Survey the room before selecting the kit
Check the available monitors, input devices, sockets and desk space. Confirm the required video connections and the number of simultaneous workstations. A room with many displays but limited power or storage may need a different setup from a small supervised workshop.
Plan cable routes and safe equipment placement. Keep source test media identifiable and separate from output disks. If existing classroom PCs are involved, agree with IT what may be connected or booted; do not assume permission to change managed machines.
View full sizeProtect the master exercise
Keep a verified master dataset and issue controlled working copies. Record the Acorn build and tool versions used for the practical. Students need writable output storage without being able to alter the master evidence accidentally.
Resetting means restoring a known starting condition, not deleting whatever files a student remembers creating. Define the reset process and test it between sessions. Do not imply that a portable workstation automatically supplies institution-wide deployment or classroom management.
Make the exercise work for the available time
Choose input sizes that fit the session and leave time for interpretation. A long acquisition can be demonstrated in part while students examine a prepared image, provided those two activities are clearly distinguished.
Ask SQFR to demonstrate the intended screen setup and one complete exercise, including output collection and reset. A bespoke discussion should cover storage per group, spare equipment, teaching schedules and the support the institution expects during delivery.
What to check
- Room power, display connections and safe desk layout
- Protected master dataset and separate student outputs
- A tested issue, collection and reset process
Common questions
Must every student have a separate workstation?
Not necessarily. Pair work and supervised demonstrations can suit some outcomes. Choose the ratio around the assessment and hands-on tasks.
Can Acorn take over classroom IT management?
That is not the claim. Account management, room networking, deployment and institutional policy remain separate requirements to agree with IT.
Explore the relevant Acorn apps
Put the workflow to the test
Plan a portable forensic classroom
Tell SQFR about the source types, task and equipment you need. We can discuss a focused demonstration and the configuration or quotation that fits. Do not send case evidence or credentials through the enquiry form.