NCTIES 2011

Conference Website:
http://www.ncties.org/conference/index.html
NCTIES Conference Schedule: http://2011nctiesconf.pbworks.com/w/page/36285054/Concurrent-1-and-Technology-Fair-1

Hey,  The following are a list of sessions that I attended and took notes--realizing I was taking these "on the fly" please excuse any grammatical errors, but I did try and go back and edit a little.  The purpose of these notes is "for the record" and as a resource if I need to go back and check something I heard and likely won't remember.  I will blog later about the top five or ten items that I feel will be really useful to me...You know how conferences are:  If you can take just a few good things away then it is a success.  For me, these conferences always inspire me to try new things, share new things and mainly learn from my wonderful colleagues who were there with me!  Thanks, Tanya, Erin, Cathy, Barbara, Gina, Jenny, Sandy, Jeannie, Lelsie, Maryanne, Peggy, Nanette--You all are the best!  John

Hooked on eBooks! Using eBook Readers to Promote Reading and Impact Achievement.

Prezi Presentation:  http://lib-girl.blogspot.com/2011/03/hooked-on-ebooks-presentation-for.html

From choosing the right device to evaluating their success, participants will learn how to integrate eReader devices, (such as Nook and Kindle) into classroom instruction in ways that engage reluctant readers, integrate 21st century skills and impact achievement for all learners. Session materials will be available online.
Target Audience: Elementary, Middle, High, K-12, Administration, Other
Jennifer LaGarde, New Hanover County Schools
Christine James, New Hanover County Schools

Youtube video--high school that bagged textbooks for e-readers:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5jf-dfN4fU

"Kindle, Nook and more educators"--resource webpage
Buffy Hamilton in Georgia--Kindle Program--google her--link is on

They went with the nook (Barnes and Noble--because they have onsite training at the store for their teachers, and you can walk in the store and get support)

They bought 30...$150.00 each--no discount--no tax free weekend. either.
Someone said--Durham would give a discount--

Tammy Worcester, Featured Presenter 11:10-12:10: Firday (11:10)

Blogging, podcasting, digital forms, shared calendars... it sounds overwhelming, doesn’t it? In this session, Tammy will show you how easy it is to go digital in your classroom. Using some fabulous free web tools, you will be able to share student successes, communicate with parents, gather feedback, organize events and more -- all in just a few minutes per week!
http://www.tammyworcester.com

go digital...is her handout for today's session.
Make a "sandbox blog" to play, to demos...
blogger.com --must have a gmail account...
You can set up an email account to have email content, like pictures, etc. sent directly to the blog 
Could have students post pictures from cell phone camera...for example.
You probably don't want to allow "live" publishing...save emails as "draft Posts" and then you can decide to publish or not...
Each blog that you create you can generate a separate email to send content to...
You can embed many things into blogs...for example sound.
vocraroo:   http://vocaroo.com/widgets.php
Online voice recording software--need a microphone, click record button, allow...You can get the html code, or embed code,  copy code,  edit in html tab of blogger...put some instructions to say something like : click on triangle to hear my message
The great thing--It's on their server, so not having to save high MB files...

Blogger added something else about a year ago (Ability to add pages or tabs along the top of your blog)--go to posting tab--choose EDIT PAGES
You can add up to ten pages about your blog...
More information on widgets:  http://theedublogger.com/2010/10/21/top-widgets-for-the-sidebar-of-your-class-or-student-blog/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheEdublogger+%28The+Edublogger%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher

It then adds those pages as tabs to the top of your blog...

Google maps:

put a map of your school on the blog, create a custom map under my maps button
on the map, add a place mark, and give a title,etc.
go to upper right to "LINK" choose the html to embed on the website,
paste the code in the "about our school" tab...
You could have kids do this..."flat stanley project"
track the location of battles...etc.
For kids to be able to use custom maps, students will have to be logged into a google account,  could have a generic google account

Google docs--  doc.google.com
she used a google spreadsheet for online lesson plans...
across the top, the subjects
Could then embed the spreadsheet into the blog
go to share menu, choose "publish as a webpage", chose the sheet you want to publish,  choose to publish as html to embed in a page
can create a new sheet in each spreadsheet
you can duplicate the spreadsheet to keep the colors etc.
then in your blog, go to html tab, and paste the code
you can play around with the sizes in the html code..

Google calendar is great--you can embed your calendar in your blog...
beside one of the calendar names, click on the triangles and go to calendar settings and it can give you the html code and  paste in the html tab.

Tammy has an entire help on embedding various things into your blog
You could create a twitter account just for your classroom, and
you can add code to add google translate to your entire blog

Prezi 101: Replacing Your Static PowerPoint Slides with an Interactive, Dynamic Canvas  9:10-10:10

Tired of your static, linear PowerPoint presentations? Want to create an entirely new type of Flash-based presentation that uses a map layout and zooming to engage your students? Join Patrick Crispen as he shows you the tips and tricks behind Prezi, a relatively new presentation-creating tool. You'll even learn how to get a free Prezi 'EDU Enjoy' account that will allow you to make your presentations private and even remove the Prezi watermark.
Patrick Crispen, Featured Presenter

Prezi Help is so easy and well done...
Creating hierarchy with size on a "canvas" --there is depth and scale
Prezi  accounts
CHOOSE Student Teacher on the bottom left corner--you can make the content private and your logo instead of Prezi's logo on it, and you get 500 MB free...
It is a cloud based solution, it is all on-line and works on mac/pc

edu/enjoy account
Limited number of fonts is actually a nice thing
The ring of the "zebra" allows you to change the (inside ring) font
The outter ring allows you to rotate
The lack of design types is actually a liberating thing--not so many choices and forces kids to focus on the content
If you get stuck in a mode, like color selection, just click up on the home circle
Try:  http://www.gaggle.net/
You can link to video sites if youtube is blocked, you can also convert using something like anyvideo converter to flv file types, 
but thing to remember...
You have to click on the edge of the frame to move a frame...
Tips:
click anywhere to start typing
double click to edit existing text
done typing:  escape key works for getting you out
There is unlimited numbers of "UNDO's" during that session.
cntl c and cntrl v do work too
http://prezi.com/learn/
http://prezi.com/learn/keyboard-shortcuts/

Setting up a path...with arrows and lines
space bar to always get the bubble bar back...
Show mode to see how it works...
list of known issues:  http://prezi.com/learn/known-issues/  (have your teachers read)
Something about changing an "s" to a "t" for a power point show that is online and you want to be able to edit it...
Prezi meeting--allows you to invite someone to view your presentation...
can also invite someone else to edit it!
Barbara Sasso recommended:

Format Factory to convert Youtube videos...

http://www.formatoz.com/

Towards Best Practices for Integrating Web 2.0 Technologies in the Classroom  8:00-9:00 Friday March 4

