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smart classrooms
CTO/CIOCybersecurityTechnical Support

Four Tech Tips to Prepare Your Smart Classrooms

by Guest Blogger
written by Guest Blogger

iGens, also known as Gen Zs, are the new minds of our future. And the next generation won’t learn everything they need to know in the same way as previous generations. The iEverything world of cloud computing, AI (artificial intelligence), VR (virtual reality), AR (augmented reality), and now MR (mixed reality) will lead to a unified Smart Education. Chromebooks, mobile phones, smart watches, and other media consumption devices will form the hub of lesson delivery both inside and outside of classrooms. How can schools prepare for the current and future technology needs to support smart classrooms?

Planning is the key, and knowing the most important factors to consider can help you save time and dollars down the road. Here are some tips to get you started.

Tip 1: Invest in the next generation WiFi infrastructure – the 802.11AX standard

WLANS make the heart of your infrastructure. Next generation WiFi standards are now coming to market that will allow delivery of the mixed media necessary to deliver Smart Education. Focus on reliable, high-speed connections that are capable of performing in dense, multi-user, and indoor and outdoor environments. Make sure your new infrastructure is ready for this new 802.11AX standard. Learn more about 802.11AX and what it means for schools here.

Tip 2: Support your high definition video needs with compression technology

High intelligence video is a part of smart classrooms.

IVS can help improve security in smart classrooms.

Both 4K and 1080p cameras allow for high quality Intelligent Video Security (IVS). The use of Wide Dynamic Range (WDR) and high-grade CMOS sensors result in a clearer picture with more detail. But most importantly, the use of H.265 compression technology can reduce your storage and bandwidth needs by 50 percent. Share clearer video in less space.

 

 

Tip 3: Automate your storage management

You can better control your budget by building a smart storage infrastructure with intelligent automation. This includes faster response for increased capacity, anticipation of failure, and data replication. Automating your store management improves the overall network performance and availability.

Tip 4: Design an open ecosystem

Animals in an ecosystem as a metaphor for smart classrooms.

An open ecosystem allows for technology to live and work together harmoniously.

When planning a network ecosystem, the interoperability between devices from different manufacturers is an important factor to consider. If devices from different vendors are designed within an open ecosystem and interoperate seamlessly, you are free to select devices that best suit your needs and budget rather than the limited selection that is typically available in proprietary systems. In other words, make smart choices now so that you will have more choices in the future.

In the end, great planning with an experienced team is key. Being prepared with innovative technologies that support your current and future classroom needs is the ultimate goal. With that in mind, you will be prepared to support the demands of iGens in the Smart Classroom.

This is a sponsored post written by Tom P. Yarbrough, Regional Director at Huawei Enterprise USA, Inc. Tom has over 20 years of experience working with K12, higher education, and research education organizations to build the most advanced technology environments that they can envision. 

Huawei, a global leader in Information ICT, serves over 170 countries with their partners to offer network infrastructure, storage, SDN, cloud computing and data center solutions. Huawei has 180,000+ employees on every continent. In 2017, Huawei ranked 83 on the Global Fortune 500. Learn More about Huawei’s Education Solutions >>

 

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Speakup
CTO/CIOLeadership

SpeakUp Survey Opens October 16

by Jennifer Bergland
written by Jennifer Bergland

If you knew that 55 percent of your district’s parents thought their children would thrive in a blended learning classroom, would it impact your strategic planning for your school or district? Would it help your planning if you knew the five essential elements your teachers felt they needed to effectively and efficiently integrate digital content, tools, and resources into their daily instruction? Would it surprise you if you found that 53 percent of your middle and high school students felt they needed the Internet at home to do their homework, but only 13 percent of your teachers were assigning homework that needed the Internet? All of this information and so much more can easily be obtained by your district’s participation in the SpeakUp Survey. And by the way, these statistics are from the surveys completed by Texans in 2016.

Project Tomorrow is a national education nonprofit group whose mission is to “ensure that today’s students are well SpeakUpprepared to be tomorrow’s innovators, leaders, and engaged citizens of the world.” The SpeakUp Research Project for Digital Learning is a national research project and a free service to schools and districts to gather survey data from students, teachers, librarians, campus and district administrators, parents, and community members. It is designed to help education leaders as they create and implement their vision of the next generation learning model. And it is completely free to school districts.

