Re: [info-tech] Same Questions, different year...
I forgot to mention that we will be going away from in-house server data storage next year for students. We have a google ed. domain now and will be using that 100% next along with other sources. Manson Northwest Webster-Home of the Cougars! Brad Kruse (`-''-/).___..--''`-._ Tech. Coord. `6_ 6 ) `-. ( ).`-.__.`) 1601 15th St.(_Y_.)' ._ ) `._ `. ``-..-' Manson, IA 50563_..`--'_..-_/ /--'_.' ,' 712-469-2245 (li),' ((!.-' Cell: 712-830-9665 Fax 712-469-3131 Brad Kruse bkr...@manson-nw.k12.ia.us 2/4/2010 5:19 PM 1 - At what grade do you start giving students Internet access? Our elementaries would like to not have to log in to computers as special internet accounts, they just want the Internet to work for them. Our current practice would require someone to log the computer in with an account that would have Internet access. I assume that whatever your situation is, you expect the teacher to still supervise their use. all of our district computers are set to connect to the Internet after desktop has been loaded. 2 - At what grade do you start giving kids their own personal login, with a home directory and internet access. We are doing home directories at 5th grade, and Internet access at 7th grade. grades pk-3 get a shared home folder -- grades 4-12 get home folder 3 - Facebook. We have 3 interested groups ready and wanting to create a Facebook group or a Facebook Page for their specific group. We have talked about privacy, and what kids post about themselves there and how we as District employees are mandatory reporters. From my limited playing of Facebook, I cannot limit access to specific facebook site, it is either give them (staff only, not students) access to Facebook or not. All or none. Their thinking in wanting to create a Facebook page is because that is what the kids are doing, when they aren't at school. My concern is the privacy and lost work time with people maintaining their personal Facebook, Mafia War or Farm Town creation. Give me your thought, the discussions you have had, and we can kind of go from there. we use lightspeed to define groups/time schedules and do some periodic release on some sites also but it is all getting to be quite a pain -- i don't know the answer to all of this -- i only know that the web is full of useful information and also so full of garbage that i don't know how one can open it all up or try to lock it down i wonder how many of the great speakers you hear telling us to open things up actually have been in a classroom full of 30 teenagers or have had to listen to complaining parents Manson Northwest Webster-Home of the Cougars! Brad Kruse (`-''-/).___..--''`-._ Tech. Coord. `6_ 6 ) `-. ( ).`-.__.`) 1601 15th St.(_Y_.)' ._ ) `._ `. ``-..-' Manson, IA 50563_..`--'_..-_/ /--'_.' ,' 712-469-2245 (li),' ((!.-' Cell: 712-830-9665 Fax 712-469-3131
RE: [info-tech] Same Questions, different year...
Thanks John. Have a great weekend!!! From: info-tech-ow...@aea8.k12.ia.us [mailto:info-tech-ow...@aea8.k12.ia.us] Sent: Thursday, February 04, 2010 7:11 PM To: Pearson, Jeremy Subject: RE: [info-tech] Same Questions, different year... See notes embedded in your questions below. (It is interesting reading. Really.) John Kidney Director of Technology Webster City Schools 825 Beach Street Webster City, IA 50595 515-832-9210 515-832-9219 voice mail 515-832-9215 fax jkid...@webster-city.k12.ia.us From: info-tech-ow...@aea8.k12.ia.us on behalf of Pearson, Jeremy Sent: Thu 2/4/2010 3:37 PM To: info-tech@aea8.k12.ia.us Subject: [info-tech] Same Questions, different year... Everyone- I have a few questions I would like to pose to the group for input. 1 - At what grade do you start giving students Internet access? Our elementaries would like to not have to log in to computers as special internet accounts, they just want the Internet to work for them. Our current practice would require someone to log the computer in with an account that would have Internet access. I assume that whatever your situation is, you expect the teacher to still supervise their use. ALL students PK-12 have internet access. No special login. No special permission. However, PK-4 have a grade section common login. All elementary students use the internet at the directions and supervision of a teacher. No personal, unsupervised exploring. 