The sheer number of the available Web 2.0 technologies and tools is incredible. For non-tech-savvy educators and teachers just beginning to integrate technology into their classrooms this fact can deter them from even trying. This session will propose a number of best practices that are emerging from our research with teachers of technology.
Target Audience: K-12
Matthew Kruger-Ross, North Carolina State University
Lori B. Holcomb, North Carolina State University

View Michael Wesch’s video on YouTube exploring Web 2.0 ideas at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gmP4nk0EOE

Choose 2-3 tools and commit to them...(prezi--for example--use their help on their site)
join that community since they have the most enthusiasm and knowledge of it--Ask for help!
People are afraid to ask questions on google for some reason--just type in a question on google and you will probably find the answer.
Passwords:  review these passwords management tools

People to follow on twitter:
David Warlick
Follow Richard Byrne on twitter--from Maine--
follow Matt the speaker: @mjkruger on twitter
evernote--remember everything...
Has to be sound pedagogy and must have several backup plans...technology is just the tool
TPACK--research framework/theoretical framework (technology/content knowledge/pedological knowledge--where they all intersect)
Dean Shareski--Google him!  Education is all about sharing
Don't assume....KIDS ARE NOT NECESSARILY DIGITAL NATIVES

Location: 307,  3:50-4:50--What are you glogging about: Maureen Davis--Albermarle Middle School
What are you ''Glogging'' about?Maureen and her daughter spoke about applications in both elementary and Middle School.  It is very easy to add text, audio, video, links and digital images on glogster which is a basically an in-line poster maker.  She suggested you set up accounts on edu.glogster   (http://www.facebook.com/GlogsterEDU#!/GlogsterEDU?sk=app_10442206389)


Glogster.edu is a site where students can create interactive, collage style posters. A ''Glog'' can include text, audio, video, links, and digital images included in Glogster library or upload your own. Learn how you and your students can create online posters and embed on your web page, blog, or wiki. Giving away 2 month FREE Teacher Premium Glogster License to participants while supplies last & Grand Door Prize = FREE 1 Year Teacher Premium Glogster License
Target Audience: K-12
Maureen Davis, Albemarle Middle School / Stanly County Schools
Brooke Davis, Aquadale Elementary / Stanly County Schools

Link to presentation:
http://mckeon.edu.glogster.com/ncties-presentation/
as opposed to just glogster.com
Follow glogster on face book with more ideas:  http://www.facebook.com/GlogsterEDU
(Sorry Tanya-- I lost my notes on this one--wireless network failed, and this is all I have)  But, she bascially went through the different ways to add text, pictures, links on glogster.  She also talked about how easy kids took to this platform and ease of use, etc.

Bethany Smith--Will Ipads replace Laptops 2:40-3:40
The answer seems to be depends, Bethany outlined the pros and cons of both platforms:
She did a poll:

http://transparentlearning.blogspot.com/

Here's a blog Bethany wrote on it:
http://transparentlearning.blogspot.com/2010/06/ipad-vs-netbook.html

It comes down what you are using it for, the limitations of flash (which ipads don't have).  Battery life is a great advantage of the ipad, portability and convenience.  She said that some of the upgrades of the ipad 2 are enticing like the fact that it will have a built in camera for skype, it is thinner and lighter!

Disadvantages--the lack of microsoft office applications?--not sure that is such a big deal with google docs, etc, but for some people it is a deal-breaker,

lack of flash programs,

and possibly keyboard or lack thereof (tho you can even get a keyboard built into your ipad cover!

Keynote Luncheon:  Rushton Hurley
tinyurl.com/RH-NCTIES11
https://sites.google.com/site/rushtonatncties2011/
Rushton--guest lunch speaker--tons of free stuff...
Google advanced search
Saving time, and have students download three power points on say...India, and critique them instead of making a power point on India--Saves time!  Isn't that the point of technology??
Have kids make videos on the things you teach!

From Leslie Fisher's ( http://lesliefisher.com/ ) Talk at NCTIES:
Gadget

Are you a gadget head? Do you surf the net or listen closely to geeks talking in hopes of hearing about a cool software product or gizmo? Leslie Fisher (Gadget Freak) will show you some of her favorite hardware and software gadgets that do everything from make your life easier to provide piles of fun. Hardware, software and even completely off topic gadgets will be discussed.
Target Audience:
Leslie Fisher, Featured Presenter

Here is here presentation:  http://www.lesliefisher.com/handouts/gadgets_2010.htm

Eventbrite.com--great way to manage events on-line!
Rockmelt.comhttp://www.rockmelt.com/—a smart web 2—based web browser
Based on google chromium
Also puts up the rss feeds on the tab on the right
Invite only—she has 250 invites
Go to rockmelt.com—I would like an invitation—You can be lesliefisher.com—click on the facebook friend.
Google voice free –sign up and you get a free number, and someone calls it and they get a message, and you can get a voice mail to translate the message and you can set up a number, you can set up groups and have numbers forwarded without parents knowing your number
Primarypad.comhttp://primarypad.com/—started as etherpad
Primarypad.com/ncties--great place to take notes in the cloud!
Go to her website and download her google presentration
Twitter:com goodies
Profile widget
on twitter ---Can be used to update website
Evernotes.com

• One location for all your notes. Synchronizes your notes to all your devices…everything goes to the cloud

Dropbox.com (2 GB for free) and can share your folders with anything else
Great for sharing large presentations…
http://www.ustream.tv/
post videos live as they happen
http://www.weebly.com--awesome/

• website platform, and so easy to use!
• googlesites is a little confusing at times…Hall Davidson is from Discovery Network has a page –looks kinda bad--she showed us how to make a page...
• Many different designs
• Google weebly for education

Cloud Backup

• http://www.mozy.com/
• online encrypted backup for mac or pc
• amazon s3 is another cloud backup
• pogoplug.com
• is a cloud based hard drive
• enabling people to see your pogo –works like drop box
• uses wiki or Ethernet to post your personal cloud 99$
• Mac people:
• Orbicle.com/undercover
• If your mac is stolenwill secretly transmit the ip and router information
• Take it to the apple store and the apple people will confiscate it
• Orbigle is based on when you tell it to turn it on
• Novadevelopment.com
• Clipart.com –can purchase by the week/month year and can download as many as you want…
• Istockphoto.com
• 15% off coupon
• 90% are royalty free

Digital Cameras Leslie’s favorites:

• In between camera—sony NEX, has interchangeable lenses…500-700
• Selling very quickly
• Sonycybershot HX5v
• $349
• She is sony focused
• To her its all about the menu…right now her favorites are Sony and cannon
• Camera slow: you probably bought a slow card
• Rating 2, 4, 6—your card is affordable….
• Want a category 8 or category 10
• Lexar 1GB 133x speed
• Or extreme 111

Photo-services:
Try smugmug.com
Free-$99.00
They also have a non profit
Hardware gadgets:

