EdTech Avenue

How do schools handle their AUP? At St. Wenceslaus, I thought we were having new families (all kindergarteners and any other new families in grades 1-8) sign ONCE. Then annually teachers would review our acceptable use policy and sign a record stating they (the teacher) reviewed our policies with the students. In reality, what is happening is we send home, in the fall packet, an AUP form for parents to sign - or opt out of. So this is EVERY YEAR, FOR EVERY STUDENT. I am thinking for the sake of paper alone, we could improve on this practice.

As well, who has anything included in their AUP dealing with video? Since more and more items are being posted - not just pictures and names anymore! How about we bring a copy of our AUPs to the first Tech Coordinator meeting? Or post somewhere here?

Also, I need my memory refreshed. One of the reasons (I thought) we needed - or it was a good idea to have - an AUP is that some federal funds are available only if we have an acceptable use policy in place? As well, isn’t there something about CIPA that requires us to have one? I know, I should know the answers to these things. I just have one in place for our school because I knew we needed it (for lots of reasons.)

There are many different ways to report problems with technology, as well as many different problems to report. Anything from user issues to software issues (is the application frozen or is your computer frozen?) to hardware issues can eat up hours and hours of a technology coordinator’s time. And when the technology coordinator is all you have in a school, that could mean teachers and students aren’t getting the personal attention of the technology coordinator either.

Many schools have formal reporting processes such as problem “tickets,” forms to fill out on paper or online, or other procedures. I have yet to find something that works. I haven’t worked out a system of my own, even after six years, because quite honestly, as technology changes, so do the problems and possible reporting methods.

I take requests any way someone wants to give them, although I do handle them a bit differently, depending on my current status of busy-ness and projects. Electronic methods are, of course, my favorite. Email is great because I can flag messages and set reminders - but along with those benefits comes the inevitable problem of old messages getting pushed further and further down the Inbox list. Windows Messenger is becoming a little more common for us as well. I trained my teachers in using IM for tech support in preparation for my maternity leave in February. I will not be having a sub for my position and have worked out a leave that allows teachers and administrators to still contact me with questions. I also have LogMeIn installed on my main workstation, which allows me to log in remotely to my machine, connect to the school network, and access any tools I would have when sitting at my desk (Windows Messenger, Remote Assistance, files, Remote Desktop). With Windows Messenger, I can address problems immediately and my users are able to see if I am available at a given time (online, away, offline) rather than waiting to see if I reply to an email.

Very rarely do I get written requests, although they do still pop up occasionally. These frequently get lost in the paper shuffle on my desk, and I have to be reminded later that they exist.

My least favorite method is verbal. Not that I dislike talking with people, but my mind ain’t what it used to be… I forget! So often someone will wait until they see me at lunch to report a problem, and there is little chance I will remember what they said once I return to my office. I ask them to email me instead. I realize how powerful the visual is - they see me and then they think of what it was they were going to ask - but the fact remains that while I may answer the question and file away the issue in my brain, the likelihood of remembering to actually act on it is slim.

What do you use in your school? Do you have suggestions that would work in various situations? Do you have any comments to share on what works and what doesn’t work for you? Please join the conversation!

At Blessed Trinity, I’ve given teachers and staff numerous methods for reporting issues, including the recent implementation of Windows Messenger and the Windows XP Remote Assistance application.  It was a huge surprise to me that teachers did not quickly embrace these instant-help options.  Teachers currently use email, phone or in-person methods to report problems with their computers or the labs.  I suppose they are not using their computers as often as I, but the thought that I could immediately see that someone is there and can answer my question without having to send email or make a phone call (or worse yet climb three flights of stairs) would be preferable to me personally.