2 - At what grade do you start giving kids their own personal login, with a home directory and internet access. We are doing home directories at 5th grade, and Internet access at 7th grade. Each student receives a personal login and password grade 5-12. 3 - Facebook. We have 3 interested groups ready and wanting to create a Facebook group or a Facebook Page for their specific group. We have talked about privacy, and what kids post about themselves there and how we as District employees are mandatory reporters. From my limited playing of Facebook, I cannot limit access to specific facebook site, it is either give them (staff only, not students) access to Facebook or not. All or none. Their thinking in wanting to create a Facebook page is because that is what the kids are doing, when they aren't at school. My concern is the privacy and lost work time with people maintaining their personal Facebook, Mafia War or Farm Town creation. Give me your thought, the discussions you have had, and we can kind of go from there. Facebook - no way, never. I have had teachers invite students to become friends of their personal site and then wish they didn't. I would suggest Google Groups. It is free. It requires a login and password. You can upload documents to share. Teacher and students can post threaded conversations and reply to posted questions. A teacher would setup the group as the group administrator. No perfect, but free. Saywire is a great social networking/web 2.o website, but is expensive. One final note. If a teacher wants a web site unblocked, they must make the request in writing or by email. I review it and in most cases I will unblock it. However, I inform the teacher that they will be held responsible for anyone (their students and all other students) who get in trouble using it. If an administrator directs me (has not happened) to unblock or stop blocking web sites, I will do so ONLY after they give me a signed written statement that will release me of any possible harm or liability and that they accept full responsibility for student or staff inappropriate use. Thanks for your time and help. Jeremy ___ Jeremy Pearson Supervisor of Information Technology Fort Dodge Community School District 104 South 17th Street Fort Dodge, Iowa 50501 http://www.fort-dodge.k12.ia.us http://www.fort-dodge.k12.ia.us/ (515)574-5676 voice (515)574-5324 fax
RE: [info-tech] Same Questions, different year...
Take a look at SayWire as a safe alternative to FaceBook. www.saywire.com From: info-tech-ow...@aea8.k12.ia.us [mailto:info-tech-ow...@aea8.k12.ia.us] On Behalf Of Pearson, Jeremy Sent: Thursday, February 04, 2010 3:38 PM To: info-tech@aea8.k12.ia.us Subject: [info-tech] Same Questions, different year... Everyone- I have a few questions I would like to pose to the group for input. 1 - At what grade do you start giving students Internet access? Our elementaries would like to not have to log in to computers as special internet accounts, they just want the Internet to work for them. Our current practice would require someone to log the computer in with an account that would have Internet access. I assume that whatever your situation is, you expect the teacher to still supervise their use. 2 - At what grade do you start giving kids their own personal login, with a home directory and internet access. We are doing home directories at 5th grade, and Internet access at 7th grade. 3 - Facebook. We have 3 interested groups ready and wanting to create a Facebook group or a Facebook Page for their specific group. We have talked about privacy, and what kids post about themselves there and how we as District employees are mandatory reporters. From my limited playing of Facebook, I cannot limit access to specific facebook site, it is either give them (staff only, not students) access to Facebook or not. All or none. Their thinking in wanting to create a Facebook page is because that is what the kids are doing, when they aren't at school. My concern is the privacy and lost work time with people maintaining their personal Facebook, Mafia War or Farm Town creation. Give me your thought, the discussions you have had, and we can kind of go from there. Thanks for your time and help. Jeremy ___ Jeremy Pearson Supervisor of Information Technology Fort Dodge Community School District 104 South 17th Street Fort Dodge, Iowa 50501 http://www.fort-dodge.k12.ia.us http://www.fort-dodge.k12.ia.us (515)574-5676 voice (515)574-5324 fax
Re: [info-tech] Same Questions, different year...
