Tech Facilitator Meeting October 2011

Today’s Meeting: http://todaysmeet.com/tfoct11 (follow this stream, and see questions and answers)

• What are QR codes? (We used it to get to today’s agenda on a Google doc) http://web20classroom.blogspot.com/2010/12/qr-huh-what-heck-is-qr-code.html
• Common Core standards: http://wsfcs.pbworks.com/w/page/47310209/ITES
• You Tube for Educators: http://www.youtube.com/education
• Staff Development Catalog: http://wsfcs.k12.nc.us/technologypd

Family Business:   Tyron Williams last Friday was his last day—went to Charlotte


Standard Core Technology Standards

• Lots of scenarios depending on your role—we need to be open minded
• Common Core and Essential Standards Training: Monday, Oct 31 
• Combined Media and Technology at the meeting
• Each Media coordinator and tech facilitator will receive 18 contact hours of professional development in the information and technology standards
• Your role in essential in implementing the standards
• Media and Tech Facilitators are not the people responsible for the curriculum!—Teachers are the ones responsible for the curriculum
• Our role is to share the information with the teachers
• We will be at Morgan Elementary—Try to carpool as much as possible—it is up for registration since last week.
• Morgan: 8:30-3:30 (hour for lunch) go out if you like—meeting is in the multi-purpose room

Agenda for the Core Standards:

• Brief overview of the five standards, focus on the first two for this meeting
• If you are classified, what do you do? (Board Policy—licensed personnel are the only ones who have to come, can’t mandate calssified to come, but Marlo recommends you come to help support your teachers)
• TBT Message was send to make sure you have your laptop fully charged. May also bring your galaxy and fully charged.
• You are not taken away from your common core area if you are teaching in one of the other areas. (if you teach something else, or have alternate certification, talk to your principal)
• We should have fun on Monday—it’s Halloween—if you want to dress up, go for it.

What is your Vision for Technology?—ten minutes
http://www.online-stopwatch.com/

• Make technology more relate-able to students who have so many tools already
• Good stream of comments on todaysmeet…
• Needs to be student centered, with teachers actively engaged
• Should Improve student achievement
• Technology should be invisible
• Should make the goals easily accomplished
• http://it.ncwiseowl.org/accountability/north_carolina_educational_technology_plan/1113_sstp/

2012-2014 Technology Plan

• Oct 7 began drafting
• Oct 20—shared with MTAC
• Oct 27 Shared with Tech Facilitators (This is a start, not in stone)
• Nov 4—DOT reviews draft
• Nov 15—draft due to DPI

• As part of the Paper Work reducation act: State took requirement for tech plans away, but because of e-rate (federal money) still must have an approved tech plan, also for grant requirements…
• Plan needs to be clear and realistic and include professional development plan.
• Must assess hardware needs, and include a plan to monitor progress
• Look into Future—two year plan (as opposed to five year plan)
• Imagine it is 2013…what’s going to happen in your classroom?

Each group at today's meeting was assigned one of five priorities of the tech plan
http://bit.ly/wsfcstechplan


Our group had # 2—Develop a comprehensive sustainable LEA plan, comments were gathered and collected for input.

Youtube for education?

• http://www.youtube.com/education
• Question is: Should this be something we try for teachers?, knowing not everything will be available.
• It is uncharted waters is why it is a concern mainly because of federal money requiring a safe webfilter.
• You tube is just getting this started, not a ton of content at this point
• Don’t want to be the bad guys of giving something that is very limited.
• Other impacts: bandwidth issues
• Two weeks for tech facilitators to test it, and provide feedback

Edmodo: 

• There has been some good use of it in schools 
• Don’t forget to join the tech facilitator group on edmodo: join code: o80vh8

Microsoft Outlook Live (change to new e-mail)

• Intro: to alleviate some of your concerns…
• Steven is not training you, you can’t log-in yet
• You are proficient enough to use outlook if you have used other email services
• Everyone will use the web version of outlook
• They have handouts/moodles already created
• Global addresses will be loaded
• Calendars can be public and shared with anyone
• Good task feature, flagged emails go into tasks
• Contacts: global address book will be loaded.
• Email groups will be determined by active directory
• If we are being real, January 3rd is a critical time period—opening 2 new schools over the holidays! There are only 6 days to make the conversion--Two new high schools--this has NEVER happened before in mid year
• They are considering postponing email to over spring break
• If they were not so nice, they would just start it tomorrow with nothing saved.
• They are going to move what they can and that makes the process more complex
• What about semester change? January 24th?  Problem, there is Common Core training around that time :(  (many communications associated with that)
• Another issue--all the devices (500 mobile devices that have to be dealt with) 
• Betty will inform us of the progress in their decision
• Once we change the mail domain direction, it’s all or nothing (can't have two systems up at the one time unless you changed the domain name
• Thought about changing to wsfcs.net but already owned by someone in Australia
• From 30 days out they will start migrating over and then do an incremental loa
• Features of Lotus Client?: Street Files, etc. These are some of the complexities, domino applications are having to be recreated and web-enabled, vacation/leave request had to be rebuilt, titan, purchase requisition has to be rebuilt. Blackberry going away to a droid.
• If it was just email, it could be done much quicker

