This summer, I will improve my skills by getting training in all the Microsoft Office programs with tutorials presented through TechSets, a Calif Dept of Ed program delivering training. Designed to help IT with technology… if you dig further, under Productivity, there is application training useful to us as well.
I will also continue to post helpful sites found. Have a great summer!
Another Great meeting.
This is LONG, but what can you expect from 5 hours of work?!!
We were fortunate to have our District IT’s Seth and Ryan to explain policies.. and answer questions: (and we kept them busy for 2 hrs!) Seth’s newsletter should have been received on email by all.
Hardware: Remember you cannot remove keyboards, mice while the machine is ON. Please unplug first. And remember to use the Hardware removal icon in the tray for removing flash drives.
Cleaning of computers, headphones, mice and keyboards. For health reasons, this needs to be done frequently.. by the lab techs..with Disenfectant wipes. Students can only keep them DUSTED, no chemicals.
WIRELESS: Some are saying it is not practical for labs.. because many programs are NOT COMPATIBLE. That doesn’t compute for me?? Any comments?
Policy on moving computers: If you feel you are unable to move, be sure they are unplugged completely.. and then, the custodians CAN move them. Have your principal call IT if custodians refuse.
If there is a problem you do not feel you can resolve.. do not hesitate to call IT.
There is a regulation that there will be NO PERSONAL computers on the network. Please comply, and inform your teachers about it.
Software. And Maintenance
Labtechs are to periodically run CheckDisk and Defrag on all the lab computers.
Let teachers know the computers will boot up and run faster, if they do the regular maintenance required on them. They are usually eager to ANYTHING that will help save some time! I have a good website (though old) to help them step by step. I publish it as a handout. As soon as I can find the correct URL, I’ll add it to this and another posting.
If there is an after school computer club that is supervised technically, it is an acceptable part of their training.
If you are using Win 98, there is a specific procedure to use. Seth has sent that file.
Shareware, demos, free games should NOT be installed.on the computers. These often carry spyware, or keycheckers which will slow down the computers. . If it is from a educational site , please check first with IT.
All software must have appropriate licensing. THIS IS ESPECIALLY A WARNING ABOUT SCREENSAVERS, BACKGROUNDS, OR .WAV FILES.
When students use floppies, they MUST BE TAUGHT TO SCAN those each and every time before they are used. (They can pick up viruses from home, etc.) http://housecall65.trendmicro.com
and check A: or D: drives. The District scans all the network computers.
ZENWorks: What is it?? Zenworks is a dynamic, real time controller for applications controlled from the District. It will audit licensing, it can reimage a system, IT can load new programs for your lab.
It will probably do the dishes and washing, too.. but they’re not telling yet. It is NOT on all labs yet.
eDART data: Please ask your teachers to include their own names in the filename they use for their data on the Network! It enables a search to be made when you lose it!
A nice touch is attaching student pictures to their report cards.. learn how to do this so you can show the teachers.
Lab techs should be familiar with using Final Site to create a web page for the lab, and to help teachers do theirs for their rooms. This is a great opportunity for teachers to communicate with parents..(at least, some of them) and for students to show what they can do.
Check with Tracy(read TOM), for your permissions, and how to use it.
RESOURCES AND TOOLS: Please check them all out at the District Resources (for teachers)
SBCEO Portal
TOM can set up a lab account for you, to explore this resource. There is also a student log-in.
It has a door to World Book Encylopedia (FILTERED for Content)
Atomic Learning for great program tutorial United Steaming Videos: Our District has a subscription.. and there’s some great material.
You should download what you want to show, do not use active “streaming”. There is a “bottleneck” at the county site, which prevents good viewing.
CLRN - California Learning Resource Network
http://www.big6.com/ Information Problem Solving VERY IMPORTANT
Someone asked for good GEOMETRY sites… but I didn’t hear any suggestions.. Let’s all research this.
We had some favored sites recommended:
http://www.americanfolklore.net/tt.html
http://www.orchardsoftware.com
http://lib.nmsu.edu/instruction/evalcrit.html
INTERNET POLICIES:
With the use of Email, and Blogs, the schools must teach a clear, District-defined policy, which is PUBLISHED to the PARENTS and teachers.. There is an Internet Pledge which the kids must sign.
If students are taught what is acceptable, it has been shown to improve their spelling, writing, and communication. This is one way for the “quiet” kid to have his say.
We have a District subscription to Gaggle.net. Check with Tom or IT.
In the TechSaavy Forum (link in right column) I found this was useful enough to quote.
While at home you’re free to use the Internet for personal reasons, just as I do. When I use the Internet at home to play games, send e-mail, and otherwise “screw around.” However, when I’m at school I use it for my job, in a professional setting. It’s a tool first and foremost here at school. … it’s a tool first and your job today is to learn. Please keep that in mind as you go about your task.