• http://www.neatco.com/
• scanner to capture receipts, tax receipts
• start at $199.00
• Pinacle PCTV HD pro stick…
• EYEYV Hybrid
• Can record shows and bring into school
• Sling Media
• External box that hooks to yur home theater no matter …broadcasts the signal to your pc
• Netflix is killing your internet connections everywhere…
• Hulu.com
• Boxee
• Home theatre nut
• Logitech harmony one
• Nanowatch band
• Ipod hoodie??
• Swipe
• http://www.swypeinc.com/
• use one continuous motion to enter text
• irock:

game changer:
every major text book editor is signing with the ipad
favorite apps
proloqou 2 go
star walk
istudiez pro
1-2 punch—her other favorites
Newsrack and Instapaper
Goodreader:
Soundnote: record your notes
Ipad cases
Dodo case looks like an old copy book—might make it a little less conspicuous
Quirky cloak
Hard candy—protective case
Clamcase
http://www.getageadase/
blue tooth microscope for your ipad
the square reader_ swipe attachment for iphone
for phone: introducing word lens
translates—hold in front of a sign or whatever, take a picture and it translates what's there

Tech Meeting February 24, 2011

Marlo Gaddis—Meeting last weekend at Kimmel Park elementary school on Promethean Boards went well (This was advertised on the TBT)

School Wires:

• Things are still better than we were a month ago.
• Continue to send in a ticket (the more that come in with the same problem then it raises the level of concern)
• Some are seeing the following issue: User Options and sign in, and the message that the “server is not operational”
• Tell Teachers to keep hitting the “sign-in” button and they should get in…or make sure the actually click on the sign in button as opposed to just hitting enter.

Surveys and Forms should now be working!

Bully Patrol survey is now on every website under Quick Links: This is a district wide form, make sure to make any other bully forms inactive.

• Format for the e-mail that gets generated by the form…is a little “cramped” they are working on that issue..
• The e-mail is set to go to: Only two people per school: Principal and SRO (has to be cleared through Kenneth Symington (e-mail says it comes from Marlo Gaddis)
• Now, the email function is working, SPAM had been catching all the e-mails now, it shouldn’t be.
• Webmasters--Don’t make any changes to the bully patrol survey, don’t add any names. We do have access since it is on our site, but do not change!
• There will be a bully patrol on the district site at some point; but currently, no one wants to claim the e-mail for that yet.
• Marlo, is sorry for the delay in that form getting out…

ROTATING PICTURES ON THE MAIN WEBSITE: 

• If you go to site manager—then Overview section of the homepage
•  There has been a problematic issue with home page pictures—there is a new method (Marlo sending out a message to webmasters about it today )
•  If you did not follow directions, and did not load pictures, then your main page pictures will be blank
•  Full Proof way –Marlo handed out directions…
•  From Site manager,
•  click on Overview
•  Rotating images app
•  They took the file library function, and applied it here
•  click on “new file” button
•  You can edit ones that are already loaded…but you will have to download and re-upload
•  File name is just for your reference, and will not show up anywhere but in the name
•  Description –anything you type there will show up in the black box below the picture.
•  Author: You can paste a link in that field to link that picture somewhere
• Select file to upload, must be saved locally (If you want to use files currently in the files and folder, you will have to download and re-upload)
• Pictures--should be 640/265 or smaller—some really good online editing sites to do that—and Marlo will post in the TBT this week…(such as http://pixlr.com/ )
• You can do a start and end date to specify when the picture will display.
• Take pictures landscape and make sure you leave room for the zooming effect.
• Friday, March 11th this new method will go into effect 

Right now if you go to:

TOOLS

FILES AND FOLDERS
and Home Page FLASH FOLDER

• You will see the picture files currently displaying on your page.
• No limit on the number of pictures…But, Marlo suggests three or four pictures…chances are people will not be in the page for that long…
• You could make certain pictures active and inactive depending on the time of the year.
• You do have the ability to sort—hopefully that changes the order in the rotating images.

 CASHED SITES/Bookmarks

• Still getting questions from teachers who bookmarked their old site…People are still editing in the old and it does not show up in the new.
•  Make sure their address does not have c1 (for centricity 1) in the web address—that’s the old site
•  Safest way is: to go to the district site and log-in and go to edit from there.
•  The shortcuts/links on desktops to school homepages should be fixed soon
•  Teachers ability to push to other calendars should be coming soon…You now have the ability to make collections but Marlo has not tested it yet.

Way to Comment on a blog…go to “advanced settings/app optoion/social settings”—never have comments go live without approval…

Community Editing—allows you to turn anything into a WIKI—then you have two more tabs—Community Editing rights…for TEACHERS (not students yet)

SOCIAL MEDIA AND INTERNET SAFETY presentation:
Steven Anderson, Melissa Edwards, Sam Walker (Presenting at NCTIES--location 306-C concurrent session #4)

Side note from Steven: On-line Professional Development Catalog from Learn NC ( http://www.learnnc.org/lp/media/pr/ele_pd_catalog_spring_2011.pdf )—Pick one up…for those teachers desperate for tech credit

• Safety and Surviving in a Social Media World: Learning in a Connected 21st Century School Community…
• There are several policies that already govern appropriate behavior.
• Allison Tomberlin, is the General Counsel for our School District now
• Did you know 4.0?—We watched that video (it’s on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ILQrUrEWe8
•  Highlights: Google digitizes a 1000 books an hour (Google scholar)
•  There are now more cell phones than computers in the world now.—look at the Middle East protests—are banding together with social media—means Social Media is very Powerful
• We need to teach our kids how to do this—handle social media appropriately!
• Technology should be integrated in all subject areas—and using social media needs to be a part of that.
• Kimmel Park maybe the first school in the state to include social media as a component of its SIT Plan
• First did a survey and asked some basic questions about Social Media (They got 804 responses)
• Found from the survey results…94% have access to computer…91 % with internet access wither at home or family or community location. 66% say they don’t have Face book accounts..
• They talk about rules Rules for Home Use:
• What is Web 2.0?
• interaction with the content…
• People can now take control of what people are saying on-line
• People did not really know what web 2.0 was.
• Melissa—focus is to show ways you can positively involves students and people in the web 2.0 world…
• Dangers: bad content, cyber bullying, inappropriate content, BUT we have been Chris “Hansoned” to death (referring to the Dateline NBC guy who talks about the online predators…. FYI, 99 percent of sexual molestation happens from a family or friend not from on-line contact.
• Having access to real time information is critical.
• Most popular social network for kids--webkinz, club penguin, Neopets
• “How America Works”: manual/routine tasks have gone away, abstract tasks keep going up—using social media gives our students the skills they need.
• Kimmel Park added a SIT goal of the need for students/teachers to look at social networking from a point of view of educated safety.
• Faculty needs to model the proper use of internet resources.
• Kimmel Farm is a PBL school and will use that to address that to control your digital footprint (a trail left on the internet)
• Need to teach kids to control their digital identity from an early age. And protect others too (not expose their friends) .
• Technology skills curriculum applies to everyone.
• Book –“Digital Citizenship in Schools” is a basis for the areas of focus.
• Lessons to keeps students safe…
• live binder on all of this—on kimmel farm website:
• http://wsfcsel.schoolwires.net/Page/28194
• Edmodo is a great platform for training kids on social networking..
• http://www.edmodo.com/