You are probably thinking this sounds like way too much work, that you simply don’t have time to distribute all of these surveys and make sure they are completed. The good news is that they have made this process super easy. They have everything you need.

SpeakUP Support Materials

Some of the items you can find on their website to help you organize and promote the survey are listed below.

  • Welcome Packet – gives you enough information to get started
  • Flyers – to help promote the survey
  • Information Material – to help answer all your questions (timeline, testimonials, introduction letters to give to principals, etc.)
  • Social Media – suggested messages for the different social media outlets
  • Sample Emails – help you get the word out
  • Instructions – for each group you are targeting
  • Lesson Plans – in case you want your teachers to build this activity into a learning experience
  • Press Release – to communicate to your community that you want their input

speakupYou have complete flexibility with the implementation of the survey. If this is your first time, you could start small by targeting one school or one grade level. You could decide to only survey students and staff this year and add parents and community members the following year. Just remember, the more data collected, the more information you will have for your strategic planning. This brings us to the best part. After the data is collected, Project Tomorrow analyzes it and provides you with your own data in an extremely easy format to read and manipulate. They even have a PowerPoint template that you can use to easily import your district’s data.

Important Details

  • Register your district so all further communications from Project Tomorrow will get to the right person.
  • Promote the survey using all of their free materials.
  • Determine the time frame to conduct the survey. Project Tomorrow opens the survey on October 16 and closes it on January 19.

Information is power. Knowing what key stakeholders value and their opinions on certain issues can assist school district administrators when implementing new programs and adjusting current ones. This is especially important when the district is transitioning from a print-based instructional model to one that relies on the use of digital materials and technologies. The SpeakUp Survey provides your district an excellent opportunity to help gather the data you need to monitor and adjust during this transition. Gaining this information has never been so easy! What are you waiting for? Register now! 

 

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learning management system
CTO/CIOLearning Management System (LMS)

12 Key Criteria to Consider When Deciding on a New Learning Management System

by Guest Blogger
written by Guest Blogger

Engaging K-12 students while ensuring that lessons properly align with state standards can be a monumental undertaking in today’s classroom. Over the last few years, using a learning management system (LMS) to document, track, report, and deliver curriculum is one thing that is making that easier. At the same time, they’re also giving pupils voice and choice, enabling personalization, and encouraging collaboration.

The question is, though, how does a district go about conducting an effective learning management system analysis to find a platform that meets (and exceeds) the individual needs and expectations?

Finding the Right Rubric

The first step is to consider adopting a rubric. After evaluating several sources for rubrics, we decided to use Criteria for the Evaluation of Learning Management Systems to review the numerous solutions we looked at. These included, but were not limited to, comprehensive solutions like itslearning as well as free versions like Canvas, Edmodo, and Piazza. We adapted the rubric accordingly and picked numerous platforms to review based on our familiarity with them and the variety of paid and free options offered by each.

Beyond the rubric, talk to schools and districts currently using the LMS solutions under consideration and gather informed feedback on how each platform performs. Finally, don’t forget to request demo accounts so that stakeholders can “try before they buy.” And while the basics obviously include seeing what products are out there, reviewing what each product will do, and then choosing the best product for your environment, there are actually several additional steps that every district should take before making a final selection. I’ve outlined my 12 key points to consider when selecting an LMS below.

1. Pedagogical Design

Knowing that the LMS’s main charge would be providing content and tools for engaging students and conducting interactive learning, we sought out a platform that integrates well with interactive tools and that allows us to routinely add new pedagogical tools to the system.

2. Design and Layout

We knew that a functional interface with a decent layout would do an “okay” job, but one that allowed for easy navigation with minimal training would be even better. During our research, we set our sights on finding an LMS that had a simple, intuitive interface with minimal clicks to access materials, with little or no training needed to get started.

3. Course Export

Does the LMS allow users to export course structure and content, as well as selected sub-elements of a course, using an industry-standard such as IMS Content Packaging? This important question was on our minds as we reviewed our LMS options, knowing that the solution would be most effective when serving as a fully-integrated solution for our district.

4. Archives

A good LMS has strong archival tools that support backup of completed courses with student submissions and discussions intact. An excellent match includes archive tools that support automatic backup of completed courses with student submissions and discussions intact. With the latter, instructors have full access and control of completed courses.