I recommend you follow the link to an excellent discussion.
It was great to be able to put faces with names, (at least 8 of us)and get to talk together about what concerns us. We must do this again!!
For those of you not fortunate to get the time.. I will try to summarize.. When I miss something, please jump in with a new posting, not just a comment.
First of all.. the idea of a bag lunch didn’t work.. because we were all talking all the time!
(OK, I talked more than most..) Our agenda started off with introductions.. and went directly into more meetings and when was best.. and it was general consensus that we have to ask our principals to give us one/half day a month for TRAINING.. and they will probably be scheduled on a Fri. We will also be looking for a training day in May for E-dart, before report cards are due!
Quite a lot of discussion was on the cleaning and disk maintenance of the school classrooom computers.. with kids not allowed to use chemicals, a good duster and cloth will be a big start. My 6th grade Student techs will be doing this. It seems as if the lab computers will need disinfecting with Clorox wipes, or cloth and alcohol.. which means we have to do it, as often as possible.. especially on min days.
Which led to the realization that we all need to ask our principals to keep the lab closed the first week of school to give us a chance to go to all the classrooms, disk clean and defrag the disks, and check it all out. That will also give the librarians time to update SRI before all the teachers want to give tests.
Tracy asked for input as to what we found works well for management.. and the practice of having the kids stand behind their seats, and wait for directions before sitting down, then having them stand there again, and not be excused until everyone had exited the programs properly.. was accepted as VERY EFFECTIVE!
Also.. to keep a log (in whatever manner you wish) of what is done in each class, so that you know where to start at the next class. I keep mine in Excel and find it very helpful for substituting for each teacher that shares. I was asked to share so I will attach it to an email.. simply because I don’t know how to link it to this (yet). Which brought up.. we ALL need to keep checked in on our Groupwise Email.. for communication.
And I hope all of you will check into this blog to read, even if you don’t want to post.
We did talk about different programs:
We also were given new flashdrives to have for the labs to move data from one computer to another for teachers. and were warned, they can crash!
All in all, VERY productive time spent, considering we only had an hour… Wow, what we could do with 3 hours! Thanks, Tracy and all who attended.
Now, I know there was something else and I can’t think of it. Please help!
from the 70 yr. old dwarf!
Tracy has organized a meeting time for us at the Souza Tech Lab… Wed., the 15th, at 12:30, (a minimum day)
I suggest a bag lunch.. and check with your Admin to be sure you can attend.
After all, it’s our FIRST meeting! and I can demonstrate the BLOG!
In Jan our new color printer ran out of black ink. I promptly put in an order for more.
When I came back to work on Feb 28, it arrived in my box. (about 6 wks!) Apparently, office Depot didn’t stock it, and had to order it. Next day, it ran out of magenta. I ordered some of each color. One printer down, because it will take so long.. and won’t work without it.
Friday.. the old, old laser printer stops.. no toner. I went to the office for a cartridge… No.. there wasn’t one. (BY the way, they stock supplies up front, not in the lab..) Order goes in, ASAP. Meanwhile. both of our only working printers are down. (for an undetermined period) This doesn’t work well, or keep my teachers happy. I learned a hard lesson.
When they do come in, they will be kept in my new cabinet.. so I know what is available.
OH yes, we have a brand new very expensive laser printer networked to be kept ONLY for the teachers to print report cards from their rooms. I guess they will have to call the lab first for us to be sure there are the correct forms in the trays.
.. and I’ve asked for a spare projector bulb to be purchased.. but it hasn’t yet. Wait till that goes out too. Then I may quit!
If you scroll down to Jan 24.. there are the instructions for getting you authorized to post to this page..(and get your own blog space, as well).. Come on, let’s hear from you!
I’m new at this too.. Apparently your comments don’t show up until I approve that they are “fit” for publishing! (This is to avoid Spam on our blog..) which means I have to check this every day! I hope you will understand if I miss some…
Also, ” comments” don’t show in the postings.. you have to click on “2 comments” under the titile of the topic to be able to see them.
OK.. so for you to ” post” something.. I’ll figure this out later.. got to go to work.
Incidentally. we keep our Kinders to one class each day… works well.
Gosh, I hope I haven’t offended anyone.. I had hoped to hear from at least two of you who signed up. Send me a Groupwise email if there’s a problem.
My problem is I have been sick.. VERY sick for two months now.. apparently the “whooping cough” that they used to immunize against as children. Now there’s a mutated adult form which is devastasting, believe me. My dr. finally found the secret to stopping the coughing, but I’m still pretty weak. and exhausted.
Anyone else sick?
I came across this new posting on a site I follow a lot..
www.techsavvyed.net/?p=88
Just copy the URL and paste to your browser.
It’s about “one of those days”!!
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