Our students all have google accounts. Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry -Original Message- From: Richardson,Tony trichard...@humboldt.k12.ia.us Date: Thu, 4 Feb 2010 15:40:33 To: info-tech@aea8.k12.ia.us Subject: RE: [info-tech] Same Questions, different year... Take a look at SayWire as a safe alternative to FaceBook. www.saywire.com From: info-tech-ow...@aea8.k12.ia.us [mailto:info-tech-ow...@aea8.k12.ia.us] On Behalf Of Pearson, Jeremy Sent: Thursday, February 04, 2010 3:38 PM To: info-tech@aea8.k12.ia.us Subject: [info-tech] Same Questions, different year... Everyone- I have a few questions I would like to pose to the group for input. 1 - At what grade do you start giving students Internet access? Our elementaries would like to not have to log in to computers as special internet accounts, they just want the Internet to work for them. Our current practice would require someone to log the computer in with an account that would have Internet access. I assume that whatever your situation is, you expect the teacher to still supervise their use. 2 - At what grade do you start giving kids their own personal login, with a home directory and internet access. We are doing home directories at 5th grade, and Internet access at 7th grade. 3 - Facebook. We have 3 interested groups ready and wanting to create a Facebook group or a Facebook Page for their specific group. We have talked about privacy, and what kids post about themselves there and how we as District employees are mandatory reporters. From my limited playing of Facebook, I cannot limit access to specific facebook site, it is either give them (staff only, not students) access to Facebook or not. All or none. Their thinking in wanting to create a Facebook page is because that is what the kids are doing, when they aren't at school. My concern is the privacy and lost work time with people maintaining their personal Facebook, Mafia War or Farm Town creation. Give me your thought, the discussions you have had, and we can kind of go from there. Thanks for your time and help. Jeremy ___ Jeremy Pearson Supervisor of Information Technology Fort Dodge Community School District 104 South 17th Street Fort Dodge, Iowa 50501 http://www.fort-dodge.k12.ia.us http://www.fort-dodge.k12.ia.us (515)574-5676 voice (515)574-5324 fax
Re: [info-tech] Same Questions, different year...
1) 1st grade 2) 1st grade 3) I have wanted to unblock Facebook for a long time, but Parents/ Board/Super say no. I HAVE been known to let kids access Facebook in my office for school projects however. Karl H. Hehr Technology/Curriculum Director South Hamilton CSD www.s-hamilton.k12.ia.us 515.827.5418 (W) 515.209.9767 (C) 515.827.5368 (F) Luddite by Degrees 1) Anything that is in the world when you're born is normal and ordinary and is just a natural part of the way the world works. 2) Anything that's invented between when you're 15 and 35 is new and exciting and revolutionary and you can probably get a career in it. 3) Anything invented after you're 35 is again the natural order of things --- Douglas Adams On Feb 4, 2010, at 3:37 PM, Pearson, Jeremy wrote: Everyone- I have a few questions I would like to pose to the group for input. 1 – At what grade do you start giving students Internet access? Our elementaries would like to not have to log in to computers as “special” internet accounts, they just want the Internet to work for them. Our current practice would require someone to log the computer in with an account that would have Internet access. I assume that whatever your situation is, you expect the teacher to still supervise their use. 2 – At what grade do you start giving kids their own personal login, with a home directory and internet access. We are doing home directories at 5th grade, and Internet access at 7th grade. 3 – Facebook. We have 3 interested groups ready and wanting to create a Facebook group or a Facebook Page for their specific group. We have talked about privacy, and what kids post about themselves there and how we as District employees are mandatory reporters. From my limited playing of Facebook, I cannot limit access to specific facebook site, it is either give them (staff only, not students) access to Facebook or not. All or none. Their thinking in wanting to create a Facebook page is because that is what the kids are doing, when they aren’t at school. My concern is the privacy and lost work time with people maintaining their personal Facebook, Mafia War or Farm Towncreation. Give me your thought, the discussions you have had, and we can kind of go from there. Thanks for your time and help. Jeremy ___ Jeremy Pearson Supervisor of Information Technology Fort Dodge Community School District 104 South 17th Street Fort Dodge, Iowa 50501 http://www.fort-dodge.k12.ia.us (515)574-5676 voice (515)574-5324 fax
Re: [info-tech] Same Questions, different year...
