MyDesktop

mydesktop is the personal portal/desktop available to all SINA users. It is designed to provide schools with intranet styled functions without the need for the school to purchase and maintain local software and hardware.

mydesktop is personally customisable, web-based software that allows teachers and students to share school related content. It includes a set of tools and Properties for collaborating, communicating, organising, document storage and information management.

mydesktop is available anytime, anywhere and delivers equitable access facilitating home to school activities and school communications.

Features of mydesktop include communication tools such as Notice Boards and Calendars; collaboration tools such as Discussion Rooms and Forums; organisational tools such as Event Calendars; content repository for data storage and access; XML presentation engine for content delivery, both local and remote; scalable infrastructure to meet expanding usage; metadata driven searching and storage; web-based applications in the form of Properties; customisable presentation for every user; flexible access control for differentiated user groups.

MyMail

mymail provides you with web-based email access and has been primarily designed to work in conjunction with a school's SINA® account. It does not matter what sort of computer platform you have, such as PC or Macintosh, or operating system, such as Microsoft Windows, provided you have a SINA email account, an Internet connection and a browser.

MyClasses

myclasses is a K-12 appropriate Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) which includes Class Pages, Learning Object Viewers and instructional context through e-Learning Folios.

myclasses also provides a content repository for storing and managing resources sourced within a deployment or from external resource databases.

Benefits of myclasses

• Lower professional development costs by reducing the amount of
  training required.
  
• Increases Internet use in classrooms by minimising expertise required
  to operate.
  
• Augments teachers current practice and increases Internet use within
  classrooms.
  
• Prepares the students and teachers for increasingly complex online
  learning activities.
  
• Saves time for teachers in using learning objects in the classroom.
  
• Integration with myinternet's product suite means there are no hidden
  implementation costs.
  
• Based on interoperability standards and the extensible framework allows for adding suitable applications over time.
  
• Designed to require minimal 'clicks' to obtain each activity objective.
  
• Supports collaborative programs aimed at building learning communities.
  
• Helps teachers benefit from the work of others and minimises
  'reinventing the wheel'.
  
• Delivers equitable access to a standard set of tools for every user.

MyPortfolio

myportfolio is an electronic portfolio application built especially for schools.

Electronic portfolios extend the traditional paper-based portfolio concept to allow digital work and achievements to be organized and presented to different audiences for different purposes. When integrated into the curriculum, electronic portfolios can be used by students to create, collate and publish material and by teachers to demonstrate their students' work, skill development, and progression towards achievement of learning outcomes.

Fully integrated with mydesktop and myclasses, myportfolio provides everything students and teachers need to create personal electronic portfolios with no need for web authoring skills or costly image-creation software.

Benefits of myportfolio
Enhances communication - myportfolio makes it easier for students to demonstrate achievements and learning development.

Builds on existing skills - myportfolio requires no additional professional development costs as tools are presented in familiar format, using graphical buttons similar to many word processors such as Microsoft Word.

Saves time for teachers - myportfolio saves time for teachers with transitioning students. myportfolios demonstrate a student's learning development and breadth of knowledge and competencies.

Cost effective - myportfolio requires no additional hardware or software at the school level in order for users to edit personal myportfolio pages.

Efficient and Effective for I.T. Administrators - myportfolio saves time for school IT administrators. A disk quota system on all files uploaded by students means that school IT Administrators don't have to worry about disk space management.

Relevance - myportfolio allows students to work in a medium with which they're comfortable, and allows the school to provide and support the emerging educational paradigm of ePortfolios.

Creativity - myportfolio allows students to explore their creativity in a safe environment that has proven pedagogical merit.

SINA

This software is developed specifically for educational institutions to assist them in managing their Internet connection with efficiency and ease.

SINA is an acronym for Schoolsnet Internet Network Administrator.

The purpose of SINA is to provide a range of Internet access management tools tailored specifically for school requirements. SINA requires minimal technical expertise and time to learn and utilise effectively. It's a simple 'point and click' interface that operates through an Internet browser, (e.g. Netscape or Internet Explorer).

SINA provides a number of tools including:

• Web Publishing
• Email
• Internet Cost Control
• Domain filtering
• Usage Statistics and Reports
• Mailing Lists
• Educational support services
• Management of student Internet activities/privileges

SINA is designed around different 'management' areas with individual tools to assist with a range of Internet activities.