 Bill Park is here from community Center development/Winston Net:

• They have had several Saturday classes going…
• call 703-4138 to set up a class
•  New Flyer –On Free Computer Classes for Adults…

Kevin Sherrill—Updates

Carla Miller—Surplus pickup time is here again  Equipment that is no longer in working condition.—On the web portal there will be a folder that you will need to fill out—information for tech facilitators/request for information:  https://webportal.wsfcs.k12.nc.us/sites/Techfaq/Information%20for%20Technology%20Facilitators/Forms/AllItems.aspx?RootFolder=%2fsites%2fTechfaq%2fInformation%20for%20Technology%20Facilitators%2fRequest%20for%20Information&FolderCTID=&View=%7b0BFCF5B2%2d820C%2d49E9%2dA3EE%2dE7216DE91925%7d

• This will be published by Monday  for spring 2011
• You must check the spreadsheet out and (notice the green arrow showing that it is checked out) by 3/14
• As much information as you can possibly list the better (serial numbers especially with computers)
• Then, check in the file again so Carla can see it.
•  She will give you about two weeks—around March 14th—must have spreadsheet submitted.
•  Not using the same company for surplus pickup—they are working on another process for TV’s but they are not part of this surplus. Goodwill only take working TV’s—EMAIL Carla and cc CL…
•  They will take laptop batteries, and non-working overhead projectors.
•  Email Carla if you are not sure your spreadsheet gets submitted.

KEVIN: technology is working with maintenance to try and combine systems—they are meeting weekly to offer better support for things like TV’s…etc. If you have TV issues at school. From now—all those issues need to start to use the ASSIST tickets for any of these concerns.

• There is a two year warrantee on the LG TV’s and Kevin is looking at an extended warrantee on those as well.
• Ticket type is HARDWARE/Category has been added for TV Monitor
• On replacements, Reagan has like 50 TV’s that are no longer used (because they were outfitted with the new classroom solutions)…decision was made to leave the old ones in place until others are needed to be replaced at other schools. The classrooms are essentially storage facilities for these TV’s that will be used when others breakdown.

Trend Micro-Update: Buddy has a visual aid.

• They have been updating to Core Protection Module—rolled out to over 20,000 machines
• Some things they have been learning…older machines with lower memory. are not “playing pretty” with updating the “Core protection module”.
• Laptops that come in are sometimes having trouble updating on wireless…Don’t forget that laptops are disabled from logging after 90 days if they are not brought in…May have to plug them into Ethernet to do the update quickly.
• Need 512 MB of Ram for this to install properly. Try adding memory to old net vistas. Or re-imaging them…or both.
• Just remind teachers to bring laptops in and log on preferably with a wired connection.
• If you see the broken line, you might try installing from AICP, it will say Core Protection Module after it installs correctly.
• Core Protection does stays “active at home” …
• Sandy Holt: Is there a way to tell which machines in your building do not have the update? Buddy will check into that…
• Document from Chris: Troubleshooting guide with steps to do : under technical documents on the web portal…

https://webportal.wsfcs.k12.nc.us/sites/Techfaq/Information%20for%20Technology%20Facilitators/Forms/AllItems.aspx?RootFolder=%2fsites%2fTechfaq%2fInformation%20for%20Technology%20Facilitators%2fDocuments%2fTechnical&FolderCTID=&View=%7b0BFCF5B2%2d820C%2d49E9%2dA3EE%2dE7216DE91925%7d

• Windows 2000 machines—there are still about 200 in the district…issues with them and the Core Protection

School Servers: Kevin:

• Space/storage issues, and they have come up with a proposed “server virtualization process”:
• Data Center over the summer was new…
• “Vitualize”: means “vmr”-ware” allows you to take physical boxes and share hardware resources among many. They have four physical boxes running 48 servers—housed on 1 equipment rack.
• Planning is proposed for now since funding issues remain an issue. All agree servers will not last forever, and there is a NEED.
• Buddy: current school server model…7 years ago they were new, but keep adding applications, but now you have kids doing all kinds of social networking that has to distribute many more IP addresses. Only allow 1200 per V-lan—they are getting full…We are at the point the “world does not fit in our servers”.
• DNS service—makes it so you can go to google without having to go to a number—it’s a database service that uses memory on the server that allows that webpage to come up (DHCP) All our print services, home directories, etc. come from the DHCP
• There are also power costs considerations that support us getting new servers, hard drive replacement costs are high too, etc.
• So, the plan is to take /migrate all 76 physical servers out there to these virtual ones, and can consolidate to ten domain controlled servers. We will use ten virtual servers…To manage all school servers.
• All applications will be run from one application server.
• Home Folders and Staff Share/Student Share folders will be hosted on another server
• We will be asking teachers to move all data to local flash drives so when the move happens it will be “clean”--More information on space on servers:
• V drive is the “previous versions” drive…
• The Ping Pong—Desktop management is going "bye bye"…When new move—the windows 2008 will manage all the resources—no longer the ping pong :)
• Teacher and hopefully student quotas will be increased as well
•  Power consumption will be decreased.
• This will be labor intensive—over the summer—servers will be shut down—will have to put some kind of limit on office staff—can not have un-limited space for office staff.
• Another draw back will be reliance on the WAN connectivity.
• May have less drive mappings, but will be more consolidated (so there may not be a K drive but it might be part of the S drive.
• Pilot schools will be chosen to test—printing across the WAN

Issues??

• Internet Speed has improved from earlier this year when School Wires was so slow
• “Boot storm”: happens ever morning with the SSO…and slows down log-in times
• They will provide the information to teachers when it is time to back up h drives

Betty Weycker: Bandwidth Report: Given to teacher Advisory Committee a couple of weeks ago, so you may have heard about this already:

• Computer refresh and server refresh is keeping Betty up at night. She can not wait for the state and race for the top "cloud"
• Bandwidth usage Report: we are up to nine times the band width usage compared to the average in the past:
• https: is NC-wise bandwidth usage and it is showing a small percentage of total bandwidth--so we can't blame NCWISE for hogging the bandwidth
• Unknown devices: things like laptops, i-phones, ipads that people bring into school and connect to the network may be hogging bandwidth.
• Jefferson has 379 unknown devices –They are using the bandwidth…One problem is they know the code for the laptops…All it takes is one kid to know the code. Teachers have it too. 
• Another problem is Betty can’t be "anti-Web 2.0…"
• How to provide resources securely…She is going to explain to principals on Tuesdays…
• This is not a “gottcha”—we have to get together on this. 
• We pay for the bandwidth and people are essentially stealing it.
• 19,000 unknown devices system widethat are hitting the network that are slowing the network down
• Betty knows we have to learn how to allow for other devices. We can not allow teachers and students to get on the network with private machines at this time.
• They have to change the web code for wireless access--going to have to go with a more secure code. 
• If you know of purchases going to be made in your school, let Betty know. Just because the grants are out there does not mean you can use it on our network. 
• Kevin—going to the more secure code that will be distributed through WPA2 wireless security. http://www.ehow.com/how_5962601_do-wpa2-key_.html
• The codes will not even be given to us.
• Unknown devices out there: There will be new policy by the school board to not allow access to the network.
• These numbers are just a snapshot on a single day. 
• Kevin can give you more information—that is a log on the wireless

Parent Assist:

Charlie Cole has a background on NCWISE…

We are only one of three systems with Parent Assist…Charlotte/Winston are the only ones with live parent assist. They may not move forward with any other LEA’s on parent assist.