 5. Communication

We wanted a platform that included both asynchronous (email) and synchronous communication tools and that provides a high level of flexibility for the use of email (asynchronous by roster, individual, or group) as well as instant messaging, chat, and threaded discussions.

6. File Exchange 

In today’s collaborative educational environment, simple file exchange is a must-have. We sought out an LMS that provides secure drop-boxes and shared folders for file exchange among students as well as instructors—and that also allows for bulk downloads of attached files.

7. Sections and Groups

The platform had to allow instructors to define sub-groups of students within the class roster for purposes of communication and collaborative work, but we also needed a hierarchy of support sections within a single course (i.e., so that course content could be shared among sections).

8. E-portfolios

We wanted a platform that included an integrated, full-featured e-portfolio tool that would make it possible to gather, review, and present work products to support any portfolio strategy (e.g., résumé, learning, tenure, etc).

9. Discussion Tools

To streamline communications, our LMS needed to include extremely fast and highly-functional discussion tools complete with featured user profiles or pictures, file attachments, and HTML interface.

10. Testing and Assessment Tools

Our new LMS had to go beyond just simple test generation and provide user-friendly tools for creating assessments with multimedia, learning games, and other interactive tools (such as polls). Going a step further, the new platform would be able to provide immediate feedback with tips for remediation.

11. Grade Book and Student Tracking 

The platform had to include a highly-functional grade book that was easy to use and that allowed grades to be exported to a spreadsheet or student information system (SIS). Through the platform, teachers could access student tracking tools to learn, for example, which pages the student has viewed and what tasks have been completed. From there, the student receives an email when his or her participation is substandard.

12. Learning Analytics

In today’s analytics-centric learning environment, we wanted an LMS that could provide in-depth data gathering and reporting on learning outcomes based on configurable rubrics, and that would also allow for longitudinal analysis of cohorts as well as individuals (including e-portfolios).

Find the LMS That’s Right for You

The other key points that we factored in while reviewing our options included calendar and selective release (i.e., a collaborative calendar with pop-up announcements); integration with library resources (to allow faculty to find and reference both public and licensed library materials, including full texts); the use of open standards; and the availability and delivery of training materials and technical support.

When exploring your own options, be sure to incorporate the key points from this rubric—and your district’s individual wants and needs—into your final decision. There are hundreds of LMS options out there on the market today, so it pays to take the time and do your own research to find the right one.

This is a guest blog by Michael Cummings, who is the Technology Learning Coach in the Division of Technology at the Fort Worth Independent School District.

 

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technical
CTO/CIOCybersecurityProfessional LearningTechnical Support

Professional Development for Technical Support Staff

by Dr. Bruce Ellis
written by Dr. Bruce Ellis

If you are like many system administrators or technical support staff in districts, finding relevant professional development is hard and expensive. You either attend something that has no impact on your role or use a subscription to an online training service and watch mediocre videos…until now! The TCEA System Administrator and Technical Support Conference is designed just for you, covering common technical issues in your district and helping you find effective solutions that have been tried by other districts.

technicalJoin us on October 26 and 27 at the TCEA Headquarters  in Austin for sessions on hot topics such BYOD management, end-user technical support, security, Chromebooks, emerging technologies, network/wireless management, and more. Check out the full list of sessions being offered and start planning which ones you will attend. Intensive learning will be packed into this day-and-a-half conference.

Here are just a few of the many sessions being offered:

  • Exploring Eduphoria’s Facilities and Events
  • Amplified Google for Education
  • Optimizing Your Wireless Network
  • Understanding and Implementing the CoSN/NIST Cybersecurity Framework in Your District
  • Mitigating Student-Caused Damage to Devices
  • Disaster Routing SIP Trunking Voice Services
  • Re-purposing Laptops and Desktops

You’ll also be able to network with other like-minded individuals in order to grow your professional learning network of technical support folks you can call on throughout the school year when you are planning a new deployment/upgrade or when problems arise. And lunch on the first day is provided!

Because you work hard to make sure that systems (hardware, software, connectivity, etc.) work as efficiently as possible to allow the rest of district employees to do their job well without thinking about the technology, you will find great value in attending the 2017 System Administrator and Technical Support Conference. So grab your co-workers and register today. You’ll be glad you did!