Jeremy-- I am dealing with the same type of issues here. Admin is quick to request I open up the firewall door to these things, and I've accommodated them (although not Facebook yet) but I worry and fret about the ramifications to the students, the staff, and the district. So many of the requests for collaborative web sites are driven by individual teachers, and it seems like there should be a means of evaluating what we'll allow and what we won't, rather than just letting any teacher make any request. 1. We have Internet access at all grade levels in our district, but all access requires logging in, with the exception of one teeny-tiny SpEd laptop that I just put out there, but that's another story. 2. The students in grades K - 4 have simple class logins that are alike for each homeroom. There's a home directory for each of those class groups and some classes use them more than others. Starting in 5th grade, students get their own login and their own home folder. 3. I share your concerns about wasted time. I'm always blown away when I do take the time to look at email logs and Internet usage logs to see how much paid time is spent in what are probably personal pursuits. On the other hand, I think that's an administrative issue to solve, and I have begun to err on the side of allowing access to more and more Web 2.0 tools with the stern admonition to staff that they are responsible for what their students post. I was berated once for scaring the staff, but I stand by what I think is the huge responsibility we take on as educators when we allow our students to post anything publically. If nothing else, it could be embarrassing to the district, and we need to be constantly vigilant. My feeling is that we should spend more time formulating policy before we lean towards fewer access limitations to the Internet. However, there are more than a few who tend to think I'm just getting too old to understand. Come on, I want to say, I've been using Facebook as a way to stay in contact with family and friends for a long time! Looks can be deceiving. And by the way, when was the last time you blogged? :o) I'm VERY interested in this discussion. What's everyone else doing? Sarah Sarah M. Freking, District Technology Director Storm Lake Community School District Storm Lake, IA 50588 Phone: 712-732-8100 Fax: 712-732-8101 The important thing is not to stop questioning. - Albert Einstein info-tech@aea8.k12.ia.us writes: Everyone- I have a few questions I would like to pose to the group for input. 1 At what grade do you start giving students Internet access? Our elementaries would like to not have to log in to computers as special internet accounts, they just want the Internet to work for them. Our current practice would require someone to log the computer in with an account that would have Internet access. I assume that whatever your situation is, you expect the teacher to still supervise their use. 2 At what grade do you start giving kids their own personal login, with a home directory and internet access. We are doing home directories at 5th grade, and Internet access at 7th grade. 3 Facebook. We have 3 interested groups ready and wanting to create a Facebook group or a Facebook Page for their specific group. We have talked about privacy, and what kids post about themselves there and how we as District employees are mandatory reporters. From my limited playing of Facebook, I cannot limit access to specific facebook site, it is either give them (staff only, not students) access to Facebook or not. All or none. Their thinking in wanting to create a Facebook page is because that is what the kids are doing, when they arent at school. My concern is the privacy and lost work time with people maintaining their personal Facebook, Mafia War or Farm Town creation. Give me your thought, the discussions you have had, and we can kind of go from there. Thanks for your time and help. Jeremy ___ Jeremy Pearson Supervisor of Information Technology Fort Dodge Community School District 104 South 17th Street Fort Dodge, Iowa 50501 [ http://www.fort-dodge.k12.ia.us ]http://www.fort-dodge.k12.ia.us (515)574-5676 voice (515)574-5324 fax
Re: [info-tech] Same Questions, different year...
Actually, I lied in my last post. We're phasing our Macs out in this district, but the ones we still have--Many now, few by next school year--have Internet access from the minute you turn them on. None of our PCs are like that, though. Sarah Sarah M. Freking, District Technology Director Storm Lake Community School District Storm Lake, IA 50588 Phone: 712-732-8100 Fax: 712-732-8101 The important thing is not to stop questioning. - Albert Einstein
Re: [info-tech] Same Questions, different year...