• Attendance—unexcused codes –found that parent assistant—if there is not a code in there, under excuse then does not show in the detail. With the update, if they don’t put the code, then parents don’t see detail.
• We still have teachers who are not “posting to parent assist” check box.
• Parents then see the change in the average…
• it’s ok to place future dates, but changes in the averages show on parent assist—if teachers preference as blanks count as zero then the change in average will occur.
• Preference to check for rounding is also throwing some teachers off—they should have the check box checked for rounding.
• The Null Column is the current year to date average of all assessments entered into NCWISE….current average is the average for the quarter.
• Charlie can come out to do training….

Technology Facilitator Meeting January 27, 2011

It was the "Perfect Storm" of technology problems--Betty Showed this Youtube video if you want to watch it again :)

Though, NCWISE upgrade was fairly seamless, Parent assist had some issues, was down for a few days and the link changed.  Pa.ncwise.org

School Wires went plain badly!
Network issues also cropped up, at first they might have not caught it because it was semester time (much higher volume) but later learned that there were issues way beyond their control…Our break was an Internet server problem in DC or Philly?
Yesterday afternoon the bandwidth was a little better.

Reminders:

• Remind teachers that they have to post to parent…Teachers can’t show what they want to show because the averages don’t add up, and parents will catch it and start calling :)
• Teachers now must enter codes/reasons for absence within three days!.
• I-tunes with DPI videos—Betty can’t unlock itunes for right now. Encourage teachers to look at home for now.
• Budget, only had one meeting for now. There is a recommendation that Theme money be reduced to $20,000
• There will be avenues to express your concerns…
• It also impacts her staff…Double whammy if she looses resources and school resources.
• Atomic learning…some schools are not using at all..maybe cut, but then again maybe what we need when there might be less tech support next year?

Kevin:

• IP Phones: Send e-mail to Brian or a ticket for fixing extension names etc if your school is on the list
• Daylight savings time patch has been updated, will cause a problem with calendaring with Blackberries. Same with Lead Secretaries if they put items on the principals calendars. Call service desk to get the patch. If you find a machine not patched, then you will have to also have service done on the blackberry.

Work Order System/Assist:

• Speed should assist based on the improvement in bandwidth speed
• If there is a category you feel the group would need, send it in…
• reminded that you need to re-assign to Service Desk only
• On IT purchases, assist tickets will be directed right to Kevin.
• Encourage teachers to add a comment to existing tickets if tickets are not being addressed. (rather than submit another one)
• You can also cancel tickets if you figure out on your own …(it asks you to give a reason for cancelling

Question: about core protection module on the WFU laptops from Sandi Holt…They will get hit eventually as they are brought in once a month or you can run it through AICP? (someone is that correct?)

Find out for Tanya where to order the Dell long-life Battery…(I ordered with the new Dell Latitude 2100 laptop and asked for the battery with the enhanced life--lasts up to 8 hours. I spoke with this guy at Dell:  "Sean M. Lough" Dell@Education.dell.com   Sean Lough Inside Sales Representative K12 & High-Ed Sales

Dell Inc. 512-513-9314 OR 800-274-7799 x 513-9314 office 512-283-3586 fax )  He said the standard battery is still 3 cells but because of the processor difference and the power savings associated  the 2110, the new laptop gets and average battery life of 4 hours and 58 minutes (he admitted that this was optimal, maybe less than that) The 2100 netbook (also with the three cell battery) supposedly got 3.8 hours of battery life. Sean said he though the 6 cell battery (the enhanced battery that quotes a life of 10 hours and 13 mins--optimal) would work with the laptop carts designed for the latitude netbook)

Marlo: School Wires Upgrade Updates:

• non-negotiables are still in effect--Trebuchet is still the district font!
• In defense of School Wires, We were one of the biggest districts and users to go through this up-grade. More training dates are available for webmasters--morning and afternoon on Feb 9 & 10,  and on the 14th (morning only) 

Some advantages from the upgrade--

• You no longer have to navigate, to your page if you are a teacher and you sign-in to school wires, elementary teachers have to be on an elementary site for that to work.
• Groups: Only relevant if you are going to protect a page You as a webmaster can create your own groups, tho Marlo will create staff groups for all the schools based on what’s in personnel.
• Webmasters now have the ability to unlock users
• Navigation/old hierarchy is now drag and drop compared to the convoluted way it was before the upgrade. 

Known Issues:

• linking in tables--problems with that
• hyperlinking an image is an issue
• NCREPORT CARD: url has capital letters in the web address, but when you create a link in Quick links (and quick links only), it makes everything lower case, so that is an issue because NCREPORT card distinguishes schools by capital letters in the web address.
• Sometimes pasting from word, it will merge words.
• Forms and Surveys: some schools not receiving the e-mail saying you have received a response to a form. Speaking of forms, Ignore bully form issues, Marlo will be sending that form to all schools
• Flash Pictures on the Main Page, Marlo will be sending out directions, and a video soon.
• Hierarchy of editing--who controls what:  Flow chart (she will post this power point on the web portal
• Collections: has to do with calendars…have not been setup yet but should be by February. You can push down calendar items to teacher calendars—don’t need to get approval. We can push up with approval to district calendar.
• Page Types: With School Wires before the upgrade all pages were set to one column.
• You do have ability to set to two or three columns (Marlo does not recommend it tho)
• APPS: For example, you can add a calendar in one corner, a form in another corner and directions for signing up in another corner (all by adding “apps”)
• Page types are also called “apps”
• Marlo feels like “assignment pages” are under used, you could also use assignment pages for to do lists for PLC’s or School Improvement teams to do list.
• Photo-Galleries are easier now--They can be added as a separate school wires page or as an "App" to an existing flex page
• Marlo mentioned changing the homepage by clicking on the little drop down arrow underneath the picture of the house in Internet explorer and choosing add or change homepage so that the correct address for school wires is saved)
• Issue: If link on the desktop no longer going to the homepage. There is a “friendly url” for everyone’shomepage. Marlo has a list of the friendly url’s From now on, they will use the friendly URL for links.
• Mentioned that the link for Parent Assist changes, and if you had an old link on a page that you created, then the link needs to be updated.  https://pa.ncwise.org/
• Marlo and Site Manager: "The View Website" brings a window (black box) up and all you have to do is hit the x to get out it as opposed to before when you sometimes ended up exiting out.
• Issue with contact tab in account settings, have teachers check to make sure their e-mail address is correct--especially new teacher.
• How do I?” There is a section editor workbook, Interactive video tutorials, were they have you work along with them, it's not just watching a video.  Also don't forget Learning Village--Melissa has posted a bunch of links to resources on School Wires
• Statistics, you can check statistics on any section, teachers can also check on how many people are going to their website.
• When you go to edit a page, it brings up an overview box, and you can choose apps on that page (have to hit down arrow key) to see all of the apps.
• Important box is to make sure box for “activate on my page” it defaults to be on, but if it’s off then someone has clicked it off.
• Also must check display bullet image if you want a bullet to display for quick links.
• Calendar: recurring events --now have ability to choose weekdays, and choose number of recurrences and does not include weekends.
• Viewers: gives you the ability to keep a master calendar, and have certain events only be viewable to certain people (teachers could also to this for parent conferences, etc for a team calendar, and make those events only viewable to teachers)
• Anytime you protect a page, then people need to log-in to see the link. If you are going to protect page, train teachers to always sign-in when ever they go to our website, and this will happen more often as central office learns to use different features like this. (You could have landing page that says in order to see pages you will have to log-in)
• Comments on colors for the calendar--they will be working on that.
• Channels—little bubble now where you see the number of pages in that channel--so for example you can see the number of teacher pages in that view.
• Use the search, start typing your page and you can search.