 

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managing change
CTO/CIOLeadership

Managing Change – It’s Not for the Faint of Heart

by Jennifer Bergland
written by Jennifer Bergland

Imagine walking into a teacher’s classroom and telling her that you are going to completely turn her classroom upside down. The tried and true laminated lesson plans that she has been using for years are no longer going to be applicable. Her students will all have devices that connect to the Internet, so she is going to have to figure out how to help them manage their time on task. Introducing a one-to-one ratio of devices to students in a teacher’s classroom also shifts the control of the learning. The teacher is still in control, but now she has the ability to let her students pursue things that are relevant to them. This means that, potentially, her students may all be learning the same standards but using different resources. You are asking a teacher to fundamentally change the way she has approached teaching. When the teacher realizes how different this model of teaching and learning is, it is likely that she will look at you and say, “You want me to do what?”

Managing a new initiative is stressful. It requires someone who understands how to help navigate Changepeople through a dramatic shift in their professional practice. The types of change require different kinds of leadership skills. Changing a teacher’s planning period takes different skills than telling them every student is going to have a device and most of their lessons and materials will be delivered over that device. First order change usually deals with cosmetic changes, while second order change deals with the paradigms and philosophies. Research indicates that the leadership team should approach the management of these two types of change differently.

One of the reasons a first order change is easier to manage is because they generally are met with less resistance because they do not challenge an educator’s fundamental belief. Second order changes require teachers to become learners, to think deeply about their practice, and to adopt new and often challenging ideas about their role in the classroom.

It is highly recommended that you review research on first and second order change. I highly recommend the book Implementing Change: Patterns, Principles, and Potholes by Hall and Hord. It’s expensive, but when you are investing this much time and money on a project that involves such change, it’s a wise investment.

When implementing a transition from print to digital instructional materials, you might also want to consider the following:

Leadership

Need collaborative leadership, not just individual leadership. You need buy-in from leadership at every level of the district. This is critical. If the leadership is not actively involved and supporting the staff implementing the change,  the change will fail.

Planning

Address infrastructure, maintenance, learning strategies, training requirements, technical support, and policies. Make sure flexibility is a part of the planning process. Interventions will be necessary. Don’t be surprised when your plans go awry. Making appropriate interventions are key to the success. When you make necessary adjustments, it communicates you are listening to the staff who are implementing the change and reduces their resistance.

Engagement

Involve teachers in the planning and roll-out of digital learning. Identify the tools, content, Changetraining, and support they will need. Organizations adopt change, but individuals are the ones that implement change. District leadership might have decided to enact the change, but it is the people at the school level that actually make it happen. The change process can’t be dictated from central office.

Creativity and Flexibility

You can’t mandate a second order change. Let your stakeholders find the flaws, but also identify solutions. Your goal is to find a mutually satisfactory outcome. This is not a sprint, but a marathon.

Persistence and Prioritization

ChangeSuccess takes time and commitment to strategic action plans, review, and adjustment. It may take several cycles after implementation to determine if the new initiative is working. Expect an implementation dip.

Supplant, Not Supplement

Modify the curriculum to replace ineffective practices with those that best leverage the technology. Don’t let bad practices bring down the initiative.

Sustainable Funding

Moving to digital materials requires annual budgeting for the cost of devices, broadband, training, and content. An analysis of the budget should be done to determine where savings may be found so the budget can be realigned to sustain the initiative.

I helped implement a project of this nature. I have the battle scars to prove it. It was one of the hardest things I ever did as an administrator, but one of the most gratifying. I knew the human aspect of the project was going to be the most difficult, but I was surprised at how much time we needed to spend on thinking through the psychology and dynamics of the change process. My best advice is not to underestimate the need to put a strategic team together just to review and analyze the project and refer to the research on managing a second order change.

Managing Change Resources

Photo credits: Header Photo by Ross Findon on Unsplash,  2. Charlz Gutiérrez De Piñeres on Unsplash (edited), 3. Photo by Climate KIC on Unsplash,4,  Photo by Jonathan Simcoe on Unsplash, 

 

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customer service
CTO/CIO

TCEA Responds: Time and Attendance Tracking for Adults

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Dear TCEA Responds:

We have an interesting situation in my district that deals with how to prevent employees from clocking in for each other. I just had two technicians who were logging in from home to “clock in” and then drive in to work at a leisurely pace. I’m thinking about switching to a different solution. What do you recommend?

-William, Technology Director

Dear William:

Thanks for your inquiry. There are really two fundamental challenges you describe in your email. Please allow me to address them each in turn.