I am old fashioned here . . . all computers have a generic student log in that logs them on at start up. So beginning with our pre- school they all have access to the internet. Because CD ROM games became outdated and were for the old Mac OS, and seem spendy to replace . . . online educational games are what the teachers are encouraged to use (and many do) at the computer workstations in their room during center time. All of our buildings have a lab . . . and I know with our new math series there is a web site that goes along with the text/learning/concepts -- so beginning at KDG our teachers are taking kids into the lab to use the online portion of the math series. Teachers and associates are in the labs to assist and supervise students in the elementaries. 4th/5th grade building -- we have a folder for each teacher on the computer and that's where kids save to. Beginning in MS (currently 6th grade) students receive a home folder on the network for file storage. Classroom computer usage is supervised by the teacher . . . we do have a lab at the MS in the library, and so students are allowed to use those during study hall under the supervision of the person in the library. Same scenario pretty much at the HS as MS . . . the labs are for classroom use only. Students use the lab in the library if they need to work on assignments during study hall. Facebook (and YouTube) -- I quit playing the games of blocking it . . . finding kids using back tunnels to get in . . . blocking that . . unblocking it because somebody needed into it so kids could get a video or pictures and then having somebody tell me I needed to block it because kids were on it during their class. There is an AUP kids sign off on . . . if they are inappropriately using their computer privileges there are consequences (just as in the real world at work). soapbox In my mind that's a supervision issue . . . if you allow kids to be on there, don't complain they aren't getting work done. end of soapboxAnd really, there are things here (and other Web 2.0 things) that have information kids need/can use for school projects. As far as creating Facebook groups for school things . . . OK Im a little old fashioned/more conservative on that one. From what I know from using Facebook in the past few months . . . I question how you can have some control over that in a PR/guideline sort of way-- because in the end it is school related. Haven't dealt with this one yet . . . but we had these discussions when taught teachers how do their their own classroom wikis and publish these. -- same train of thought -- teachers having access this year to mass email parents from their gradebook. Currently we allow both -- but on the conservative/what if side talked about how before these things there was always a route to proof things before they went out to parents and the public. Now you go on good faith. Which we haven't had problems, and I don't expect any . . . but you do have to have that discussion. We have encouraged the use of wikis, Googledocs, blogging in the classroom . . . and for PD this year have required staff to post their reflections, etc. on the PD wikis and discussions we have set up. As more and more staff become comfortable using these . . . it becomes easier to set expectations and guidelines for how students use these . . . and I have seen all this as positive to date. But I still think the Facebook thing with school groups is a big risk and can of worms waiting to be opened. (Did I just contradict myself? Probably!) On Feb 4, 2010, at 3:37 PM, Pearson, Jeremy wrote: Everyone- I have a few questions I would like to pose to the group for input. 1 – At what grade do you start giving students Internet access? Our elementaries would like to not have to log in to computers as “special” internet accounts, they just want the Internet to work for them. Our current practice would require someone to log the computer in with an account that would have Internet access. I assume that whatever your situation is, you expect the teacher to still supervise their use. 2 – At what grade do you start giving kids their own personal login, with a home directory and internet access. We are doing home directories at 5th grade, and Internet access at 7th grade. 3 – Facebook. We have 3 interested groups ready and wanting to create a Facebook group or a Facebook Page for their specific group. We have talked about privacy, and what kids post about themselves there and how we as District employees are mandatory reporters. From my limited playing of Facebook, I cannot limit access to specific facebook site, it is either give them (staff only, not students) access to Facebook or not. All or none. Their thinking in wanting to create a
Re: [info-tech] Same Questions, different year...
