SMART Sync?

[Vickie Powell]

Is anyone using SMART Sync?

I installed it on the lab computers with Apple Remote Desktop, as a package, and didn't have an option to configure the student computers a specific way.

When kids came to lab, they could log in, but not log out, until they connected to SMART Sync on each individual student computer.   Then I used the Teacher SMART Sync to log them all off at once.

Unfortunately, I didn't plan this well, and was having a sub the next day, and knew it would flip him/her out if kids couldn't log out then next class of students log in.  So I un-installed it for now.

What did I do wrong?  Do I need to install each copy separately on each student computer instead of using Remote Desktop?

 

[liza steffen]

Vickie,

 

I am working on that.  We installed it on one of the student's computers and it refuses to log out of this account.  I have to restart this computer every time.  Our technician wants to put it together as a package, he says there is an easy solution to this problem.  We plan to do it next week.  We'll let you know

 

Liza

[Vickie Powell]

Great.thanks!

[VV]

so what is SMART Sync?

[Vickie Powell]

http://smarttech.com/us/Solutions/Education+Solutions/Products+for+...

[liza steffen]

Ok, here we go.  We played with it today.  You have to stop the class and log out your students yourself.

There is a shut down button on the top panel on your right.  Click on it when your class is done.  The window will pop up and you can choose log off instead of shut down.  You need to be in a thumbnails view.  Our Mac support person is not very happy with the arrangement.  Smartsync overruns him and he isn't able to push updates or do anything with our computers. SmartSync never quits.  I am sure he'll come up with something though.  Smart says that the program is very new (for Mac), PC has more options (as usual), and they are still working on Mac version :(  I hope that helps.  Let me now if you have any ideas

[Vickie Powell]

Thanks.  I was afraid of that.  I like what the SMART Sync software can do (keeping kids on specific sites, sharing student screens, etc.), but you're right.  That is frustrating to not be able to have kids log themselves out.  I had to un-install the software temporarily since I had a sub coming to teach for me in the lab.

I guess if I want to use it in the lab, I'll need to type up the directions for every teacher that brings their class, and any sub I would have.  Hmmm...definitely not ideal.

 

[Kathryn Odell]

I watched the Smart Sync tour. It looks very similar to Apple Remote Desktop. If I already have that application, is there any reason to get Smart Sync? Thanks!

[Vickie Powell]

That's what I wonder too. but my remote desktop is on my desktop comouter not the computer attached to the smartboard...

[Christopher Klein]

One workaround to this issue is to configure students via the Student Configuration Tool to allow the student to “Exit the Student program”. By checking this option, the student can logout/restart/shutdown the computer. Downside is that a student could potentially kill the Sync Student process and it won’t be restarted.

 

After you do this, you will have to reboot the machine for the change to take effect.

[Vickie Powell]

Where is the Student Configuration Tool?  On the student computer or teacher computer?

[Christopher Klein]

On the student computer, in the sync folder

[liza steffen]

There is another downside to it.  Sync tries to overrun all the accounts on the computer, including admin account.  Basically nobody can do anything with computers if sync is running.  It drives out Apple System engineer crazy.  I was supposed to pilot sync for the district.  We are very concerned about the installation features of sync.  I believe that PC version doesn't have this problem, does it?