A Few Big Changes,a few big questions

First, We need to think about Networks as a normal, rational way to do our business better. So what kinds of networks can we use here??

We have a Novell Netware network for file share at McKenzie,Mary Buren, and between schools. It also works to set up Print Servers around the network.

When you “logon” to the system with your special ID and password, you have certain “privileges” for access to shared information….. Like the Accelerated Reader Database of students and tests.

We can set up special folders for individual teachers, for workgroups, even for all the individual students. (these are already there…. Well, not the students yet.)

Appleshare is another very simple, user controlled way to share files among our various Mac’s. You can actually type “fileshare” in the Help menu, and it will walk you right through it. (that’s how I learned)

The other network is bigger, really big… the internet. We are barely, infinitesimally beginning to use that network as a resource for communication and information sharing.(sharing, not just browsing or consuming)

Next big question is- how to we deal with different “generations” of hardware and software?

(Along with the PC-Mac and “special programs” issues?)

First- good news: all of the Mac’s and PC’s we’ve bought in the last two years have the same hardware connections for peripheral devices like printers, scanners, cameras, etc.

The Bad news is….. We have about equalnumbers of older machines that can’t use the new devices.Luckily, we can still fileshare between different generations of equipment.

More Good news….. Our new lab iMac’s have 128mb of RAM, to add more is cheap if needed.

Bad News is that our older machines have around 16mb, and need about $35 each to upgrade for newer software use.

More bad news… our printing capabilities are really poor, and too expensive for our needs.

Ink-jet printers only serve one machine, but cost around $100. A networked Laser Printer can be bought for as low as $350, serves many computers, and costs about 1/3 or less per page to print. Over time ink-jets are much more expensive, less reliable

Another Big Question- are our computer labs and classroom computers being used and shared with the same professional thoughtfulness as our other resources?

Dialogue is needed!

It’s expensive, in itself it doesn’t help us be more thoughtful, creative, Information/Communication Literate Teachers.

It’s fun for kids to interact with computer, so they manage their own testing, the program grades it, and gives reports…. ButIt’s very specific, rather low level work and assessment.

In software, and uses of computers, AR is a “bottom feeder”. Creating new product is higher level use.

Accelerated Reader is Nice.. But

“Beyond the Classroom”- A partnership with UCSB. See what teachers in Guadalupe, Righetti, El Camino…. Santa Ynez, all the way to Oxnard, are doing to integrate content class standards, language arts standards, and innovative technology use. http://btc.mrl.ucsb.edu

Coolearth/CCSP- A collaborative website slowly being built up by hip teachers, right now for science and ELD integration exchange,

but we can join for any purpose (I run the site)http://www.coolearth.org/ccsp/

Check Righetti’s science dept. site, it’s a great model-http://erhs.smjuhsd.k12.ca.us/science

Here’s a few Websites that show a different level of use

Another big question- maintenance and user support…. Is there ever enough?Also, are there ways to “teach someone to fish” rather than just cooking their dinner?

Or… it’s work, not magic

Another Big Question-

How can we use peripheral devices… cameras, scanners, video, science sensors, computer to TV or projectors, laptops, handhelds, and wireless devices, to extend the reach of learning out of the box (classroom/text).

•Buy at least two high speed

networked printers for each school, locate strategically for easy access to photocopy machines.

Print only when needed!

Some Recommendations:

Buy RAM upgrades for old PowerMac’s and older iMac’s to allow use of Browser and Word processor for net notes.

The only upgrade for the old

Set up and USE shared folders for grade level teams, committees, and for friendly sharing of ideas and lessons.

(download and print what you want)

Use e-mail to share away from school

Communicate more often, by using the Network

Learn to Use and Care for Equipment and Software

People much less motivated and intelligent than us use this stuff all the time…. It’s time for us now too!

Like we tell the kids:

“be a risk taker”

“read the directions”

USB- printers, keyboards, floppy disks, camera card readers, scanners, art tablets, pda’s

Firewire- Extra hard drives, Digital Video, CD-burners

Ethernet- plug into the network…. Fileshare, internet

Color Inkjets can do beautiful photos, and transparencies,But cost from 20-95 cents per page for good stuff

Scanners are underused- teach a few kids, then they take charge of digitizing artwork, photos, book and magazine graphics…. You name it.

Save, copy, share large files with anybody, on any computer

Tower computers cost more, but can really be expandable, cheaper in the long run in many ways.

Going Portable-Data, graphs, thinking skills… create original work.

Solar Cooker,Realtime Graph

Palms work forgradebooks too