1 * At what grade do you start giving students Internet access? Our elementaries would like to not have to log in to computers as *special* internet accounts, they just want the Internet to work for them. Our current practice would require someone to log the computer in with an account that would have Internet access. I assume that whatever your situation is, you expect the teacher to still supervise their use. all of our district computers are set to connect to the Internet after desktop has been loaded. 2 * At what grade do you start giving kids their own personal login, with a home directory and internet access. We are doing home directories at 5th grade, and Internet access at 7th grade. grades pk-3 get a shared home folder -- grades 4-12 get home folder 3 * Facebook. We have 3 interested groups ready and wanting to create a Facebook group or a Facebook Page for their specific group. We have talked about privacy, and what kids post about themselves there and how we as District employees are mandatory reporters. From my limited playing of Facebook, I cannot limit access to specific facebook site, it is either give them (staff only, not students) access to Facebook or not. All or none. Their thinking in wanting to create a Facebook page is because that is what the kids are doing, when they aren*t at school. My concern is the privacy and lost work time with people maintaining their personal Facebook, Mafia War or Farm Town creation. Give me your thought, the discussions you have had, and we can kind of go from there. we use lightspeed to define groups/time schedules and do some periodic release on some sites also but it is all getting to be quite a pain -- i don't know the answer to all of this -- i only know that the web is full of useful information and also so full of garbage that i don't know how one can open it all up or try to lock it down i wonder how many of the great speakers you hear telling us to open things up actually have been in a classroom full of 30 teenagers or have had to listen to complaining parents Manson Northwest Webster-Home of the Cougars! Brad Kruse (`-''-/).___..--''`-._ Tech. Coord. `6_ 6 ) `-. ( ).`-.__.`) 1601 15th St.(_Y_.)' ._ ) `._ `. ``-..-' Manson, IA 50563_..`--'_..-_/ /--'_.' ,' 712-469-2245 (li),' ((!.-' Cell: 712-830-9665 Fax 712-469-3131
RE: [info-tech] Same Questions, different year...
See notes embedded in your questions below. (It is interesting reading. Really.) John Kidney Director of Technology Webster City Schools 825 Beach Street Webster City, IA 50595 515-832-9210 515-832-9219 voice mail 515-832-9215 fax jkid...@webster-city.k12.ia.us From: info-tech-ow...@aea8.k12.ia.us on behalf of Pearson, Jeremy Sent: Thu 2/4/2010 3:37 PM To: info-tech@aea8.k12.ia.us Subject: [info-tech] Same Questions, different year... Everyone- I have a few questions I would like to pose to the group for input. 1 - At what grade do you start giving students Internet access? Our elementaries would like to not have to log in to computers as special internet accounts, they just want the Internet to work for them. Our current practice would require someone to log the computer in with an account that would have Internet access. I assume that whatever your situation is, you expect the teacher to still supervise their use. ALL students PK-12 have internet access. No special login. No special permission. However, PK-4 have a grade section common login. All elementary students use the internet at the directions and supervision of a teacher. No personal, unsupervised exploring. 2 - At what grade do you start giving kids their own personal login, with a home directory and internet access. We are doing home directories at 5th grade, and Internet access at 7th grade. Each student receives a personal login and password grade 5-12. 3 - Facebook. We have 3 interested groups ready and wanting to create a Facebook group or a Facebook Page for their specific group. We have talked about privacy, and what kids post about themselves there and how we as District employees are mandatory reporters. From my limited playing of Facebook, I cannot limit access to specific facebook site, it is either give them (staff only, not students) access to Facebook or not. All or none. Their thinking in wanting to create a Facebook page is because that is what the kids are doing, when they aren't at school. My concern is the privacy and lost work time with people maintaining their personal Facebook, Mafia War or Farm Town creation. Give me your thought, the discussions you have had, and we can kind of go from there. Facebook - no way, never. I have had teachers invite students to become friends of their personal site and then wish they didn't. I would suggest Google Groups. It is free. It requires a login and password. You can upload documents to share. Teacher and students can post threaded conversations and reply to posted questions. A teacher would setup the group as the group administrator. No perfect, but free. Saywire is a great social networking/web 2.o website, but is expensive. One final note. If a teacher wants a web site unblocked, they must make the request in writing or by email. I review it and in most cases I will unblock it. However, I inform the teacher that they will be held responsible for anyone (their students and all other students) who get in trouble using it. If an administrator directs me (has not happened) to unblock or stop blocking web sites, I will do so ONLY after they give me a signed written statement that will release me of any possible harm or liability and that they accept full responsibility for student or staff inappropriate use. Thanks for your time and help. Jeremy ___ Jeremy Pearson Supervisor of Information Technology Fort Dodge Community School District 104 South 17th Street Fort Dodge, Iowa 50501 http://www.fort-dodge.k12.ia.us http://www.fort-dodge.k12.ia.us/ (515)574-5676 voice (515)574-5324 fax winmail.dat