There is a WeB x on the change to a different Printer utility: 

• Your technicians have or will be out to train tech facilitators on the new utility. 
• Web x is on the tech facilitator web portal
• Chris will take us through the Utility:

Buddy Martin/Chris Corbin Show

• New Printer utility is better and easier: Printer Management Console
• Will get you console, will be available on KACE
• Your school will pop up when you open the console
• Simple tools to use, you still have printer groups with machines in them
• Assign them first in the new console, then you can get them out of the group 
• (in the hammer, you see groups container, inside printer container are the list of machines printing to a printer) 
• Select them all and remove them after you get them done in the utility.
• Don’t worry about deleting from utility; just take computers out of the printer group.
• Chris: If you have printers present applied to the user profile through the group while they are logged in…you may see both
• so while you are transitioning you still may have to apply the printers in the new utility
• It won’t hurt to have two printers, 1 applied by the new utility, and 1 applied by group policies…
• This new utility will solve the issue of shared staff with two different schools.
• There are help videos on the new console.
• Recommends a profile sweep, you can request one, and there is one scheduled before winter break.
• If you need a K drive, request if you need
• Yearbook drives (I drive)—in order for yearbook users who have permissions to those folders, machines have to be in that group too. 
• You can do this yourself, by adding member machines to that yearbook group
• Same thing with CTE machines, they need to be members of CTE group
• They will keep data as long as they possibly can, but will purge the older folders first, and let you know first if you need to go clean up old/unused stuff.
• Teachers server quota is 300 MB, and get warnings at 285 MB
• Send a KACE ticket if you hear that they have gotten a warning and they will send you a screen shot of where—they have saved all their stuff!! (shared drives, etc.)
• You can show owner’s files in a folder…right click in folder and “show owners"—Good tip from Chad Booth :)

Computrace: 

• login is your email address, password maybe generic one, unless you have changed it.
• Can use it for missing machines, can freeze a machine remotely.
• Web x on computrace--Buddy may do one..

Kevin:/ithelp/admin:

• You will see a new tab called assets
• Categories: for example: printers—all the information on them can now be seen
• Technicians will document printers 
• You can use it to start maintaining inventories in your school
• Inventory will not be there since they are discoverable…
• Export out of destiny? Possibly…Kevin will check
• KACE: There is now a time closed column
• Default ticket cues—Service Desk people are looking at it everyday…and then pushed out to tech facilitators daily.
• User survey email, do we need them? Kevin will contact Kace.

Project Updates:


• Race for the top wireless infrastructure roll out has begun
o Contractors are in schools working
o Nov 4th in the evening to install wireless controllers in the data center
o 65 or so schools to do…
o Will be coming behind the contractors in the schools updating the access points—All in an effort to get ready for the student


Betty: SAS Portal:

• Principals and AP’s have access to the SAS portal
• Reports Principals can now get:
• Assignments posted not posted to parent assist
• They can get teacher and assessment not posted! Wow!
• Remember average will change for parent view even if assessment is not posted
• Principals could cut and paste. And send to a teacher…
• Go to SAS for course failures too
• This was shared with MS principals

NCTEST:

• Middle and High Schools will be affected first with end of course testing
• Window opens Oct 31—will share specs of computers that are required. 
• Read aloud tests will require the use of a CD…(issues with thin client machines not having CD’s)
• Vendors: coming to schools –there are policies about that, Print Management people need to identify themselves
• Triad Electronics sent a mailer to schools—if you contract with triad electronics, don’t send her the bill (for projectors)
• They should not have sent that letter. 
• DOT will continue to manage repairs for projectors, mainly switch them out (from schools that have refitted with newer equipment)

Web x’s:


Other topics you feel are important, send them to Betty so a web x can be created.
Donation for CL: They gave over $600.00 to the family for a child…
Subs using technology? Long term subs get rights to log-in, but daily subs should not.

Edmodo Excitement



The teachers at SE Middle School were recently trained in the social/learning networking site Edmodo. There has been an enthusiastic response to the platform, and I am excited about what this new tool will mean for student/teacher/parent interaction in a safe social learning environment!

Mandy Durrence came out to our school and did an excellent job explaining what Edmodo is, and presented the following rocket slide show:
http://portal.sliderocket.com/AQKTJ/Edmodo_District_Intro_Web

Teachers learned about setting up groups (classes) and joining communities to expand their learning networks. I already joined the computer and technology group and learned the power of posting a question and receiving responses from all over the world!

