Friday, January 29, 2021

Savvas Realize and issue with iPads (video plays but no sound).


This post deals with an issue my school had with Savvas Realize.  Our students would log in on an iPad using Google Chrome or Safari. They could navigate through the module (Elevate Science Module).  Choose a chapter (Systems, Reproduction, and Growth: Reproduction and Growth), choose a lesson (Lesson 1: Patterns of Reproduction), click on a video (Patterns of Reproduction). On a Macbook, PC, Chromebook the video worked fine, but on a iOS device (iPad or iPhone) the video played but had no sound with it. 

The teacher contacted Savvas support and provided all the info they asked for; what device was she using, current iOS, size of storage, memory, bla, bla, bla.  They sent her link to show her how to: clear the cache of the iPad, double check to see if the iPad was compatible (it was), bla, bla, bla.  After a couple of back and forths, they informed the teacher that they had "elevated her case status and were looking into it.  After all this she came to me with the issue.

Can't lie, I was stumped at first.  I was able to replicate everything mentioned above but still no solution, then it hit me like a bolt out of the blue.  A number of years ago our Science Department was having problems accessing websites with flash videos on the iPads, Apple has never support this on the iPad.  I did some research and found another browser (Puffin Browser), that allowed Flash to work on the iPad. 

Well I downloaded the Puffin Browser on the iPAD and LO AND BEHOLD the video worked, sound and all.  

I wish I could give you the exact details of why but at this stage of the game, I'm just glad it works.

I find it hard to believe that a multi-million dollar company like Savvas (formerly Pearson Learning) could not figure out why it was not working especially in today's world of remote leaning.  I was informed by the teacher that when Savvas came out to train our Science Department, she asked if there were any know issues with iPads-since we are 1:1.  The response was "No.  You are still using iPAds? Everyone else is using Chromebooks".  YIKES!!! Let's just say I'm not impressed. That being said, today will be my last day working at Georgetown Middle/High School.  I will be working at Savvas next week as a consultant---KIDDING!! :-)