Editors and Viewers tab: 

•  If teachers have not been assigned rights to their own page you can check under this tab
• Files: If you look under tools/ Files and folders (note that some files maybe under folders on the left
• Marlo, best thing when editing links on a flex page is to remove the link (there is now a remove link icon)
• Another button now is “remove formatting” that can be helpful if you copy and paste from another program and there were problems with formatting.
• You now have a button on the right called “DESIGN” and click on that design button and you want to add an app for example a photo-gallery.
• Under “more” button under users you can emulate users to see what they are seeing.
• You can unlock and lock a user by filtering to find a user and then clicking on them, opening their information and then taking the check box off locked.
• Groups: Don’t get "group happy"--Really only use if you intend to protect pages
• Today’s Power Point will be in the web-portal under documents/schoolwires/centricity
• Workshop Proposals: Steven Anderson has created a “School wires update” workshop in the workshop registration system--you can copy those proposals and make your own.
• Spring calendar is posted on the webportal:
• Feb 7th—quest Atlantis all day 8:-3 with Brian

Betty Weycker--final words:

Accommodation training—how to put accommodations in NCWISE..not for teachers…
more and more requests for Lotus notes accounts, request for email accounts, etc. It has to come from HR, and if they are never in HR, then they are never added.--Betty is holding off on dealing with those tickets

Alert Now: a person called the Superintendent’s office about a number being removed. It can be removed from the district, but many schools have local spreadsheets and if that is the case then you have to manually update those...

 The database from NCWISE to Alert Now is taken out every night.

 Staff is being pulled from HR…Home field.

Lenovo T-61 (Wake Forest Univ. Teacher laptops) laptop issues



 
Daniel Bryant our 6th grade math/science teacher offered the following solution for a couple of "display problems" with the new laptops


The first issue deals with the icons and writing on the new laptops being much smaller than on other computers. The second problem occurs (sometimes) when using Function F7 to transfer your computer display onto a projector. To try the solutions to one or both of these issues, read on below.

  

1) Writing and Icons are Too Small on the Desktop…
To solve this problem,

 

• click on the Start Tab and go to Settings and Control Panel .
• Next, double-click on the Display icon, and then press the Advanced button in the bottom right corner of the new window.
• You will see a highlighted drop down box titled DPI Setting . Currently, your setting is probably set at Normal Size (96DPI) . You want to click on that drop down box, and change the setting to Large Size (120DPI) .
• After making the change you will be asked a question acknowledging that font changes won’t be made until windows is restarted.
• Click OK . Next click APPLY in the bottom right corner of the box.
• Another question will pop up asking if you would like to skip loading new files and just stick with what’s on the computer. Click YES. Finally, if you are not prompted to do so, restart your computer for the changes to take place.

2) My Projector Only Shows My Background after I Press Function F7

 

OK, here is what has mysteriously happened… When you pressed Function F7, the laptop not only transferred your screen onto the projector, but it also changed your display settings (anyone interested in what they became, feel free to email Daniel for an explanation). I’m not sure what causes this change to happen, because I used Function F7 many times before this problem suddenly started taking place. Here is the Fix:

 

In the bottom right-hand corner of your laptop screen is a small green button that shows as NVIDIA Settings if you hold the cursor over it.

 

• Double-click this NVIDIA button.
• You will get a pop up window.
• Hold your cursor over Quatro NVS 140m (Display 1- Digital) ,
• then move it to the left over nView Display Settings .
• The “Dualview” setting is probably checked,
• but we want to go down and hold the cursor over Clone ,
•  and then click on Laptop Display + Analog Display
• Finally, the computer will ask if you are sure that you want to make these display changes.
•  Click YES .
• Clicking on this should return your computer to the correct setting so that you can see what is on your laptop and what is on the projector at the same time.
•  If it is only showing up on one or the other, press Function F7 again.

 

 

 

 

 

Parent Assist Issues

FYI, During NCWISE maintenance weekends” parent assist” is not accessible either.
List of Maintenance Weekends:

http://www.ncwise.org/documents/maintenance/NC_WISE_Maint_Weekend_Sched.pdf

Also, even before the maintenance weekend, I have been hearing about parents having difficulty accessing parent assist. ( https://pa.ncwise.org )

Unfortunately, there is not one simple answer as to why someone might be having difficulty accessing Parent Assist. However, having heard of some problems and possible fixes from various parents this week, the following are some possible solutions:

1) One quick fix is to start fresh try another internet browser, and then use that new browser only for Parent Assist. Why might that work?—because browsers can get corrupted by various spyware, tool bars, and the like, and starting fresh can be away to deal with those issues without addressing the other issues that are affecting your computer. A couple of good browsers that have been suggested to me are:

Safari: http://www.apple.com/safari/download/

Mozilla/Firefox: http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/

Opera:  http://www.opera.com/download/

2) Another suggestion might to be to clean up your internet explorer browser. Depending on your internet explorer version, you might try the following:

From an open internet explorer window:
Go to the menu
choose Tools,
Internet Options,
advanced tab
select RESET (under reset internet explorer settings)

Warning, this will generally reset your homepage and other customized settings, but can be a good clean sweep if you were having other IE problems.