Edmodo has opened up a whole new way of thinking about how we as teachers interact with our students. One area that I can not emphasize enough is the need to have clear and pointed conversations with students about appropriate on-line etiquette and the consequences if they do not comply (students can be set to read only status for example).  I offered the teachers the following resources:
50 crucial rules for students on online etiquette:

http://www.onlinedegreeprograms.com/blog/2010/social-media-etiquette-for-students-50-crucial-rules/

Teaching commenting skills to students:

http://educational-blogging.wikispaces.com/How+To+Teach+Commenting+Skills

I posted a thread to my computer and technology group on edmodo and received the following stream of suggestions on this issue: (this illustrates one of the great features of edmodo--how you can easily share a threaded discussion like this)

http://wsfcs.edmodo.com/post/35365091

Edmodo also has a fantastic Help Section ( http://help.edmodo.com/ ) with screen shots and easy to understand directions for doing various things. There are a series of guides that you can also print out and keep handy. Even the WS/FCS district "In Touch Blog"  ( http://wsfcsintouch.blogspot.com/search/label/Edmodo  )  has an entire series of posts on edmodo that are interesting and very informative.

Finally If you are a teacher at my school, I posted a number of these links including the book mark that Mandy handed to you during the workshop and a printable version of the on-line rubric for student postings on our staff shared drive in the following location: S:\StaffShare\staff development\edmodo


I am looking forward to seeing where this new adventure takes us!

September 2011 Tech Facilitator Meetings

Betty Weycker:


CL Marshall...Will be missed!
tribute to CL: very sad :(


New on Service Desk: Cameron Cook
Gail Barnhart NCWISE
Amy Shoaf—New NCwise Trainer




Kevin Sherrill: many changes made over the summer


• Definitely aware of all the issues…
• Most of the changes revolve around the server consolidation program, the move to windows server 2008
•Printing was tested and tested, but it ended up “biting them in the rear-end”
• Things have gotten a little better each week
• Kevin was a teacher and a tech facilitator and he does know what it is like...
• The way we managed printers was recommended by vendors, and there is a better and simpler way to add printers.


• They will work with each school individually
• One domain (wsfcs) very large network, 30000 machines, 65000 user accounts, almost need two domains because of the size of our active directory tree
• Age of machines is not helping either :(
• Chris, Buddy, and Sherry are working very hard (80 + hours a week)




Carla Miller Start about surplus/print management, etc.


• Spreadsheets will be posted by the end of the week on webportal
• Process to let them know you have equipment
• Technology facilitator webportal:
o Info for tech facilitators
o Request for information
o Your level, and school folder
 Surplus for fall 11
 Pull down, check document out
 Then open and edit
 All non functioning equipment, this goes to companies that recycle
 Type of equipment, model, serial number, fixed asset, machine name, esn if available (computrace number)
 Then save and close it, asks you to “check in file”, it saves it back and check it back in
 Please complete by October 15th, cannot guarantee it can be received after the 15th
 Looking at changing the company who recycles," Scotch Recycling" picks up everything but TV’s
 Looking company who will do it for free
 Monitors (old CRT) have to be disposed of in a different way
 Do go ahead and list TV’s , Jackie will work on this now
 Hold on to laptops that work but are not workable with new network


• WPA/Laptop Re-imaging


o Some have put in tickets for laptops that need to be re-imaged
o She had one temporary employee (if you have a vast amount (15 or 20 or more), put in a ticket, otherwise re-image on your own if you just have a handful
o Two patches were given (Microsoft patches, one and two) Assume image does include those…so okay to put them on, but they are also “pushing” down the patches.
o Re imaging was an attempt to kill two birds with one stone (clean them up too) and get SP3
o There should not be any remaining access points with WPA
o The education building and the other central office building still remain on wsfcs.
o If you see wsfcs that means there is an access point out there still set up for web code…and please submit a ticket and give as much information as possible (location, etc.) The W PA encryption one is wsfcs_something
o Try to  Log-off log on or reboot if they get authentication error message…if students get blocked from certain websites
o If you have a student who logs into an approved website and says ip group denied (means they did not get policies)
o Question: why is that wsadmin does not authenticate?


