New NetSupport School 11 Set to Meet the Challenge of the 21st Century Classroom

July 24, 2012 - PRLog -- Atlanta, GA – July 24th, 2012 - Education software specialist NetSupport is pleased to announce the immediate availability of NetSupport School version 11 – the latest evolution of its market-leading classroom management solution.

Version 11 adds to the product’s unrivalled range of PC monitoring, instant assessment and collaboration tools with over 200 new and updated features - all wrapped in a totally refreshed interface that ensures teachers have instant access to all key functionality.

New in Version 11

Highlights in version 11 include a new and unique student and peer assessment module, a wealth of new features for technicians, a new tablet version for instructors, added platform support for Windows 8 and Google Chrome OS and improved file transfer and video performance.

Built around current teaching practices for the continual assessment of learning, the new Question and Answer module is an exciting addition to NetSupport School’s range of assessment and collaboration tools. With existing features such as the custom Test Designer and instant Student Surveys already giving teachers the ability to electronically assess student attainment, the new module is further proof that NetSupport has taken note of current classroom challenges.

The module allows teachers to verbally ask questions to the whole class, gauge student answers and understanding, introduce new questioning styles to the lesson (such as basketball questioning) and develop peer assessment opportunities, as well as track rewards against both the individual and, where appropriate, teams.

Supporting New Technologies

Schools are increasingly embracing new PC technologies and in recent years NetSupport has introduced support for environments including thin/zero client computing, terminal server, virtual desktops and shared resource computing.

The Google Chromebook is the latest cost-effective, easy-to-manage computing solution set to put technology into the hands of more students and, from version 11, NetSupport School provides support for the Chrome OS.

NetSupport also hasn’t ignored the impact that hand-held technology is currently having in the modern learning environment.

When paired with an existing NetSupport School Windows desktop Tutor, NetSupport’s new Tutor Assistant app (compatible with both Apple iOS and Android tablets as well as, uniquely, iOS and Android smartphones and available as a free download from the Apple iTunes store and Google Play) increases a teacher’s mobility around the classroom, enabling them to retain key control and monitoring of all student workstations. It also allows teaching assistants to better support the role of the teacher in monitoring student progress.

Enhanced and Improved

School technicians and network managers can look forward to a major refresh of NetSupport School’s Tech Console – delivering a number of additional system and policy management tools including the ability to apply a new set of school-wide internet, application, printer and USB restrictions that are operational 24 hours a day, a new security monitoring feature highlighting any computers that have potential vulnerabilities based on pre-defined criteria, as well as additional technician tools such as remote registry editing, a remote command prompt and extended inventory capabilities.

The already-unique Digital Student Journal option has been further enhanced to aid in lesson recording and improve the provision of content for students outside of the classroom. Teachers and students can now continue adding content to an existing ‘master’ journal in subsequent lessons. Teachers can add chapters to the journal, create bookmarks and even synchronize missing content in their journal with a student who has missed a lesson.

The Record and Replay feature is another area of existing functionality to undergo a makeover. The feature provides the perfect tool for building a library of recorded demonstrations, either captured in class or pre-recorded for future lesson use. Version 11 introduces a Video Editor; allowing Replay Files to be trimmed and edited before being exported to common video formats.

The unique Student Toolbar in NetSupport School has also been enhanced, providing instant access to lesson objectives and expected outcomes, additional options for silently requesting assistance from a Teacher or Assistant, quick access to USB resources as well as progress tracking of any electronically delivered coursework.

And if you’re looking for a solution that optimizes the delivery of files between machines, you’ll definitely be pleased with the performance improvements that have been introduced into version 11. File and video transfer performance is now 10x faster and uses up to 50% less network bandwidth than any comparable solution available.
   
Commenting on the new version, NetSupport’s Managing Director, Al Kingsley, said: “The IT landscape of the modern school continues to change and classroom management software vendors need to ensure their solutions remain relevant. New computing platforms not only provide inspiring learning environments for students but, more than ever, teachers have the opportunity to enhance teaching practices through the use of technology.

“NetSupport School 11 is an exciting step forward on the road to ensuring our solution continues to meet current challenges. The product has undergone a complete visual refresh, many existing features have been enhanced and the new and unique added functionality is sure to appeal to the education community.

“The Question and Answer module adds to our set of collaborative tools and further aids a teacher’s ability to instantly assess student understanding. And with mobile technology high on the agenda, our Tutor Assistant app for tablets and mobile phones is set to transform the way teachers interact with students within the IT suite.

“We’ve also been quick to acknowledge the impact Google Chrome is likely to have across education along with the pending release of Windows 8 and this, combined with the product’s extensive feature set, ensures NetSupport School 11 is definitely fit for purpose in the 21st century classroom.”

Visit www.netsupportschool.com for an in-depth overview of the new features and to download a free 40-PC trial copy.

About NetSupport

Headquartered in the UK, NetSupport has been delivering market-leading remote control and desktop management software solutions to corporate and education customers since 1989. NetSupport Incorporated (NSI) represents the group’s interests in the USA, Central and South America and the Caribbean. The range of high quality and secure solutions it offers has helped NSI establish long-term relationships with many major US corporations, federal agencies and education districts. In late 2011, the company reached the milestone of its 10 millionth license sale.

Its flagship products are the highly successful NetSupport Manager remote control and PC management application and NetSupport School, the market-leading classroom management and training software solution for Windows®.

NetSupport’s evolving product range also includes: NetSupport DNA, delivering advanced enterprise asset management; web-based ITIL-compliant incident management solution NetSupport ServiceDesk; NetSupport Notify, its mass notification and desktop alerting tool and NetSupport Protect, a security tool designed to protect the content and configuration of desktop PCs. The latest addition to the range is NetSupport Assist, a classroom monitoring solution for Mac® and Linux environments.

NetSupport has won many awards including “Best in Tech” winner by Scholastic Administrator, winner in the Tech & Learning Awards of Excellence, and been recognized as one of the year’s best ed tech products by eSchool News for 2012-2013.

For more information about NetSupport, visit www.netsupport-inc.com.