Challenge #1 – Lack of Trust and Integrity

Preventing Technology Department staff from abusing their access and power can be a problem. These are really cultural and personnel concerns. Create a culture where trust and integrity are the bedrock foundation of all relationships. Training people out of lying, cheating, and stealing can be difficult. That is why you should strive to hire folks aligned to your department’s values and beliefs. If you do not have those clearly outlined (and in prominent display for everyone to see) already, then take half a day and have your team develop the core values that they can all agree on. Then refer to them often in meetings, helping to remind everyone of what they agreed to.

I also recommend having crucial confrontations with affected employees. The CPR approach I have adopted in these situations is based on the work of the  Vital Smarts team.

THE CPR APPROACH

The CPR approach focuses on a key element of supervisor/employee interactions over time. Those elements are in bold type below. Each step is documented, although you hope you will not need it after the first interaction.

In the first interaction, focus on the content. In this case, you notice staff are clocking in remotely. You make it clear that you expect staff to clock in while at work. “While clocking in remotely may have been accepted in the past, it is no longer so. From this point on, we will all clock in on site at our offices,” you might say.

In the second interaction, focus on the pattern of behavior. Share the agreed upon expectation, then describe the observed behavior. Ask what happened to cause the behavior to deviate from the expectation to get at employees’ thinking. Avoid jumping to conclusions (it’s so easy to do this, but sets all up for failure). If a pattern of untrustworthy behavior becomes evident, then further steps may be needed.

“As you know, we all agreed to clock in on site at our offices. I noticed you clocked in remotely several times this week. What happened?” This type of entry provides insight into whether the staff member needed more direct instruction or is exhibiting a poor attitude. There may also be other issues (“I have to drop my child off and that always makes me late”) that you can take into account. For example, for a staff member whose start time is too early, you can adjust their work hours to eliminate that obstacle.

In the third interaction, focus on the relationship. Repeated violations of trust have damaged your relationship. You begin to feel you can no longer trust the staff member.  “In the past, we’ve agreed that clocking in remotely is not accepted in our organization. You have done so on these three occasions. What’s going on?” Based on the respectful dialogue (or not) that ensues, you will have the information you need to make a decision. Remember, you are genuinely curious about why a staff member would violate organizational policy and rules.

Unavoidable Separation

I have used CPR successfully prior to beginning the oral/written warning process that ends in employee separation. Often, it gets the results and maintains a positive relationship with the employee. When the end comes, there’s little surprise to you both. You genuinely cared, were respectful, and urged changes. The employee persisted in negative behavior.  As a result, the actions you are forced to take to resolve the problem (ranging from oral to written warnings and/or reprimands) are the direct responsibility of the employee. Often, CPR results in a positive outcome. This happens when you care, avoid hitting people over the head with consequences of non-compliance. People understand why their actions are incongruent with the organization. You can honestly say, “I’ve done everything I can to help the employee be successful.” The situation is win/win for both you and the employee.

When an employee’s contrary actions persist, you both know the problem(s) well.  At that point, a staff member may resign. They realize that their way is out of alignment with the organization.  If behavior does not change, the district human resources team will have documentation to begin termination proceedings.

While you can always put technical solutions in place to mitigate inappropriate behavior (e.g. fingerprinting), the best approach relies on a strong culture. Build a culture of trust with clear expectations in place. Hold people accountable at crucial moments when a problem is small. “Nip it in the bud,” as the saying goes.

Challenge #2 – Time Clock Solution Selection

There are a variety of time clock tools available. Here are a few solutions that school districts have adopted for employees who need to clock in.

  1. Frontline’s Time and Attendance* (f.k.a. Veritime)
  2. Kronos
  3. NovaTime
  4. Time Clock Plus

*In addition to tracking employee time and attendance, this product integrates with Absence Management (f.k.a. AESOP substitute tracking system).

Making a Choice

What separates these solutions? Features for each are many. For most districts, cost, management and monitoring, and integration with mobile apps may serve as distinguishing features. Unfortunately though, each system can be abused for convenience. Setting clear policies and building a culture of trust will help minimize issues. And it is possible that increased trust and clear policies well communicated can lower costs (e.g. you pay more for each feature). Otherwise, you may find yourself deploying expensive biometric technologies. These biometrics (e.g. fingerprints, voice patterns) are used to minimize policy violations. My preference is for easy to manage and user-centric tools. What are your district’s priorities for a time and attendance system?