• Printer Management company:


o Many tickets are still out there about printing.
o Many questions coming from lead secretary
o They should have a list of printers on the management system and many that are not.
o When you get the display 1000 sheets left don't worry, It's the 25% markthat  triggers the order to purchase a new toner cartridge
o Please be as detailed as possible, ip address, the name of the printer and serial number, etc, when entering KACE ticket
o Question of used toner cartridge: Guy Lucas has a company that will take used printer cartridges
o Carla will put in TBT update about the cartridge recycling company
o Unused cartridges from last year?—Carla and her staff will be coming out to inventory—a little tricky, people who stock piled will get compensated—hope to credit in the November billing cycle.
o If you receive a damaged cartridge from the company? Send in a KACE ticket and let them know.
o CTE printers ARE under the management system
o "Strategic Printing Solutions" will fix anything wrong with the printer. There is cap on how much they will fix, before we get charged
o There is a lot of start-up cost with this program…May see a larger bill to start up to get them to a “readiness state”
o After this month’s bills should level out…
o How many schools are printing out progress reports? About half?… Print-outs vs Parent assist Betty will address--basically said schools should not be printing.
o If a technician prints out many test pages, let Carla know (you will not be charged for that)


• Chris Corbin: Assigning Printers


o Vendor Web X—They said: “here’s the way we are migrating from SSO to group policies in windows” to manage printers
o Not working too badly considering the size of our district
o Problem--We are starting to deploy windows 7, having a printer policy on those machines prolongs log-in times (greatly)
o We need to change things a little bit if only for that reason
o Current method of assigning default printer (web x way)

• o Now, making sure in printer group, making dure policy is on machine
•  Good news s it is not going to get worse.

o School by School Approach: Start by deleting printer groups
o Deleting groups will not change the printers assigned to a machine
• New Utility for adding and setting default printers: shows all computers in the container, right view  shows all the printer applied to your school
o Can select multiple machines to mass apply a printer, click set to be installed
o Computers will have to be logged off and logged on or refresh to get the printers
o In start menu, you will have a refresh menu
o Use “goey” interface from your machine
o This new tool will give the flexibility of searching by school code, and do multiple schools (for those shared with more than one school)
 Computers DO have to be on for you to do this 
o Profile Sweep can be done per request per school (can sometimes solve printing issues)
o Sometimes students can not see their H drive, (Profile sweep fix can sometimes solve that)
o We are in windows 2008 environment, windows XP is not designed to see windows 2008 domain, (Client based extensions patches help)
o No time to update images, and the two patches are not in there, there’s where one problem lies.
o Still deploying through trend micro, and
o Three things have to happen, printer group has to exist, printer policy has to exist, and
o If you have a machine in a printer group and not showing on a machine, Chris looks at the log for the machine.
o What about PDF’s not printing? Had issue with T-61 and some desktops, says you need to load the printer
 Trying to print NCWISE, (does not like adobe 10)
 Try uninstalling adobe and reinstalling (the one on the AICP)
 Something about T61’s is strange
 Some of the same machines cannot print excel either…does not matter the machine, printer or
 Do not update ADOBE (hey may block that from happening
 There is capability to have multiple versions of adobe (encore program may need 7)
 They will do a web-x next week and go over what they are doing.


o Joining Computers to the Domain:


 Giving a machine a brand new name it works fine
 If you give a machine the same name and rejoin it after re-imaging
 Something happened during the change over
 Something do to with inherit permissions
 Workstation information menu: lets you know if client side extensions are there or not


o Work Orders:


 Need as much information as possible, tell them what you have tried (put as much info in the issue request)
 Have to reassign to service desk if you add a comment
 Getting phone calls from teachers, who leave tickets in the default ticket cue, need to assign ticket to service desk
 Check your cue once a day
 They will look at possibility of sending an email and possibly changing the default assign to automatically assign to the tech facilitator at that location
 Repair process: make sure you put in there –sending in for repair
 Days of pick up have not changed
 In repair cue, lots of ones that are old…should be moving faster now…
 Whenever you put in a ticket for a printer, leave it where it is until repair person comes in.
 Chris and Buddy will set a schedule to visit schools to go over the new process


• Betty: Miscellaneous topics:


o Progress reports should be on-line, period
o Remind teachers of the ability to save an adobe file of a progress report and email that
o Parents should be using parent assist, There is mobile access for parent assist (pa.ncwise.org)
o Parents should have a Kiosk station in schools with user name and pw: "parent", pw: "parent"
o Issue—Bus driver access to e-docs—should not be used to print e-docs—we are not going to support that
o Remind parents that Parent assistant is down on maintenance weekends
o WEB-X sessions--shared with Dr. Martin and were effective method of sharing


• Marlo—AUP


o School board policy (6161.1) employees are obligated to report violations of password protection. (so if a teacher has user name and password taped to their monitor, it should be reported to principal)
o Passwords should be treated like ss#
o MTAC is revising policies
ohttp://todaysmeet.com/tfsept11


o School Wires:


 Ran a script that ties email to their own section/calendar to fix that problem like happened with Theo Helm and teachers getting a ton of e-mail
 C-2 Upgrade:


• The have improved the documentation in the"how do I" tab
• Multiple calendar apps issue: DO NOT put more than one calendar app on a page
• Rotating flash…text is set to point 2, if you change the text, there are directions on how to fix using html
• Correct picture  size 684/360
• Webmasters no longer have the ability to edit or add users/unlock users
• You basically can’t create users now, but you can still emulate the users
o School Directories are all up to date based on personnel/marketing and communications (but they have not had deleted orders yet)
o So hide in faculty and staff webpages of people who are no longer there, BUT DO NOT DELETE,submit a KACE ticket for moves
o User Groups: fix for groups that are not working, may have to delete group and re-create
 Delete and add back –if you are not protecting pages then don’t bother doing this
o Assignments Page:
 Item gets duplicated when they add to the calendar
 Fix for right now is to just delete duplicated assignment
 We have 51000 teacher webpages, other big districts don’t necessarily have mandatory pages
 There are 17 known issues right now
 Map and directions page has issues (doesn't work now because yahoo is now charging)
 Images and links—make sure cursor is n the box first—otherwise the image may end up in header
 When adding files, make sure there are no crazy characters in name of file name
 There is a card in the release highlights under tools tab
 Comment approval for blog pages are now right on summary tab
 Should now be getting accurate numbers on hits (maybe)
 Will be new directions on the last modified report.
 Calendars don’t get last modified date unless you change the app
 Take those reports with a grain of salt—look at content first before accusing teachers of not having up to date page
 Don’t punish a teacher because they have planned ahead (like done multiple pages in the summer and
 Directions for running last modified report will be in TBT
 Standard on updating webpage time frame—principals vary in their requirements
 Updated page  will not change to a specific time frame
 Website rubric: this is a draft:
• Based on developing, proficient, accomplished and distinguished
• They want feedback on this rubric
• This will be on edmodo and TBT when it is complete
• Share with Principals if they want to add ideas, but not send to teachers yet
• First row are the sign off guidelines for school wires that were set from the start of school wires
• Open labs first Monday of every month
o Oct 3 330, nov 7 330, dec 5 8:00
o No agenda and not for credit, for getting help with your site
o You do have to register, and you have to cite specific issues you need help with
• PTA Workshop: Webmaster training Oct 25th 8-12
o Principal must send message of who they are
o And they must register by visiting the Technology Professional Development Calendar
o Emulate another user, sign in as yourself, go to users (and Marlo will tweek that, not visible to us right now!)
 But it will be next to Users tab, out next to everyone there is a "more and an emulate"
 They will go back and look at that…they will look at permissions
o Where are we on Synergy? Piloting at Atkins and career center
o Other options, typepad,
o School Wires has at least been responsive to our concerns (much better than school center was)
• Professional Development Catalog
o Face to face on Mondays or Tuesdays
o Atomic Learning
o Moodle opened on sept 15 (close on December 30th)—have the whole time
o LearnNC: Melissa & Steven are co-trainers (two course 5 weeks more intense) Have to have ten minimum to do
 Registration closes next Friday, PBL, and e-binders
o Simple k12—webinars done every day
Steven mentioned a Password card for Learning Village and other online resources --you can find on learning village.

Technology Facilitator Meeting August 2011

Welcome Back!

Staff Changes: New people: 

• Dale Fox--Hall Woodword
• Dj Brently Konnoak Elem
• Tracy at Hanes Middle
• Ronetta Snyder at NW Middle
• John @ Meadowlark Elem
• Josue @ Petree Elem
• Anna Daley @ Forrest Park
• Jennifer Mickey @ South Fork Elem
• Julia Chisolm Kimberly Parlk Elem
• Amy Daniels
• Brian Smith was at Hanes is back on Service desk
• Charlie no longer with us as NCWISE trainer—Amy is new person...will introduce at  September meeting
• Jim Mendoza is leaving us.
• Kevin Sherrill is out on back surgery
• CL Marshall is in serious condition and in intensive care at Forsyth Hospital…send a message to him :(
  Today's meeting will be "hosted at" :
• http://todaysmeet.com/tfaugust11
• Way to ask questions that don't necessarily pertain to the whole group
• Will be archived and posted for everyone to review

Video from Marlo:

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZVIWZGheXY
• About pessimism, pragmatism, present , future--A BETTER future is possible if we build community power--“A tale of power”

 Betty--This has been a tremendous summer of work projects so need to focused at today's meeting

First, an overview of the Wireless/Carla Miller

WPA project: 

• certificate based security system/there is no code, only way to get on wireless is through group policies...
• For guest speakers who come to your school with a personal laptop, you will have to put in a ticket ahead of time, or use one of your machines or have presentations on a flash drive.
• Following Schools have not been touched yet :( 
• Career Center
• Kennedy
• Carter (Had power problems)
• Carla re-imaged every laptop or desktop that they had access to over the summer
• Teacher laptops coming back in without service pack 3 will have to be reimaged in order to connect to the wireless.

