Various and Sundry Technology

The ramblings of a Tech Director

Where the Ramblings will go…

• The Network as a Community

• Computer Investigations

• Web 2.0

• Corporation Web Site

• Miscellany

The Network is a Community

• Costs– $256,000/year (direct costs and salaries)

– $1,400/instruction day (180 days)

– $50/instruction day/building

– $.117 per minute/7 hr day/building

What can happen to your community

• Let’s say a teacher is downloading a music file and it takes 5 minutes and uses 80% of your network:– They will have consumed $.50 worth of your network

for personal use which is 1% of your cost for that day– Productivity goes to near zero for everyone else– What about that class that needs at least 50% of the

network to do an online activity? They aren’t getting their money’s worth.

Solution to our community problems

• We will be adding devices to monitor and shape how the network is used

• We will be analyzing the use and providing feedback to the schools

• Every computer connected to the network will be monitored – top users will be highlighted. Priorities can be assigned to allow network users more bandwidth (Core 40)

• We are in the cost gathering stage: Here’s a sample: Cymphonix

New Procedures on Computer Investigations

• Computer forensics – what we do when there is due cause to believe that Policy IIBG has been violated.

• Policy IIBG – inappropriate use and indiscriminate use have been main problems

• What we have to change – how the investigation is performed.

• Why? We have to anticipate it being used as court evidence.

New Procedures on Computer Investigations, continued

• Three sources of data can be investigated:– Computers – disk drive– Email – archive dating back to 10/2007– Telephones – “new” system now logs calls

New Procedures on Computer Investigations, continued

• If a problem is suspected with a staff member, the HR Director should be contacted

• If a problem is suspected with a student, the Director of Student Services should be contacted

• The building administrator must prevent anyone from tampering with the computer. This is critical to preserve the evidence and insure it has not been modified. The first line of defense is to dismiss electronic evidence due to any perceived tampering

• The Technology Director will come onsite to confiscate the computer. This can be done discreetly if the investigation is sensitive in nature

• The Tech director will pull the power plug to preserve the data. An exact copy of the disk drive will be made and the computer will be put back into service as soon as possible

• The investigation will continue in the IT Department using the original drive

Web 2.0 – Do you know the way?

• What is it?• How does it work?• How does it affect our kids?• What is our responsibility?• What if they impersonate you?

Web 2.0 – Do you know the way?What is it?

• It’s not a specific thing, it’s the way the Internet is used

• Web 1.0 is basically flat, presenting information as printed material

• Web 2.0 is interactive providing the following ways to communicate:– Blogs – online journals– Wikis – collaborative information repositories– Chat – interactively typed online conversations (IM and

chat rooms)– Podcasts – online videos– Forums – interactive posts based on a topic

Web 2.0 – Do you know the way?How does it work?

• Logon and tell the world who you are:– Blog, video, music, collect “friends”,

communicate, it’s all about freely expressing oneself

• MySpace:– Originally a site for musicians to create a Space

to promote themselves: Celtic Thunder– Now a social network: A Friend's Daughter

Web 2.0 – Do you know the way?How does it affect our kids?

• Some use poor judgment:– Impersonate others to be cute– Put controversial information or photos online

• For others, it’s a popularity contest:– Quantity vs. quality: friends

• Creates an opportunity for online predators• For some, it is a healthy form of self-

expression

Web 2.0 – Do you know the way?What is our responsibility?

• Katie's Story – courtesy of Web Wise Kids• The signs to look for:

– Victims are “looking for love” because they are not receiving it through their support network or are going through a tough transition period in their life.

– Withdrawing socially

– Receiving nice gifts on a regular basis

– Spending a large amount of time online: do they minimize screens or turn off the monitor to prevent an adult from viewing?

Web 2.0 – Do you know the way?What if they impersonate you?

• Get the specific URL of the page• Send an email with the URL in the email and

request that the page be removed and explain that a student is falsely impersonating you. Include your name and title. You must use your VCSC email account

• MySpace: schoolcare@myspace.com• MySpace guide

Corporation Web Site

We’re finally catching up

Miscellany

• Technology purchasing

• Moodle – online assessments

This ‘n That

Tech Updates

Telephone System• 911 fix• Online directory• Adobe version of directory• Voicemail instructions• Conference Bridge• School Group VM for night attendant• Training – submit online request• Call rollover?• Online resources: Tech Director’s page

Gmail• Gmail options:

– Pull down menu– Archive– Conversations and working with individual messages– Spam “folder”– Chats– Stars– Search– Labels– Filters

Gmail, continued

• District Calendar

• Documents

• Start Page

• Resource pages

Other miscellaneous

• Technology purchasing: email Phyl pjb2@vigoschools.org or call at 11900

Thanks!

Q & A