Committee Notes May 2009 (passwords, reset password, Moodle, picnic, admin rights, plug-ins, Office 07, Study Group Web 2.0)
Don’t forget to get Ed Tech/MIET registrations in to me by May 18 at the latest. Your seat will be given up if not received by then. Also, even if not attending, you might want to got to the vendor fair. Many great giveaways at noon June 11.
We will be doing an abbreviated TAGLIT this year of the 16-20 questions that we are assessed on. The purpose is to target individual and building-level needs and provide training based on the needs for next year. Each person will receive a suggested class list based on his/her responses. Principals will be able to review needs as well. Tech Team members will probably be involved in providing training for the buildings or arranging training.
Forced password changes for next year. Each teacher should think up four-five passwords that he/she will use when prompted (every 90 days or so) to change his/her password. Teachers will not be able to use the same one for any of the changes. PROBABLY it will need to be 6-8 characters or more, alphanumeric, but no required caps or specialty characters. Will keep you posted on the rules. . I suggest teachers think up something such as if you had four pets to go with that and add the number representing the order after it. So, first I had Smarty, so password is SmartyPants1, then Fidolicious2, Alfonso3, and Kissums4. Or children’s names or bros/sis, cars, Camaro1, SuperNova2, Chevelle3, Impala4, etc.
Next year, students 6th grade-HS will all have individual log ons. Elementary schools need to decide if they want 4th and 5th graders as well. Keep in mind that forced password changes will apply to students as well as adults, so it will mean keeping track of four or more passwords for each student. Elemenataries need to let Katie know if they want 4th and 5th added.
Speaking of log ons, there is a new tool called reset to reset a user’s password. To use it, you need to log on as username “reset” and password “reset.” Then you will set up your “security questions” the first time and then you can answer those questions to reset your password if you lose it. So, next fall, every teacher will need to answer the questions or else it will take a tech to do a password reset. Teachers may set up their security questions this year –right now—if you would like your staff to get started.
Administrative Rights discussion. Any teacher who wants administrative rights to the district-issued machine that is for teacher use will be able to request the rights through Becky Sullivan. He/she will have to send the email from the assigned computer and agree to the conditions outlined in the email Becky will send. Foremost will be that if the teacher does damage to the computer, that he/she knows there will not be an escalation in priority nor attempts to recover data beyond what is normally done. Teachers who have a laptop may also request rights to the laptop. To request rights on a computer, go to “controlled.gfps.k12.mt.us”
On student machines, Tech Team members will have rights to all student machines in every building (unless you don’t want them, but this will be an all or nothing decision). Also, there will be a PIR class if librarians or others who oversee labs want rights to their student machines. Tech Team members can always say to put in a work ticket if they do not have time or talent to help with student labs. Please let Katie know if you do not feel comfortable with this responsibility. We are looking at increasing teachers’ rights to do things that help kids have time on task. In addition, Mark has built scripts to push out many of the problem plug-ins that render the labs unusable with some programs and sites: java, flash, reader, shockwave and quicktime (quicktime is required to run NovaNet). Flash and shockwave will push automatically when updates are available. Quicktime and Java will require the teacher to go to Control Panel>AddRemove Programs (xp) or Programs and Features (vista) and click on the Install Program from Network (Vista) or Install New Program (xp) See video. Remember that updated Java will mess up the gradebook, so don’t update Java on teacher work stations. So, now if a student runs into Java, Reader and Quicktime problems a teacher can easily fix it as long as the update is not on a computer that teachers use to access their gradebooks. Teachers do not need to log on as themselves. The updaters have an elevated install in them.
Office 2007 at high schools/middle schools might not happen as requests have come in to add RAM to the numerous laptops (admin, teachers, labs). The RAM is expensive and the tech dept. cannot afford both. North may be the exception.
Techs are working after hours on Blitz and Projector project. Building and grounds will be busy this summer and probably will not get beyond East on electricity, so nothing is new on Projectors beyond that. The techs will start refresh again, especially teacher machines at high schools. We will work out a summer plan for other refresh and keep you posted.
We discussed any changes next year and training ideas. Everyone liked the 4-6 time frame and appreciated two different days to choose from. For training, some said they liked Leslie and wanted her again, but no specifics, maybe follow up.
Study group for Web 2.0 tools will be in June 17 (9 a.m.-noon) and August 11 9 a.m.-noon. Feel free to attend one or both.
Moodle: Moodle LookSee May 27 4:30-6:30. Come see how a math teacher uses Moodle to teach her class. We will try to line up an elementary teacher too. Jeff, Katie, one tech and Chrissy Baroch will be attending Moodle Camp this summer. Then we will have Moodle training for the full group the week of August 2-5. Details to follow.
Back to School Picnic August 20, Thursday. Details to follow.