Race to the Top Update: 

• Awarded the bids for wiring contractor and switches, etc. so that every school in the district will be completely wireless
• Carla will contact us and principal with a schedule –There are  not to the point of getting everything done yet, but coming

Printer Solution:

• Toner will arrive at school with yellow label indicating printer name
• If you move a printer, you have to let DOT know of the moves, a VLAN change may make it unable to print.
• Vendors will be contacting and visiting schools
• Contact Carla Miller if you don’t get a cartridge for a printer that is out
• Let the cartridges run out…before you replace them.It will reset back to a 100% when you put the new one in
• Company will come to schools and do an inventory of supplies that you already have and collect or buy back surplus.
• Pricing is the same as earlier advertised: 
• charged by the clicks on the printer wheel…doesn’t matter how light or dark the copies are…
• Secretaries/Offices are still able to purchase cartidges for local printers (lead secretaries were told this information too)

Buddy Martin and Chris Corbin and Sherry Reich:

Desktop Provisioning:

•  97 % of school staff is now provisioned
• 65000 student accounts are managed this way
• Every night accounts are updated (fairly automated system)
• DOT has started taking staff extracts out of HMRS…instead of NCWISE (now have ~ 6000 accounts)
• Big Drawback: a teacher moving may show up at new school before HR moves them. But the standard is to wait until HMRS makes the change before technology moves.
• Tech Faciliators are not going to be provisioned—we are pulled out because of new service desk requirements
• Process runs at about 3:00 am every morning
• Student user names and passwords have been reset : 
• Elem: pw: is their student number
• grades 6-12, passwords are 123...
• Will be prompted to reset at first log-in

Server Consolidation Changes:

• Server virtualization/consolidate servers to data center
• VMware: allows 80 virtual servers running on 4/5 virtual servers
• MC Hammer still works (interface for active directory)
• They have added a folder called “group containers”
• Generic media account moving to staff—so you will reset pw under staff now for that account
• Roaming teachers:  mapping drives and the "xxxaltaccess group" (all based off schools IP subnet) 
• Through service desk ticket shared teachers can be put on other schools and map drives for multiple schools (Have to put in a ticket for people at multiple schools)
• Yearbook, Newspaper groups are empty need class rosters—submit a ticket—csv preferred format of members who need access:
• Can we move computers into containers in MMC? We will have access rights to do that soon…hopefully by next meeting

 Storage locations: 

• mapped to new locations in the data center..\\wsfcs.net\xxx\
• Change in how printers are added
• Office Home folders were copied minus media files
• Teacher and student home folders were not copies over
• Staff and student shared folders were not copied

School Servers are still on:

•  go to start
• Run, type:  \\xxxdc01\

Share this knowledge if there is critical need, but don’t advertise.

 file://wsfcs.net/516/data

New quotas:

• ES students: 50 MB
• MS/HS students: 100 MB
• Teachers: 300 MB
• Office Staff: 1 GB
• Tech Facilitator is at 1 GB
• Media Coordinators at 1 GB

May increase even more if needed…

•  File Screens: new capability to block files based on their extension (no scripting files, no exe, .bat etc)
• You will get accessed denied if trying to copy someone’s old data and they have one of those file screen types.
• Students can not save exe or bat files to home folders (but could still save to Staff Share or Student Share)
• You can request changes to file screen types…

 SSO is gone so a new way that may drives:

• I drive: CTE programs only
• K Drive Media Drive available upon request (Data is still there) You may have to request the data be re-mapped)—Not backup up
• Archived data (2009-2010) has been removed from K Drives…
• File screening does not apply to K drive at the moment

Mapping Groups:

• Group containers: three groups
• Click on members
• Object types first
• K Drive is part of school user group, not limited to any group
• document will be posted with these instructions…
• So if someone needs to have access to a certain drive (like the i drive for CTE classrooms), you will have to add computer to those groups (for example CTE group)

Printing: 

• New way to deliver printers
• MMC: groups container:
• As long as a machine is in that group, it will print to that machine
• They did did do pull out printers already assigned in SSO by machine name
• Problem today with network printing and a Policy refresh was done and they started working

 Put a computer into a printer group

• Computer object, “member of”
• Add
• Apply and ok

If you Don’t want a machine to print to a printer

• Go into printer group:
• Uninstall SSO admin tools from your machines (so you don't get confused and try and add printers there) Uninstall SSO administrative tools (version 3) in add remove programs

To Install more than one printer and set a default:

