Student IT Support Advice

Main Services

The two main systems you are likely to be using are Showbie and SMHW.
Both of these systems have been under incredible pressure of late and they are increasing capacity to meet unprecedented demand.

Click on the logos below to view the status pages for each of these sites:

   

Showbie had a significant server upgrade last week and seems to have been much more stable since. Hopefully SMHW are increasing capacity as well.
It is far more likely that SMHW will be available early in the morning (before 9am) or in the evening, as this is unlikely to be a peak period at this time. It would be a good idea to take screenshots of your tasks for the next few days so you can access them offline if necessary.

Remember, all the work on SMHW is set for a period of time. Do not worry if the system is down and you cannot do a specific piece of work at a particular time. Try and switch it with something you can do (maybe your Personal Project or reading) if there are issues accessing these systems.

Other Services

Just as with Showbie and SMHW, other systems such as Kerboodle, Doctor Frost, MathsWatch etc. are all experiencing a significant increase in demand and it may take them a few days to upgrade capacity and manage the number of connections they are receiving. If you cannot log on, please do not panic. Try again later. If you have a genuine logon issue (i.e. you are getting an error to say your details are incorrect), contact IT Support. 

General Advice

As Internet services become increasingly strained due to the amount of people working from home, there are a few practical things you could do to try and make things easier for yourself when completing work.

• Screenshot the homework tasks when SMHW is available so you can access them during busy periods.
• Copy PDF worksheets into GoodNotes and complete tasks there rather than working on them in Showbie.
• Download copies of documents / resources you need to you iPad or export to GoodNotes.

Screen Time

I am sure any normal screen time routines you might have had at home may already have altered slightly given the current situation. However, it is still important that you take a break from screens (any screen). Make sure you do something completely different during your breaks. Try not to just substitute the iPad with a computer, TV etc. Try and go outside if you can. Read a book. Build something with the Lego set that has been under for bed for years... anything, but try and avoid screens all day. It isn't good for you!

Support / iPad Issues

I know it is a bit of a cliche, but if things are not working properly, it is amazing how many things are resolved with a simple reboot. Switch off your iPad (hold down the power button and the home button until the white Apple logo appears) and see if the problem you were having has been resolved. 

If you have tried everything you can and need support from IT, we have staff working (mainly from home) throughout the day (Monday - Friday) and they will have access to systems to try and support you. If your iPad gets physically damaged, this is going to be more difficult to resolve, but not necessarily impossible. Please contact IT Support and explain your issue, please try and provide them with as much information as possible. Explain what you have tried to do to resolve the problem and explain as clearly as possible what help you need. This will allow them to help you as quickly and efficiently as possible.