Issue 124 - Term 3 Week 6

We know some of you using the stem.T4L 3D Printing kits have had trouble installing the FlashPrint software on your devices. To help solve this, we now have a limited number of laptops with the software pre-installed and ready to use. If your school would like to request one of these laptops, you can do so by submitting a ticket to stem.T4L via EDConnect Online (in the form, select Technical Support > 3D Printing > Other).

There is a limit of one device per school and it is only available for schools that have currently booked a 3D Printing kit. For those who prefer to install FlashPrint on their own devices, our How to install FlashPrint document is still available, with step-by-step instructions. For more information about stem.T4L, visit the stem.T4L Learning Library.

There are many great resources available for teachers to use with their students on the internet. However, some may have additional sections that allow community contributions or discussion forums, usually found at the bottom of a website. The forums may contain content that changes between the time teachers check it and the time students view it.

It is always a good idea to check the entire webpage to determine if these features are part of the website.

Good practice in the DoE would be to also use the Web Filtering tool to determine if a website is blocked, and minimise disruptions in the classroom. You can also check AssessedIT as to whether an application or website has been checked by our Cyber Security team.

This year marks the introduction of Actual Growth reporting, which tracks individual student progress, based on their previous NAPLAN results starting from 2023.

The new ‘Class’ and ‘Student’ Growth reports in the 'NAPLAN DoE’ app, show progress across NAPLAN assessments. New navigation tabs at the top of the Class and Student reports, make it easier to switch between Results and Growth reports on the same page. 

To learn more about how to navigate the NAPLAN app, and explore the new growth reports, visit the NAPLAN Scout reports page.
 

Google Classroom now offers Classroom Analytics, a new feature designed to provide teachers with a centralised view of class activity data. 

To access, navigate to Google Classroom on your computer, then click Analytics on a class card or within the class header bar. The analytics page displays data for a selected date range, including assignment completion percentage, average grades, and active student percentage. Insights highlight significant patterns like missed assignments or class page visits. Individual student assignment details are also accessible. Daily updates might take up to 24 hours to reflect.

Apple has recently previewed iPadOS 26.

iPadOS 26 introduces a new App windowing system, making it easier and more intuitive to multitask between Apps. Preview and Journal Apps come to iPad, with support for Apple Pencil, making PDF markups and creative writing better than ever. 

Calculator brings new 3D graphing capabilities to Math Notes, while Voice Isolation blocks ambient noise, to capture clear and crisp study session recordings.

The release of iPadOS 26, and it’s new features, will be available later this year as a free software update for compatible hardware. iPadOS 26 is compatible with 8th Generation iPad models (released in 2020) and newer. 

Visit iPadOS 26 to learn more about the coming features and review the full hardware compatibility list.

If your school has older iPads, unable to update to the latest Operating System, please refer to the DoE eWaste for Schools guidance.

 

Adobe provides valuable resources to help you and your students make the most of their applications. With over 95 editable multi-modal templates aligned with educational standards, you can easily find options for various subjects and year levels to enhance student engagement.

Explore new multi-step guided activities that teach students digital skills through clear, structured projects. These activities offer hands-on learning experiences.

Consider earning the Adobe Creative Educator (ACE) micro-credential, read through the latest research and discover how Adobe Express enhances student creativity.

Mark your calendar and bookmark the event page for the Adobe Educators’ Conference on Thursday 2 October, a virtual event for all DoE teachers. You can register now for the plenary sessions.

Stay informed with the August edition of the Adobe in Education Update Australasia newsletter and join our Weekly Webinars for educators, available live or on-demand.

October is Cyber Security Awareness Month. Get on-board for a fun ride with the online safety program Cybermarvel, with virtual classrooms, teacher PL and resources for families. The response from schools has been fantastic, with over 165,000 students learning to be safe online over the past four years!

Primary schools can register their classes to learn about:

• navigating unsafe content and behaviours
• managing screen time with offline activities
• protecting personal information.

High schools can register for recorded classrooms to learn about:

• how hackers work and protecting from scams in socials and gaming
• keeping personal information private and secure online
• protecting from sextortion and image-based abuse.

Students can complete a survey about their online experiences. Schools can also engage parents and carers with eSafety Commissioner’s webinars. Families with young children can watch short playtime videos and access device security resources.

Register easily with our Staff Noticeboard article.

Support for Windows 10 ends in October this year.

To support schools that have devices which are not compatible with Windows 11, ITD has provisioned extended support for devices under current management. This means that any device that is still running Windows 10, will continue to operate as per normal, whether managed by Intune/CDM or SCCM/UDM. More details to follow.

Accompanying this announcement, ITD will deploy a mandatory Windows 11 upgrade to all compatible devices via Intune. The option via CDM, to upgrade devices to Windows 11, will be removed.

Until further notice, schools are asked to stop converting their older devices to ChromeOS Flex. This was a solution that schools chose to follow for devices that were unable to be updated to Windows 11. The Windows 10 Intune operating system is much lighter than the SCCM version, and therefore is a good option for schools to move their older, non-Windows 11 compatible devices to.

Google invites you to check out the newly updated Google for Education Learning Centre, designed to empower educators with the skills to accelerate learning in any classroom, and offering a wealth of resources to support your professional development journey.

The Learning Centre provides pathways to official certifications that validate your expertise, especially for those seeking to further develop their skills. Google’s exclusive Champions programs, offer advanced credentials and specialised training. Furthermore, discover a range of community-created resources that offer practical insights, innovative ideas and direct support.

All NSW Department of Education staff and students have full access to Canva Education via the Staff Portal with Single Sign-on.

There are more than 150,000 editable, curriculum aligned templates, including lesson plans, worksheets, posters, whiteboards, presentations and more! 

Check out some of Canva’s classroom collaboration tools here. 

As part of Canva for Education, all NSW DoE schools can access T4L Canva for Education resources, or contact Canva’s Learning Consultant, Jo Muirhead for additional advice.

Information Technology Directorate publishes three issues of news.T4L each term. Remember - share each issue with your staff! And if you aren't receiving an email notification as soon as a new issue of news.T4L drops, then you're missing out! So why not subscribe?