• Last printer applied to the machine will be the default one
• In KACE:  http://ithelp.wsfcs.k12.nc.us/
• Go Software Library Tab will replace AICP, but inside there is a Printer management tool:
• Will need to download on on your workstation. 
• Click on machine and will have a list of printer assigned to it, pick one you want to be the default.
• It will execute after the policy after a log off log on
• You will have access on whatever machine you download the management tool on…
• Computer has to be in a printer group for this to work (done on MMC)
• If you have a problem with Printers, include machine name and the name of the printer you are trying to print to in your KACE ticket
• They have had some problems with 4015’ printers
• to summarize: To make printer default: go to KACE, Software Library, Printer Management Tool

Desktop Shortcuts 

• can still be created: 
• Still need to submit ticket if you want something like a special program published to a certain machine…
• Will be a few things different: But, will still see teacher application, student application.
• DOT will be doing a whole lot  changes the next few days
• Now in start menu: Programs/utilities/gpupdate
• Now, you will only have to log-off and log on for policy update to take place not a restart
• Start menu: only updates user policies…(sometimes you don’t even have to logoff)
• If icons/printers not showing up, do the gpupdate
• ICONS: past couple of days not showing up, they are in transition phase right now…

Applications Programs:

• Still have to ask that a program be approved, make sure it works in their environment—has to go through educational value, and technical evaluation—Just because it comes with a text book does not mean it has cleared the software approval process.
• Exam View: Test banks can be installed on AICP but will be put on KACE

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure:

• Thin client. Motherboard with video board interface, a little flash memory, better warrantee, couple usb and much cheaper!
• These devices run about 400$ with monitor keyboard and mouse for about half the price of a desktop
• Going to start with office staff first
• Starting at Morgan elementary…Walkertown High, and will pilot delivery to other schools…will pilot at a slow pace.
• Implementing will be all based on licensing

New Email System:

• Tired of managing the servers…
• Moving to a hosted email system/in the cloud
• MSlive@edu
• Online version of MS outlook
• All email will be accessed through internet
• They will no longer have to manage servers
• Users will get 5 GB mail quota!!
• And user will also get 5 GB skydrive in the cloud (home folder in the cloud)

 Implementation:

• All Mail will be migrated (only problem will be for the handful of users who are over 5 GB)
• All email will be migrated over, but there is a possibility messages could get corrupted.
• If an email is important, they need to save it :forward it, archive it, print it out, whatever…)
• 30 days to migrate email—starting sometime in November.
• Plan is over Christmas break, to turn it over
• Plan to do some training before Christmas…
• Can archived email be viewed without lotus client on machine? Will still be able to as long as the machine stays alive
• Blackberries—servers will have to be synched through another method.—still testing—will update you on how that will work
• Email addresses will be the same tho for some old accounts, active directory accounts that are different from email user names, those accounts may have to change…They will let you know, but may happen unexpectantly…

Most of information today was shared with principals:

Jim with KACE update:

• These instructions on on the KACE menu
• Access KACE under user options
• In house: you can simply type "ithelp" in browser (that’s all)
• Anywhere else, type:   ithelp.wsfcs.k12.nc.us
• Use your active directory user name and pw:
• Submitter is the customer/requester
• Owner is person who does the work
• Always include serial number in hardware:
• Search--Active tickets: this queue (your tickets where you are the owner)
• Custon view: status != (does not equal) closed
• Employee self service, teachers need to update their information so KACE information is up to date
• Don’t click on anything until it gets done searching
• Look for new tickets, either assign it to yourself, another tech facilitator/ or service desk
• Changing status to in progress generates an email to notify all parties
• Issue/request –be as detailed as possible—keep everything as much as possible in there.
• Don’t change the priorities of tickets…owned by service tickets.\\
• In order to close a ticket, change to closed, save and then a resolution field is available and then you can type in the rsolution…
• Great people at service desk who can help you:
• Joan Proffitt formerly at Jefferson elem
• Brian Smith from Hanes Middle
• You can submit a comment in a ticket where you need more information and it will generate an e-mail…

 NC Professional Teacher Standards Marlo:

• Rubrics are being supplied for things like interactive white boards (whats developing, proficient, etc)
• Common Core/Essential Standards—next year
• But this year, information technology skills are required to be taught!
• This is actually not a new requirement, it’s been in place several years
• They are working with instructional services to provide support for this requirement.

5 technology Strands

• Sources of information
• Informational text
• Technology as a tool
• Research process
• Safety and ethical issues
• This was shared at prncipal's Retreat  (ppoint will be posted)
• Teachers need to be discussing how they chose websites for example

Technology as a tool: students can access, organize and communicate information!!

Marlo’s soap box item!!

