Ethernotes

Presented by MACUL and MIEM at Holt High School

June 22-23, 2009

(etlc) Complete Program

Supplemental Materials

 General Reflections

• Nice school. I came from the west and you’re going uphill. All of a sudden, bam, you see it. It looks like a wing from the Hogwart’s school, without the cupola’s. Very imposing and grand.
• The data projectors are the same model as the one in RMS 109. Very large compared to the Epson model we’re anticipating.
• The classrooms have a massive L-shaped teacher’s desk/teaching station. It doesn’t move because it is too large. You either present from the classroom side or you are constantly moving around to get to your things. I think our design of a tethered teaching station and free standing teacher’s desk is more flexible.
• The classroom layout is similar to ours. The teacher’s desk is across from the doorway and the projector is aimed that way too. The presenters were blinded as they moved about the front of the classroom. We will need laser pointers if our projectors aim to the wall opposite the teaching station.
• The clock was on the back wall, opposite the door. Yea to having ours above the entry door.
• They had a wall of cabinets and a work surface for additional computers. This is similar to what we anticipate in the RMS.
• All free standing cabinetry was on wheels.
• Darryl Tilley said one reason for the timing of the conference was trying to get the tech people together with the curriculum. So the tech leadership conference was moved. I’m not sure this worked well. The tech people greatly out number the curriculum people on what is supposed to be the curriculum date.

Shifting the Focus: Realigning Technology Support Services by Darryl Tilley, Ingham ISD

• There were three of us with an education background of the fifteen tech people in the session.
• He hit on a common theme: There isn’t any new money, but there will never be less technology. In fact it is going to get worse. More tech, less money.
• Our focus has always been on the critical IT systems
  • Payroll, business functions, SIM system
  • Food Service POS
  • Library management
• What’s critical IT system is missing from the list? None are education services. We spend most of our time on business services and little on our education services.
• Process Engineering is the most important item not being done. Too much of what we do and why we do it is because, “That’s The Way We’ve Always Done It” (TTWWADI)
  • Process Engineering is the “assessment and development of procedures and responsibilities in conjunction with personnel and technology capabilities with the intent to take advantage of inherent opportunities.” Definition from here.
• We need to spend time looking at our processes to see how we can streamline “business practices” and integrate technology in our “education practices.”
• Looking at our processes will help us overcome attitudes toward change because everyone will get input.
  • We would examine best practices
  • We would share success stories
  • Look out for fiscal realities
  • Project management is part of the tech departments process engineering. It’s what we do.
• Process Engineering is provided by education entities
  • MSBO certifications
  • CoSN
  • ITIL
  • Be sure to not get stuck examining practices only, “ITIL is IDLE” Implement changes.
• Don’t provide services in a vacuum, remember to collaborate.
  • ISDs
  • other districts
  • Look for TTWWADI areas and break the grip.

How to Spend on IT When You Have No Budget: 8 and 1/2 Good Ideas by Paul Hillman, CDH

•  Paul began with an interesting aside that became related to what D. Tilley said in my first session. 75% of all IT projects fail because they are over budget, delivered late or have reduced functionality. Project management helps control the failure rate. Project management is part of process engineering.
• “I’ve got no money is unacceptable.”
• Unfortunately, IT cannot stand still. Demand for more services is not going to go away.
• You’ve got to take control of your budget and know how much you spend. (Apparently, most people here don’t know their budget. They just ask for money and it is either approved or not. I felt good about my situation).
• 8 and 1/2 ideas (”not 9 because 1 is not really good”)

Acknowledge others think differently. I wonder if Marcy, Mindy, Cindy, Amy, Trish and think I apply this.

• The Suggestion Box is not a quaint 50s relic.
• Implement it as an anonymous, electronic Zoomerang survey.

Virtualization

• Reduce footprint
• Cut heating and cooling power
• Reclaim space
• 15:1 reduction in servers. Don’t reduce too far. You still need redundancies
• Gotcha: Need a really good SAN
• Gotcha: Solution is more complex than stand alone servers (Yes, it is. I have talked to CompuCraft about this. If the goal is to save money on servers, don’t virtualize. If it is to save money or reclaim real estate, then move forward)
• Ask VMware and MS to come and prove they can save money through virtualization first. Must prove.

Buy into Suites. Stop Best of Breed purchases

• Make a list of all the utilities, challenge yourself to eliminate 50% by combining into a “less than the best (but good enough)” suite.

