Introduction
Approximately 275-325 desktop PCs computers are connected to the network. This number may vary as many classroom computers are 4 or more years old and out of warranty. We do not have a repair contract with any vendor, nor does the Tech Coordinator have the time necessary (and occasionally the expertise) to troubleshoot the problems, nor is there a budget provided for parts. So the Tech Coordinator swaps parts and repairs computers on an ongoing basis, but as there is no storage space provided, many computers remain in classrooms unrepaired, and the problem not even diagnosed.
There are Pentium 3 computers donated to us, that are being set up (operating system, software, remediation) and placed in classrooms.
Additionally, there are 3 mobile laptop carts being leased through Tech X|L Leasing program for four years, the first being last year. Eight labs have leased PCs, as well.
Two mobile carts (30 laptops each) are being used by the 3rd and 4th floor science labs for projects, including virtual dissections. This may require a more detailed explanation of the process and problems we have encountered with the using wi-fi and the mobile carts.
A smaller cart stationed in the library and managed presently by the Techco, last year for a writing program we were piloting, has 24 laptops. Infrastructure
In late May, Harper was at 92.4% compliance with CPS Network Standards (see harper-adm01) and fully migrated to the INSTR Domain. Every staff member and student has their own username and password to log into the domain, which provides access to a personalized folder, available from every computer in the school. This is managed by the Network Administrator / Technology Coordinator / Instructional Technologist, Gary Latman via Harper’s servers, Active Directory, and Deep Freeze console. Deep Freeze
Lockdown software located on the Distribution Server – only OTS has access to this server. It also contains the Trend-Micro Anti-Virus and the very aggressive filtering software, which blocks out pornography, file sharing and social networking sites, and other sites that may be added upon request.
No new software can be added to classroom computers without unfreezing them and logging into the computer with the Administrative login and password. After adding software to individual computers or to an entire lab, the computers must be locked by down by refreezing it or them. Active Directory
Server level administration of the Network, it allows accounts to be set up and deleted. There are other aspects of Active Directory that include setting up access to folders, applications, printing, and so on. This is managed by OTS Technicians and the school’s Techco. Administrative Login
This provides the TechCo, as well as OTS technicians, the ability to manage the computers attached to the Network. There’s a hierarchy to protect and manage the Network. It does not stop students or staff from downloading games and/or music and videos all the time, but does stop tampering with settings and operation of the computer. Some software may be downloaded and not allowed to install, some install until the computer is shut off, and then Deep Freeze resets the computer to where it was at the beginning of the day. There are some exceptions I can explain, if desired. Servers
We have 3, the Distribution Server, explained above, one that we purchased 4 years ago, which we use for school-wide server based applications, such as the software for our reading labs, math labs, P.E. program, and more. It also houses teacher and student folders, drivers, and some other things. Labs*
There are two ETC funded labs, one in Room 307 for CoMETS and the other in Room 104 for AoBE. There is a Special Education lab in Room 218. And the Lab that I maintain and work in is Room 220, right next to the Library. These are our four primary labs with 25-28 functioning computers and several printers per lab. Rooms 218 and 220 are leasing the computers.
Additionally, the two 9th grade Reading Labs (using the READ 180 Program) and consisting of 10 computers, are leasing, as well as the four 9th grade Math Labs (using the Cognitive Tutor Program / Consumable Workbooks) and consisting of 14 computers.
FACETS (Food and Hospitality small school) has a mini-computer lab of 14 working computers, established as a result of grant writing.
A few teachers have maintained and used their computers for Project Based Learning (PBL) and so may have 4-8 computers in their classrooms.
My lab had been used for class projects (I maintained the schedule and assisted whenever requested) up until last school year, when the Administration focused exclusively on Test Prep drill for 9-12 grade students and without proper teacher training or adequate use of the applications KeyTrain and ACT Online. KeyTrain data analysis was ignored and teachers were not trained until March, even though I generated the data for the Administration. ACT Online, for which CPS has provided a site license for all high schools the past two years was not used except by one or two teachers. And then, its data was not used for pre and post-test analysis and modification.
The Library has a mini-lab of 15 computers. There’s a mini-lab of 15 more in the back of the library provided by Post-Secondary for college applications and scholarship searches.
As a result of Jesse Jackson’s intervention during the 2005-2006 school year, we became a wi-fi hotspot, not just a few access points, but almost everywhere in the building. We were provided approximately 45 wi-fi cards for teacher laptops and perhaps another 30 for desktop computers thanks to the e-rate funding for that year.
Most of our computers operate with XP, but the ones that were donated will have Windows 2000. Software that does not come with the computers is added by the TechCo. Most computers are customized before being placed in the classroom. And all new computers should have the remediation process completed by the TechCo before they are used.
Although our labs function very well, the computers primarily Pentium 4, the classroom computers consist mainly of out of warranty computers that began to fail at the end of their warranty. Apparently, we did not have the funds to extend service to these computers.
There may be a need to discuss how and where computers are deployed in the future, as well as how they are presently used.
I believe issues of accountability exist in some cases with how (and whether) the software is used, pre-test and post-data collection and analysis, subsequent discussion of the effectiveness of the various programs, use and abuse of labs when the lab teacher is absent, and so on.
This page, one of many I've created (see the links in the left hand margin) has been developed at the Wikispaces web site. They offer a free wikispaces account for teachers, for which they remove all ads. The account for non-teachers is also free, but it includes ads.