And with all of these avenues available to them, some problems still don’t get reported to me.  For example:  We are at two campus locations.  I spend most of my time at the campus where the servers and majority of the computers are.  I have asked the teachers at the other campus many times that when something comes up in the computer lab there to record the error in the log I have provided AND email me about it so I know it’s there.  I don’t check that log regularly - it is not a reporting method, simply a log for my reference.  And yet I will hear later, sometimes weeks after the initial problem arose, that something needs to be fixed.  I try to explain that if they don’t email me (whether or not they’ve recorded anything in the log), I won’t know about it.  Unfortunately things have not changed in the four years I’ve been using the logs, so do I need to change something in my methods?  I want to find the best way to service my users.  They become frustrated when I don’t address issues quickly enough but will not follow the methods I’ve given them to get the best response.

What is the best reporting method for your school?  Why does it work for you?

We installed a new Windows 2003 Server this week to update and streamline our network.  We had some issues with the initial install (I should say Rich had some issues with it, I didn’t really touch that part), and the software had to be reinstalled after we had moved all the data over… so the 49 hours spent on the project overall probably could have been 45, but oh well.  I am excited to have more control over the network in terms of administering rather than having much of the security on the workstations.

We decided to stick with hosting our own email for now.  My biggest complaint has been the spam administration (Symantec Mail Security is not worth the media it is printed on), but we didn’t want to give up the functionality of shared calendars and administration.  We updated Microsoft Exchange Server, migrated the mailboxes, and are using an outside service for security and spam.  MX Logic now hosts our MX records and provides spam and virus filtering, sending only the “safe” items to our server.  That transition went fairly smoothly.

As I mentioned, the whole project took 49 hours.  25 hours (times 2 people) was for the install of the main server, moving data, Exchange migration, and setup.  Another 12 (times 2 people) was setting up workstations at one campus, and 10 more setting up the other campus myself today.  All in all, it could have been much worse, but I’m glad it’s over.  I am extremely grateful for those who helped: Rich Whitney, a parent who is a network consultant (I couldn’t have done any of this without his help), my husband who gave up his Saturday, and a couple of hours by my nephew too.  Without all of their help I would no doubt still be at work now instead of having finished a little while ago and ready for a good night’s sleep!  There is still more work to do, but the essentials are done and ready for everyone to return from spring break!

Ok, so we at Blessed Trinity own our domain.  And we host our own website.  And we host our own email.  But after a slew of interesting issues, I am considering giving up my control and moving to Google.

Issue number ONE: Our web server needs to be replaced.  My options are (1) purchase a new server to host our website - cost approximately $2000 once the software and antivirus and security are all installed, not to mention client access licenses, a steep learning curve and a lot of time, OR (2) use Google Apps for Your Domain or www.catholic-church.org or any number of free or very low-cost hosts to host our website for way less than $2000.  Google Apps would even let us publish a public school calendar.  Hmm, more time saved.

Issue number TWO: Our email server has been a hassle since we bought it.  I fought with it by myself to figure out how to migrate from Exchange Server 5.5 to Exchange 2000 Server without losing any messages or calendar items - no easy task for even the brightest of IT professionals.  Then add the antivirus hassles, and then spam, which probably takes up 5% of my time weekly and still doesn’t block what it should and blocks what it shouldn’t.  We can’t afford that fancy-dancy antispam hardware!  My options are (1) keep messing with it, try to figure out the whole DST issue and how to get calendars throughout our organization to sync up right and continue to pay subscription fees for clients, antivirus and antispam that is way overpriced for what they do, OR (2) use Google Apps for Your Domain to host our email - cost approximately, um, $0.  Now that’s a learning curve I’d be happy to travel.

There are certainly transition issues that need to be considered, which is why I haven’t already made the move.  Administration is hesitant (as am I) to make a big change in the middle of the school year.  Our subscriptions are paid through the school year, so what is in place IS already paid for.  But for the future?  I think we have to make the move.  With fewer than 50 email accounts, does it really make sense that it takes my time away from technology integration meetings and working with teachers to have our email a little more controlled?  Heck, I’m sure Google can find things as easily as I could, and at the very least it is using their time, not mine.

If you have a similar size organization and have made the switch or are considering it, or if you have other services that you use, please leave a comment and share with us.