 

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certification
CTO/CIOLeadershipProfessional Learning

Extend Your Influence with Certification Courses

by Dr. Bruce Ellis
written by Dr. Bruce Ellis

Interested in influencing more educators in the area of technology integration? Want to easily gain valuable knowledge and skills without having to get another college degree? Then check out TCEA’s certification courses. These courses are designed for busy educators like you who want to hone their skills and go deeper in specific technology areas. As a result, you’ll have more confidence in your use of technology, have more influence and ability to help educators that you work with, and become even more effective in your role as an advocate for students using technology. The new cohorts for the Campus Technology Specialist Certification and the Technology/IT Director Certification are forming now and will be starting in September. Continue reading to find out which program is best for you. You may also find more information online here.

Campus Technology Specialist Certification

This learning program is a 12-month program specifically designed for educators already in the role of a campus technology specialist or those looking to move into that role. Through live webinars and an online course, you will gain needed insight and skills in how best to support campus teachers and students in integrating technology by using great tools, apps, websites, and devices in relevant and effective ways. Some of the courses you will take include Tech Trends for Campus Techs, Digital Coaching – Helping Teachers Integrate Technology, and Understanding and Building 21st Century Skills. You can find a complete list of courses for this program here. You’ll complete a relevant final project that will serve as the capstone to your certification requirements. This program includes 26 clock hours of coursework and up to eight clock hours for the final project. TCEA members can enroll for $480; the non-member cost is $529 (includes membership). Enrollment in the Campus Technology Specialist Certification Program includes a one-year membership in the Campus Technology Specialists Special Interest Group (CAMP-SIG).

Technology/IT Director Certification

Designed specifically for those desiring to move into the role of Instructional Technology Director or Information Technology Director, this 12-month program focuses on those skills, insights, and understandings critical to successfully lead a district in the use of technology. Through various online courses and live webinars totaling 41 clock hours, you’ll explore topics such as Personnel Management, Using Key Performance Indicators to Inform Your Work, and Project Management Fundamentals. You can find a complete list of courses and dates for this certification here.  As the capstone of your learning, you’ll submit a final project that is appropriate to the role of a Technology or IT Director. TCEA members can enroll for $1,025; the non-member cost is $1,074 (includes membership). Included in enrollment of this program is a one-year membership to the Technology Coordinators Special Interest Group (TEC-SIG).

Chromebook Certification (Level 1)

Completely online and self-paced, this course is ideal for educators who are busy with day-to-day activities, but still want to find a way to increase their knowledge and skills. In this program, you’ll learn how to effectively integrate Chromebooks and GSuite into your content area and use it to engage students with meaningful activities. As a capstone to your learning, you’ll submit a lesson plan demonstrating effective integration of the tools. Though you have up to a year to complete, most people enrolled in this certification program earn their certificate in a few weeks. The cost of this certification is just $99 for TCEA members, $149 for non-members (includes membership). Bulk discounts are also available for campuses and districts wanting to enroll seven or more educators at one time; email Bruce Ellis for more details on bulk discounts. More about this certification can be found here.

iPad Certification (Level 1)

Through this certification, you will learn how to effectively integrate the iPad and several key apps into your content area. And since this program is completely online and self-paced, you’ll have the freedom to learn at your own pace. Though you’ll be given up to a year to complete the certification, most educators who enroll in this certification complete it within a few weeks. To demonstrate your new skills and learning, you’ll submit a lesson plan integrating the iPad in a self-selected grade level and content area. The cost of this certification is just $99 for TCEA members, $149 for non-members (includes membership). Bulk discounts are also available for campuses and districts wanting to enroll seven or more staff members at one time; email Bruce Ellis for more details on bulk discounts. To find out more about this certification, visit this website.

If you have questions about any of these certifications, feel free to contact Bruce Ellis or Ashley Weiler at 800-282-8232. We will also debut a few more certifications later this year, so stay tuned for more ways you can grow your skills and become a more effective user and leader with technology.