Bix 6 and Super 3

If you want to present to your staff, Marlo or Jackie can present to our staff…information and technology essential standards

funny Movie clips beta: The smurfs (2011)

On google:  goooogle

What are your school's technology professional needs:

Use Social networking as a PLN

Website

KACE...list goes on an on--all tools

• These are all tools:
• Would you design a house around a faucet?  kind of backwards, same with designing lesson around a tech tool..
• How to we change out model:
• TPAC model: teachers know their content and how to teach, but do they know how to put it all together?
• Old school teachers know pedagogy and content
• Pedagogy/content/21st century technology
• we must Teach a balance of all three
• Learning activity types
• College of William and Mary—learning types—table with tools that might be used with certain concepts…
• How can we help you?
• Getting away from 1 hour staff development
• More use of teacher planning/plc’s/online instructional resources/
• Want teachers in their planning times
• You need to get them  the dates now…or will get filled up
• Build capacity (PLN)
• Get information from other places.
• The networked teacher—needs to know Learning Village for common core curriculum.
• Teacher groups in Facebook
• The instructional Technology Department Site--check it out
• Fall 2011 workshop catalog is up and online and new (lots of resources there)

Mandy Durance: Project Manager for Edmodo

• Came from Caberras country (MS SS teacher)
• Edmodo is a closed environment
• WSFCS has a sub domain
• Important to go to WS/FCS sub domain
• She is using slide rocket to present this
• You can share unlimited amount of content (as long as individual files are less than 100mb)
• Can create folders and groups/committees
• Tech Facilitators group
• All teachers would need is a six digit code that you get generated when you sign up
• School codes:  see Mandy Durrance
• http://wsfcs.edmodo.com

 This is some of the stream from the online chat in Today's meeting:  http://todaysmeet.com/tfaugust11  
Go to this link to see all the chat:

Link to the Meetings for the year!

PLN can be so many things



As I was scrolling down my twitter feed, I came across this tweet from Gcouros about a blog from Richard Byrne:

"PLNs Aren't Limited to Twitter" http://t.co/MwAp5iV

There is a nice, short and to the point  video in the blog about what could be a PLN (Professional Learning Network) for you...?

 

It immediately made me want to share with my teachers.  I held back since I am afraid they are already overwhelmed with the start of the school year.  However, it was a good reminder to me that there is no one "perfect PLN".  A PLN is whatever collaboration or sharing that leads us to be better teachers and life-long learners.  And while twitter does open a world of ideas that otherwise I may never have come across, a simple cup of coffee at a coffee shop with a friend or even a stranger could just as easily give me insight to make a day in the classroom more interesting for my students. 

 

For example, I actually view my Facebook account as a form of a PLN.  Many times people look at me like I am crazy when I say that.  Why are you putting that on Facebook?  they say.  But, that's what I like to do-- not only do I share pictures or events in my life, but I also like to share interesting articles that I read including: the weather, politics, education, the environment, medicine, and the list goes on and on.  Sure, some people must think I am a geek or boring, but I look at as just another tool in sharing knowledge and insight into life. 

 

So,  keep this in mind when people start preaching about what you should be doing in your "PLC meetings" this school year. There is no one perfect PLN.

Resources:

Examples of Good and Bad collaboration in a PLC:  http://justintarte.blogspot.com/2011/08/how-well-does-your-team-collaborate.html

NC PLC's What are they and why are they important?  http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/profdev/resources/proflearn/

 

Thinking about Social Media in Schools...

I have been reading quite a bit recently about using social media in schools particularly Facebook.  Twitter is where I find these article and they constantly inspire me with new ideas and  sending my mind in many directions.  For example, I follow a principal in Canada who has given me concrete ideas of how to use a school Facebook Page:

gcouros gcouros RT @luc_germain: RT @bhsprincipal: Creating your school’s niche on Facebook http://bit.ly/qjlxfP

Another Principal, Eric Sheninger is a leader in the use of social in schools.  He sent this tweet recently:  

NMHS_Principal Eric Sheninger You School Needs a Facebook Page by @mrwejr  http://bit.ly/qJwqph

I plan on talking with folks at my school to see how we might encourage the use of a variety of social media tools--platforms like  edmodo for the classroom, facebook, twitter and various others social media tools for communicating with families.  

Finally, there is still a lot of fear out there about social media and teachers interacting with students in appropriate ways.  Even though I personally don't friend students, I found myself agreeing with the teacher in this article about the state of Missouri making it illegal for teachers to be friends with students on Facebook:  http://bit.ly/oMr56e "I am not a pervert and don't wish to be treated as one," Joplin middle school teacher Alana Maddock wrote in an email to Gov. Jay Nixon in June, not long before he signed the legislation. "I am very responsible with my Facebook pages and don't appreciate being assumed to be a danger to my students."

OTHER RESOURCES:

http://mindshift.kqed.org/2011/08/50-reasons-to-invite-facebook-into-your-classroom/

Solving Facebook concerns can be as easy as creating a FB page or Group