signage is a dirty word.
The fact is, once upon a time the school invested in a signage solution that hasn’t ever worked. For whatever reason, the screen is now turned off and they simply want to forget the whole experience.
At TrilbyTV we know it doesn’t have to be this way. Digital Signage in schools can be used to share and showcase the success happening within classrooms on a daily basis. Or to evidence the great work being achieved by students and teachers. Take this week’s blog post from leading Apple Distinguished Educator Vickie Bacon
When using iPads with her Year 3 and 4 students to cover area and perimeter, Vickie’s students have uploaded completed work to TrilbyTV to ensure the rest of the school can see the progress being achieved.
In Vickie’s own words:
“This was also uploaded to TrilbyTV to allow the rest of the school to share our success. It was received by a spontaneous round of applause, not for the animation but that the class recognised that they had really moved their learning on to another level. Magical”
Vickie Bacon, Barns Green Primary School, Apple Distinguished Educator
And digital signage shouldn’t just be confined within the walls of the school, student work should be easily shared with the wider community. Dan Oakes is the assistant head teacher at Malmesbury C of E School in Wiltshire and he will tell you honestly and openly that his students wouldn’t be without TrilbyTV now. As well as utilising the digital screens within school Dan uses the public link feature in TrilbyTV to share beyond the classroom.
“TrilbyTV enables US to privately share films with anyone via a generated link and also embed the children’s digital work easily into our website.”
Dan Oakes, Malmesbury Primary School, Deputy Head Teacher
So schools let’s not be embarrassed! That screen in reception that is currently off is simply a piece of technology that can easily be switched on again to encourage student voice, teacher sharing and the wider community.
It’s not rocket science!