 

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handshake grahpic
CTO/CIOLeadership

Starting the New School Year Off Right

by Dr. Bruce Ellis
written by Dr. Bruce Ellis

Have you heard the short tune or possibly seen the quote on a plaque that says “Make new friends, but keep the old; one is silver and the other gold.” That sums up one of your main tasks as a technology leader when it comes to the start of school. You’ve probably been busy these last two months working on upgrades, making sure that inventories are updated, and finalizing details about professional development for teachers. Those are important tasks, but don’t overlook one of the most important tasks that you have at the beginning of the year: building relationships with new administrators.

You have the opportunity to set the tone for the year as you establish these new relationships. Among the myriad of meetings they are having with parents, budget staff, and human resources – all of whom are asking for something – you have a chance to share what you have to offer and let them know you are there to help them. Be proactive and let them know how your department can assist them, what resources you have available, and specific ways you’ve helped other administrators in the past. Think of administrators as your clients; as you cultivate those relationships, you better understand the demands they face and how your department is critical in being a positive force to advance research-based, technology integration strategies and practices.

How I can Help graphicBegin by setting up a brief meeting to introduce yourself. For this meeting, I recommend creating a brief, bulleted list of services and supports you have to offer, along with various ways to contact you and/or your office. Though the administrator should be able to get all of that information from your department website, it is nice to have a hard copy of that information that can be filed away for easy access (the old-school way). Put your information in a colored folder and label it with your department name. I know this sounds very non-digital, but your goal is to make it as easy as possible for people to value you and your department and locate your information.

When you meet with the administrator, be respectful of their time. Keep the meeting short and to the point, allowing them to extend it if needed. Share your document (and colored folder…which will gain you points with the secretary) and highlight a few items. Make note of questions or concerns they have – EVEN IF IT ISN’T YOUR DEPARTMENT’S RESPONSIBILITY. You can graciously let them know that those items don’t fall under your purview, but that you’ll help connect them to the the specific departments and staff. Your goal is to establish yourself and your department as the go-to for resources…even if that means pointing to where the resources are when they are outside your area.

Keep Calm and Call Tech Department graphicTo go the extra, extra mile, give a copy of the labeled folder and document to their secretary. Recognizing the value of their role in getting things done on the campus can go a long way. While many administrators have good intentions to remember all the details, they typically know they can rely on their secretaries to keep things organized so that that information can be easily accessed when needed.

Follow up your meeting in a few days with an email. This will allow them to search and find you in their email system, as well as easily add you to their contacts list. Give a link to the document you left with them, but be sure to update the document as often as needed.

Flipgrid iconThis is just one recommendation to help you start the new school year off right. I bet you have something you do that makes the year start smoothly. We’d love to hear from you…as well as let you hear what others recommend. Just go to this Flipgrid and share your recommendations!

 

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customer service
CTO/CIOCybersecurityTechnical Support

TCEA Responds: Securing Data in Cloud Storage

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Welcome to TCEA Responds #9. Submit your own question(s) online. Today’s topic is securing sensitive data. This includes data stored in cloud storage solutions like Microsoft OneDrive and/or Forms and Excel Online or Google Drive or Forms and Sheets.

Dear TCEA Responds:

My district uses Google Forms to collect parent and student data. This includes names, birth dates, phone numbers, and emails. Should I be worried? I know Google says it’s the school’s responsibility. Do you see any issues with security regarding sensitive data?

Thanks, Christi

Dear Christi:

A district-level administrator has a Google Sheet with 500 Social Security numbers for students on it. He accidentally drags it into a publicly-shared Google Drive folder. Is this a data breach or not? It depends on several factors.

While this isn’t technically a data breach since the data has yet to be stolen, a data breach could occur. If the person in question (or anyone else who has access) falls for a phishing scam and bad people get access, then the district will have a problem. If the data is not encrypted, then a data breach has occurred and the district could be liable for identity theft protection. Let’s review possible options for avoiding this situation.

Option 1 – Encrypting Data

The easiest solution (which isn’t that easy) is to avoid placing sensitive, personally-identifiable information online in a public folder where it is unknown who has access to it. If you must place sensitive data in the cloud, encrypt the file first. Once the person has obtained the file, remove the file. At no time should a decrypted file be placed online in cloud storage or emailed as an attachment. Two commercial solutions districts can use for encrypting data stored in the cloud include Cryptomator and Boxcryptor. A free solution is Secure Space Encryptor (SSE) from Paranoia Works. It’s free, open source, and works on Mac/Win/Linux/Android. It also features text encryption for iPad. You could use this because it allows you to encrypt files/folders. If the files/folders you are encrypting save to a “sync to cloud” folder (e.g. Dropbox, Drive, OneDrive), then that data is encrypted.