Approximately 275-325 desktop PCs computers are connected to the network. This number may vary as many classroom computers are 4 or more years old and out of warranty. We do not have a repair contract with any vendor, nor does the Tech Coordinator have the time necessary (and occasionally the expertise) to troubleshoot the problems, nor is there a budget provided for parts. So the Tech Coordinator swaps parts and repairs computers on an ongoing basis, but as there is no storage space provided, many computers remain in classrooms unrepaired, and the problem not even diagnosed.
There are Pentium 3 computers donated to us, that are being set up (operating system, software, remediation) and placed in classrooms.
Additionally, there are 3 mobile laptop carts being leased through Tech X|L Leasing program for four years, the first being last year. Eight labs have leased PCs, as well.
Two mobile carts (30 laptops each) are being used by the 3rd and 4th floor science labs for projects, including virtual dissections. This may require a more detailed explanation of the process and problems we have encountered with the using wi-fi and the mobile carts.
A smaller cart stationed in the library and managed presently by the Techco, last year for a writing program we were piloting, has 24 laptops.
Infrastructure
In late May, Harper was at 92.4% compliance with CPS Network Standards (see harper-adm01) and fully migrated to the INSTR Domain. Every staff member and student has their own username and password to log into the domain, which provides access to a personalized folder, available from every computer in the school. This is managed by the Network Administrator / Technology Coordinator / Instructional Technologist, Gary Latman via Harper’s servers, Active Directory, and Deep Freeze console.
Deep Freeze
Lockdown software located on the Distribution Server – only OTS has access to this server. It also contains the Trend-Micro Anti-Virus and the very aggressive filtering software, which blocks out pornography, file sharing and social networking sites, and other sites that may be added upon request.
No new software can be added to classroom computers without unfreezing them and logging into the computer with the Administrative login and password. After adding software to individual computers or to an entire lab, the computers must be locked by down by refreezing it or them.
Active Directory
Server level administration of the Network, it allows accounts to be set up and deleted. There are other aspects of Active Directory that include setting up access to folders, applications, printing, and so on. This is managed by OTS Technicians and the school’s Techco.
Administrative Login
This provides the TechCo, as well as OTS technicians, the ability to manage the computers attached to the Network. There’s a hierarchy to protect and manage the Network. It does not stop students or staff from downloading games and/or music and videos all the time, but does stop tampering with settings and operation of the computer. Some software may be downloaded and not allowed to install, some install until the computer is shut off, and then Deep Freeze resets the computer to where it was at the beginning of the day. There are some exceptions I can explain, if desired.
Servers
We have 3, the Distribution Server, explained above, one that we purchased 4 years ago, which we use for school-wide server based applications, such as the software for our reading labs, math labs, P.E. program, and more. It also houses teacher and student folders, drivers, and some other things.
Labs*
There are two ETC funded labs, one in Room 307 for CoMETS and the other in Room 104 for AoBE. There is a Special Education lab in Room 218. And the Lab that I maintain and work in is Room 220, right next to the Library. These are our four primary labs with 25-28 functioning computers and several printers per lab. Rooms 218 and 220 are leasing the computers.
Additionally, the two 9th grade Reading Labs (using the READ 180 Program) and consisting of 10 computers, are leasing, as well as the four 9th grade Math Labs (using the Cognitive Tutor Program / Consumable Workbooks) and consisting of 14 computers.
FACETS (Food and Hospitality small school) has a mini-computer lab of 14 working computers, established as a result of grant writing.
A few teachers have maintained and used their computers for Project Based Learning (PBL) and so may have 4-8 computers in their classrooms.
My lab had been used for class projects (I maintained the schedule and assisted whenever requested) up until last school year, when the Administration focused exclusively on Test Prep drill for 9-12 grade students and without proper teacher training or adequate use of the applications KeyTrain and ACT Online. KeyTrain data analysis was ignored and teachers were not trained until March, even though I generated the data for the Administration. ACT Online, for which CPS has provided a site license for all high schools the past two years was not used except by one or two teachers. And then, its data was not used for pre and post-test analysis and modification.
The Library has a mini-lab of 15 computers. There’s a mini-lab of 15 more in the back of the library provided by Post-Secondary for college applications and scholarship searches.
As a result of Jesse Jackson’s intervention during the 2005-2006 school year, we became a wi-fi hotspot, not just a few access points, but almost everywhere in the building. We were provided approximately 45 wi-fi cards for teacher laptops and perhaps another 30 for desktop computers thanks to the e-rate funding for that year.
Most of our computers operate with XP, but the ones that were donated will have Windows 2000. Software that does not come with the computers is added by the TechCo. Most computers are customized before being placed in the classroom. And all new computers should have the remediation process completed by the TechCo before they are used.
Although our labs function very well, the computers primarily Pentium 4, the classroom computers consist mainly of out of warranty computers that began to fail at the end of their warranty. Apparently, we did not have the funds to extend service to these computers.
There may be a need to discuss how and where computers are deployed in the future, as well as how they are presently used.
Recommendations: Suggestions for Integrating Technology at Harper
NOTES
This page, one of many I've created (see the links in the left hand margin) has been developed at the Wikispaces web site. They offer a free wikispaces account for teachers, for which they remove all ads. The account for non-teachers is also free, but it includes ads.