Use video conferencing, not travel

• Hard to find real reductions in education because you don’t travel like business.
• Commit to webinars, but not travel.
• Buy high quality video components. Don’t save money in the upfront costs.

Wipe Out the data center

• Move to cloud computing
• amazon.com web services (largest provider)
• If Paul were starting a new school district, this is what Paul would do
• Avoids the up front capitalized costs

Move to Open Office now

• Feature for feature OO is comparable to Office 2000 or 2003. Paul is not a fan of Office 2007.
• People don’t like change, but break the Microsoft grip
• Keep it where it is required in the curriculum but don’t keep because “it’s what business does.”
• Interview user base to find out what features users use and then set up trainings

Implement free WSS 3.0

• Windows Sharepoint Services doesn’t apply to us
• Typical MS distribution. Get hooked on the free stuff, then you’ll quickly want the rest (and pay for it).

Shut off all computers at 6:00 pm.

• We already do this.

Commit to Bing Services

• MS will pay you to set IE as your default Home Page
• MS will pay you to search
• Get the money while you can.
• I need to look into this.

Curriculum and Technology Panel Discussion – Panel Members: Paul Hillman, C/D/H, Annelise Woitulewicz, Summit Academy Schools, Tim Staal, MAME and Melissa White, Ingham ISD

Rikki Chowning moderated.

What Web 2.0 tools are you using?

• PH: email is old with young staff. IMing and texting is how they begin.
• AW: Twitter opens up to the world and communication.
• MW: Turned on by Google Docs. Collaboration saves time, reduces travel and is F-R-E-E!
• TS: Started with wikis to share county-wide information. Jenison did not have GroupWise or Exchange. Used sneaker-net until they went to Google Docs. Been working on students and teachers to think about the content of the message to determine the medium. For instance, if they lost connectivity, use the telephone. Don’t wait for system to come back. Web 2.0 = collaboration

RC: The Horizon Report 2009 K-12 needs to be read to help future proof your district.

 What Web 2.0 tools get you excited?

•  PH: Emphasized TS’ call to encourage different mediums. CDH is moving to Unified Communications for the real time interaction. They have audio, video setups at all stations. This is taking their collaboration to the next level. They will have constant 2-3 communications throughout the day within their offices and between their Royal Oak and GR employees.
• AW: Publishing and sharing work is motivating their students. When it is viewed by others student are more apt to revise and increase the quality of their work.
• MW: Adobe Connect is indispensable and real time. I teach all day from my desktop. (Note: ARD provides Adobe Connect like services, but only internally) You pay for Adobe Connect, but look for fre webinar tools.
• TS: Sees long time teachers getting excited by flickr, youtube because they like to see info on their grandkids. Lately, they are seeing ways to use these tools for their teaching.

How are Web 2.0 tools reducing your costs?

• RC: Her superintendent is eliminating travel outside building beginning Feb 2010. Will have to teleconference. (Rikki is at OAISD?)
• PH: Business is nearly out of face-to-face meetings. 95% of training is via webinars. Video is critical. Need proctors to help with video conferencing tasks. His 20 somethings want to work from home and constantly ask for release. CDH requires local office time for the “richer” contact it provides.
• MW: Students need help with appropriate use. The mistake many people make is that students “know” how to use the technology.
• TS: Google Docs and shared space eliminates the platform. For instance, his daughter’s laptop died mid-semester at GVSU this year. She finished the rest of the year using her iPod Touch and Google Docs without missing a beat.
• TS: The need is to teach students appropriate use.
• AW: Summit is opening up their network to all user devices. They are going to a public Internet, MOODLE and nings.

Paul was asked what skills students need for business?

• “Teach them to write.” All the tools are predicated on the ability to communicate clearly via the written word. If they can’t write, it doesn’t matter what platform they are using because (he) can’t understand them. All the new hires he has let go recently was due to their inability to write clearly.

Electronic Communications in Your District–What You Need To Know: David Palme, Portland Public Schools

David’s email archiving website

The importance of this is something we should discuss as an Ad Team.

• The consequences for not having an email retention and disposal policy can be costly.
• The consequences for having an email retention and disposal policy and not following it can be costly.
• Eventually, you’re likely to get sued because you can’t supply FOIA’d emails.
• Michigan History, Arts and Library is responsible for document retention standards
• Do the best you can
• Train users. MHAL has an online tutorial. Print out the certificate and put in employees personnel file.
• Principals cover the definition of “records” in an early staff meeting.
• This is

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