Option 2 – Invest in a Solution that Scans Your G Suite Domain

securing

Several solutions exist that will scan your district’s Google Suites for Education domain seeking any possible sensitive data that may have been shared with intent or not. Two solutions that I am aware of include the following (in alpha order):

Both solutions offer a variety of features, essentially scanning your cloud storage provider (e.g. Google Suites for Education or Office 365) for sensitive data. What’s more, additional rules can be set up to restrict placement of sensitive data online to prevent or quickly catch rule violations. You will want to explore these solutions through an official request for proposals (RFP) process aligned to your particular district’s processes and procedures.

Did you knowb4? A big part of protecting data involves avoiding situations, like phishing expeditions, that attempt to capture your username and password. Some school districts are turning to solutions like KnowB4, which provides security probing and awareness training. For example, a false spear phishing attack is launched against employees with the organization’s permission. This simulated attack is done without notifying the employees first. One district, for example, “sent out a baseline test to 4,390 staff and 924 clicked on it.” The district later reported that they suffered an actual attack, not simulated by KnowB4. Only one person was compromised. From 924 to one is quite an improvement.

Safeguarding Sensitive Data is Everyone’s Responsibility

Digital citizenship is often cited as an important set of habits to develop. Safeguarding sensitive data is everyone’s responsibility. Make sure district staff understand the consequences of convenient uses of cloud storage.

 

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TCEA Responds: Digital Fax Solutions

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Welcome to TCEA Responds #8.  Submit your own question(s) online. Today’s topic is digital fax solutions for your school or district.

Dear TCEA Responds:

Do you know of a reliable cloud fax service that I can use in my school district? I’m a technology director and need to know who you use and what your experiences have been. Also, how does it work with people sending and receiving faxes? Thanks, Charles

Dear Charles:

Thanks for your question. When I worked as an instructional technology director in a large urban school district, one of the challenges was finding a fax machine to get faxes sent. While most have shifted to using a document copier (or mobile app) to scan documents to PDF and then email them to the recipient, there remains a need for faxing documents. The main benefits of digital faxing include the following:

  • Send a fax (single or multi-page) from your computer, smart device, or integrated Multi Function Products without print-to-scan
  • Eliminate on-site fax telephone lines or costly fax telephone service
  • Receive faxes by email
  • No computer or server software to install
  • No telephone system integration required

There are several ways to accomplish this goal of digital faxing. Here are a few possible solutions for your consideration:

Solution #1 – Digitize Paper with Inexpensive Tools

Using mobile device apps like Microsoft Office Lens (free for Android, iOS, Win10) and Readdle’s Scanner Pro (alternate iOS/Android app: Fast Scanner: PDF Doc Scan), you can quickly scan and save to cloud storage. Or use a solution like a Fujitsu scanner to capture information to PDF quickly. These inexpensive devices make scanning documents via your desktop a snap. Their low price point meant every secretary in my school district had one handy to digitize content. You can archive these files in traditional file folders on your computer, in the cloud, or a note-keeper program like Microsoft OneNote (free).

Solution #2 – Setup Your Network Copier as a Scanning and Fax Machine

Most copiers in schools today are connected to the network. Make sure that when you purchase a network copier, you get the fax module. This lets you set up a phone extension for each user mailbox, which allows incoming faxes that support extension dialing to reach your users.

Solution #3 – Use a Cloud Fax Solution

When I think of a digital fax solution, cloud fax solutions like eGoldfax, eFax, or hellofax come to mind. Depending on the service, you can receive faxes sent to phone numbers and these will be auto-delivered to an assigned email address or email group. Faxes can also be sent via email, allowing you to send documents straight to your digital fax solution. The digital fax then securely delivers it on your behalf.

Making the Right Choice

The right choice involves shifting from analog/print to digital. How you get there will depend on the size of your organization, the level of support your end users need to make the transition, and the budget available. For the low-budget, once-in-a-while fax, consider digitizing content with a copier/scanner and then emailing it to the recipient. Or use Hellofax. If you need industrial strength faxing for multiple phone numbers, then eGoldfax or eFax may do the job for you.

Other Solution?

Have another solution your district uses? Please share in the comments!

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