2021 Magazine

114 | Edition No. 24 | 2021 We are investigating offering these learners cer- tification in Apple Support Essentials through our Apple Education Partner. BITS offers a new avenue for these selected learners to lead in this sphere of influence while gaining valuable insight and experience into the technology that supports innovative learning. In 2021 our Technology Prefects relaunched learner technology support as BITS - Beta IT Support. Each class elected a BITS representative at the same time that they elected class representatives to assist with all technol- ogy needs in the classroom. The BITS reps are encouraged to be the first port of call for both learners and educators for technology support in the classroom. The Technology Prefects meet together with the BITS reps and a member of our IT department every second week to touch base around any new tech- nologies introduced, as well as to receive basic troubleshooting training. This is also a time to find out what challenges learners and staff are experiencing in their classrooms and how these can be addressed timeously. Training includes assisting with connectivity issues on learner devices, con- necting to Apple TVs, assisting with online Google Meets, online Assess- ments such as GoFormative and Google Forms, submitting of work using Google Classroom and even connecting learners' mobile phones to the WiFi. In the initial training the BITS Reps learn how to assist with basic microphone setup for our Collaboration venues in the Innovation Centre as well as basic sound and lighting in the Hall and Minor Hall. This is a great springboard for these learners to get involved in Sound Engineering as a co-curricular activity. Learners learn how to configure the TV Panels in the Collabs in order to be able to combine displays to display a single iPad screen on all TVs as well as customise the display configuration so that different iPads can be displayed on different TV combinations - this is great for training and group work.