Another good thing to occasionally do is:
Also under Internet Options,
but this time under the general tab
choose “delete”: to remove temporary files, cookies, browsing history, saved passwords. This can sometimes make a program like parent assist work where there were problems with it loading before.

Otherwise, there is a Parent Assist FAQ site on WS/FCS’s webpage:

http://www.wsfcs.k12.nc.us//site/default.aspx?pageid=769

List of Maintenance Weekends:

http://www.ncwise.org/documents/maintenance/NC_WISE_Maint_Weekend_Sched.pdf

If you come across other suggestions that have worked for you, please let me know. I did speak about navigating to different grade views in parent assist in the weekly memo. http://weeklyhappeningsattjms.blogspot.com/2011/01/january-10-14.html

Saving Favorites/Bookmarks in the Cloud

I recently got an e-mail from a teacher whose Internet favorites were not carrying over to her laptop as they should according to our school's network policies. Since it was the holidays, and I could not get to her machine for a few days, I suggested the following:

I don't use favorites (I put my most frequently used links on an i-google page, so whenever I log-into any computer regardless of whether or not it is school system machine, I can get to my most frequently used links) i-google also allows me to customize my default home page regardless of the browser so that I see the same gadgets and same favorites anywhere I log in to a computer!  Here's how to set it up:

http://www.wikihow.com/Use-iGoogle

Once you have that set-up, one of the gadgets you can add is "favorites/bookmarks" and then you can add those frequently used favorite links so that they will always be part of your i-google homepage

More information on working with a google homepage:
http://www.wikihow.com/Set-Up-a-Google-Personalized-Homepage

Here's a How to on Social Bookmarking:
http://www.wikihow.com/Use-Social-Bookmarking

And, here is a current list of social bookmarking sites:
http://www.social-bookmarking-sites-list.com/
and another list:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_social_bookmarking_websites#Social_bookmarking_sites

But anyway, getting back to the specific question of moving bookmarks/favorites from one computer to another,  there is a way to export favorites to a file so we can move them to your new laptop.

What you would do is...from your main desktop computer where you currently have many favorites (at school for example)  navigate through "my computer" to the following location:

C:\Documents and Settings\"your user name"\Favorites

Copy that star looking folder called favorites, then go back to your laptop and paste the contents of that favorites folder to the dame location on your laptop:

C:\Documents and Settings\"your user name"\Favorites

Another way to move favorites/bookmarks is to do whats called an "export/import": (again you would have to go back to your desktop computer in your office)

From your Internet explorer menu, You go to:

• File
• Import/Export
• Choose "export to file"
• Choose "favorites"
• Choose a location--like your flash drive

Then once that is complete, you would do the same thing essentially, but this time:

You go to:

• File
• Import/Export
• Choose "import from a file"
• Choose "favorites"
• Choose the location on your flash drive where you exported earlier

Hope that helps...

:)

December 2010 Technology Facilitator Meeting

Classroom Solution Demo:

 

Brian Pie:
CPS/Mobi:

 

First message you might get about opening a database on a network server—just click yes to that message.

 

You have one database for the year, and it likes the database on the C drive

 

You can load CPS on your computer at home (from the website), teachers can save files on their thumb drives and then bring them in from home and over-write the one on the C drive.

 

So, best thing is to load the database on the C drive

 

Another setting to check...

• Go to Settings menu
• Delivery options
• Receiver tab
• Put the check to Power off the clickers…

 

Battery question: heaviest users—take about a year for the batteries to go dead.

 

Prepare tab is “Create”

Lessons are tests

Team activities tab—like Jeopardy type games

 Reports tab: there are tons of different reports you can create…

 

Can you import students? have to get your data manager to export your class files, so probably easier to just enter them manually

 

Research shows that if students get instant feedback, they perform better

 

You can do verbal engagement too, it's not just multiple choice.

 

CTE teachers should already have lessons (tests) made

 

These are generation 2 remotes—pulse—can do text answer up to 140 characters

 

Issue with text answers—they have to be worded exactly to get them right.

 

"FAST GRADE TEST": You can use a paper copy of a test and just use an answer key in CPS and have students take test.

 

You can also print a study guide out.

 

Engage Tab: Now we are going to take a test, teachers have to put a check ?

 

Modes:

 

• Teacher led test,
•  student paced (test in front of them and a remote)

 

until teacher ends test, they can change their answer as much as they want

 

• Student practice mode

 

Many schools have generation 1 clickers

 

Have to use version cps 5.62 to use generation 1 remotes

 

You can create lots of different types of graphs

 

You can add audio or video to a question…

 

Report tab: most recent reports on top:

 

Generate—most common on the top, reports are generated in PDF format

 

Kevin made the point about the sound being one of the most important component of the classroom solution, someone mentioned having the kids come up and speak with the sound enhancement, another person mentioned many students have hearing issues that are not on their IEP.

 

The sound needs to have the instructional cart for the placement of the AMP

 

Using zoomit to zoom and focus in on something on the screen

 

Brian: “Workspace”—google zoomit

 

You can also find zoomit—under teacher applications

 

Cntl -1 will zoom

 

Cntrl-1 takes you back out

 

Menu in workspace for mobi:

• go to preferences
• change size of tool bar,
• tool bar settings
• check to change to size 40

Also change advanced settings to show more items in the toolbar

 

Pen:

 

Math teachers love the mobi for moving around the room

 

The workscpace program wants to save it to their H drive (if teacher H drive is full—it will crash)

 

Problem: pens need to seat well inside the mobi or it will not charge

 

Icon for the charging battery for the pen on the mobi—make sure that is showing when you “seat the pen”

 

Might need to turn the pen just a little to make sure it is making contact and charging.

 

e-instruction will send you a courtesy pen if you have problems with them

 

Customer service for e-instruction (888) is fantastic –call them if you need anything: 888-333-4988

 

Gallery for –build the gallery database is not accessible sometimes…Chris is working on that problem…

 

Use your camera tool instead and capture any image out there…H drive too full can be a problem too…

 

Make sure teachers H drives are not full…Can you direct to C drive?  Chris may have fixed this default problem

 

But when you are creating files on Mobi, don’t load the interwrite content

 

COMPUTER SKILLS TEST for 8th Graders:

• Steven and Doreen will give us the list of kids who need computer skills test
• No proctors but they do have to have mods, they will be entering kids in atomic learning
• Go into my trainings, my assessments
• 48 questions randomly assigned, so they may have different questions
• After all the scores come in…we do not report scores—district will handle all the reporting…Principals do not handle it!!
• Data is not always accurate, so let Marlo know if there is any issue…District will handle the one big upload.
• All we have to do is check the list schedule the test, let them know When we are finished—you can test anytime before April…
• Not part of any gateway, no one is looking at it. Only reason we are doing it is because of federal dollars.
•  It is a really hard test—indicates teachers are not teaching 21st century skills…but it is an eye opener to what we are not doing in schools.

Betty Weycker

 

2006 bond construction plan: (plan was developed in 2004)…

 

• Reagan
• Parkland
• Sherwood Forest
• Rural Hall
• Sedge Garden
• Glenn
• Downtown Elem

 

Plan is ....is, if they finish this summer, then Walkertown HS/MS and other schools coming on…

 

As of today, 2012 plan is to start doing all the classrooms in the district.

 

LCD Monitors are less expensive and less man power to install then the promethium and smartboard systems

 

Issue dealing with teachers who don’t want to leave their classrooms, some will take place after-school. Some issues with construction and nasty conditions behind boards that they take down.

 

Kevin—Technical side issues

 

Chris Corbin

 

Trend micro came up for contract last summer, and they looked at it.—wanted an all inclusive package for scanning malware, etc. Will still have the little blue bubble—"core protection model" now when you hover your mouse over it. Will do real time and manual scans. Still use malwarebytes as a backup.

 

Other benefit, laptops will do pattern/definition updates at home!! Yeah!!

 

 If you ever go into the running processes you will see “BESClient UI.exe”

 

And "BES console"

 

Don’t close out of those processes, still have the regular office scan pccntmon

 

At some point, Teacher laptops will need to come in to be updated to this new version.

 

They now have four office scan servers…

 

May get an e-mail from Chris asking teachers to bring in laptops, or may get an e-mail from Chris asking you to re-image a machine because of difficulty uninstalling and reinstalling the new client

 

New “core protection model” is built in to all current images.

 

AICP utility has been updated:

 

• Ticker box at the bottom has updates on it, cleaner interface without the tabs. 
• Images have been watered down somewhat, so may have to use AICP a little more…
• Check box AICP will be coming so you can install several items at one sweep.

 

T61 new WFU laptops

 

Inter-video playing the sound not the video, solution USE VLC instead…

 

Mobi workspace problem—writing a 95 MB file to teachers H drive, the fix for that is a a registry script fix that now writes “workspace” gallery now to the local C drive

 

It is now set to go to inter-write folder/workspace content, file does not get built until you run the gallery…When teacher builds the gallery, they have to re-build it…registry key is now there that will point to the gallery on the C drive

 

Dell mini—jumping around fix is on the webportal…

 

question:  Exam view with CPS? Chris will look into –Exam view is very weird about their licensing—they are locked down.

 

Profile sweep is coming up –the 13th through the 17th: Use the utility to check your computer. For all class room machines.

 

Anything with an "I" will get swept…

 

Buddy Martin:

 

Many tickets lately about missing machines…need to make sure compu-trace agent is on your machines—especially laptops

 

Go to AICP utility—( CTM web utility) To do a test call (password) is password to test a call…

 

180 day moratorium on missing computers…

 

Kevin: Just a few minutes on ASSIST…

 

• Process improvement committee update:
• Now e-mails have more information on them—
• ticket number at the end…
• speed improvements
• simplified categories
• will be moving data to our data center…to see if it improves speed.
• Email subject line has ticket number now,
• Service project has employee name, etc.
• There will be much more detail in the sub category..
• Christmas Break –Assist will be down for a few days (around the 29th)  while they update the new categories, etc.

 

Brenda Bourne:/Human Resources Page of our website: —

 

Emplyee User id number is the ten digit number that your principal should have provided you  for use with the on-line evaluation process, (data managers also have this under teacher list (not the six digit payroll number)

 

• First default password is 123456
• Refer password problems to Brenda Bourne (MS/HS) or James Lucas (elem)
• This is for help with teachers who need help with this site…
• All schools are using this…to evaluate teachers…

 

Every observation can now be seen by the state admins and superintendents. Peer observations can be done on here too.

 

If you go to DPI’s site,  go to:

• departments,
• professional development,
• on-line evaluation system:

 

http://www.ncpublicschools.org/profdev/training/online-evaluation/

 Common Question:—tried to print, will not print—under FAQ—there are suggestions:

 

Here are the FAQ links:

http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/profdev/training/online-evaluation/faq.pdf

http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/profdev/training/online-evaluation/faq2.pdf

Now signed in…Peggy D. asked about doing a peer evaluation…

 

Betty—teachers and admins are going to come to you with questions—a check box is their electronic signature—remind them they don’t have to print it…

 

Jackie Pierson—they are re-writing our job descriptions once they do that--Media Coordinator or Tech Facilitator will have to use this instrument. (if you are career status then you just use your PDP) Otherwise you could have to use this depending which year you are on your cycle.

 

Marlo Gaddis: School Wires

 

Working on "centricity 2" update:

 

Two Pod-casts from In-touch—weekly off the instructional technology page

 

"Instructional technology unplugged":

 

http://www.wsfcs.k12.nc.us/22351032313571730/podcasts/browse.asp?a=399&BMDRN=2000&BCOB=0&c=86939&22351032313571730Nav=
&NodeID=4407

On intouch blog: Be checking it out for the latest:

 

http://wsfcsintouch.blogspot.com/

Upgrade taking place—mostly on December 29th:

 

As of December 14th at 4:00 will not be able to use Site Manager on School Wires—

 

The upgrade rocks....!!

• They are completely re-building the platform
•  Now Site Manager, will automatically direct them to the pages that they can edit.
•  Site Manager: Will require more training…
• Passport rights: we will now have the ability to unlock your own teacher accounts!!
•  Users: look under “more” and you can “emulate” user…without having to know their user name and password
• New version can create your own groups so that roles can be customized for secured pages-- A protected page for example that only a certain group can see.
• Webmasters will be scheduling for January training
• Hierarchy will now be drag and drop!!
• New page types for now "APPS"
• More than one calendar per section will now be possible, can even have more than one calendar per page
• APPS are drag and drop…
• Can change existing page types without starting all over
• A team can make a calendar that can be shared…Can now have a separate calendar that only a group in your school can see…
• We have a sandbox site, and they will create accounts for webmasters for the month of December.

AGAIN, Dec 14th after 5:00—No SITE MANAGER…

 

CL there are strawbridge CD’s down stairs

 

MTAC: password matrix—will retrieve it and update it and get it out to you…

 

TAM Upgrade—NCWISE first major upgrade ever—we don’t have much information. Program director for NCWISE is no longer there.:

 

Betty is worried about the impact, there is a link on Technologywebpage:

Dept of technology/ncwise link to the docs that they currently have on the upgrade…

 

http://www.wsfcs.k12.nc.us/22351032313574277/blank/browse.asp?a=383&BMDRN=2000&BCOB=0&c=87717&22351032313574277Nav=
&NodeID=4528

Stipends are coming ($1000 is still in effect)

 

Betty has no idea for Theme monies for next year—not had their first meeting yet.

 

Mail box scrooge! Please remind teachers not to send personal greeting e-mails !!

 

Everyone understands that there will be no inotes e-mail on an IPAD—flash issue :(

 

So people that get one for Christmas, no i-notes—flash required pages will not show on IPADS

 

Next meeting...January 27th

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add Lucy to my tech buddy friends…