[Year 12 IT Apps] educache (not applicable to those teachingin non-government schools)

[Cameron Bell]

Don't worry about it. Hope it helps - I just get so irate when I hear 
about antiquated ICT practices still being carried out in schools.
(I also hate wine and am trying to get fit ;) )

Cheers
Cameron



Meadows, Roslyn M wrote:
>
> Cameron - this is SO cool!!
>
> Do you want the choccies or the wine??
>
> Where are you??
>
> *Roslyn Meadows | Information Technology | Bentleigh Secondary College 
> | meadows.roslyn.m at edumail.vic.gov.au | ph 03 9579 1044 | mobile 0412 
> 614 062*
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au 
> [mailto:itapps-bounces at edulists.com.au] On Behalf Of Cameron Bell
> Sent: Tuesday, 27 February 2007 6:21 PM
> To: Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [Year 12 IT Apps] educache (not applicable to those 
> teachingin non-government schools)
>
> I inherited exactly the same system. We have since moved over to
>
> BrightSparks unlimited plan ($500 per month flat rate) and opened it all
>
> up so that
>
> 1) staff and students can access the same things (students can actually
>
> see more than staff cause they know about proxy sites ;) )
>
> 2) students that have returned acceptable use agreements have internet
>
> access and it doesn't matter about "credits"
>
> 3) we don't bother the office staff with kids paying for internet
>
> credits or have kids carrying money to school to pay more and more
>
> Staff know the system you have / we had is simply a pain in the neck and
>
> an administrative millstone that has no educational rationale to back it
>
> up other than it narrows down searches quickly (you can achieve the same
>
> with a clickable worksheet). You should have heard the cheer in the
>
> staff meeting when I told staff it was open access!
>
> So you go to your leaders say "Bright sparks offers $500 per month
>
> unlimited access" we can afford this, it maximises the potential of the
>
> internet as an EDUCATIONAL TOOL not some administrative empire that none
>
> shall pass! It reduces teacher and office workload and will ENABLE open
>
> learning skills rather than RESTRICTING you to a small (but quality)
>
> pool available.
>
> <rant over>
>
> Cameron
>
> Meadows, Roslyn M wrote:
>
> >
>
> > Sorry folks, I know this may be Offtopic (please don’t yell at me!)
>
> > but it affects all of our students at BSC, especially the VCE kids.
>
> >
>
> > While I was away from Bentleigh last year students’ access to the
>
> > internet was limited to the educache. This was done because it was
>
> > thought that websites within educache did not cost us if students went
>
> > to them, and many staff were frustrated at kids not having internet
>
> > credit, so the educache only rule was applied.
>
> >
>
> > In my first lesson this year I asked a Year 10 class to do some
>
> > research on the when, how, who, why, etc of the origins of the
>
> > internet and the WWW. I had no idea that the educache restrictions had
>
> > been put into place.
>
> >
>
> > No results were returned in their searches. Even when I TOLD them to
>
> > search for ARPANET or BERNERS-LEE no results were returned.
>
> >
>
> > In the end I turned on the projector, did a search myself (teachers
>
> > can go outside educache) and showed them the answers which they
>
> > dutifully typed into their word documents.
>
> >
>
> > Now I know that I can ask for websites to be added to educache (if one
>
> > can predict exactly the way a lesson will go that is fine), but I
>
> > cannot find out WHICH websites can be visited unless I ask a kid to
>
> > try going to that site (for example I wanted to use w3schools, so had
>
> > to check with a kids internet first)
>
> >
>
> > I really wonder how we would have coped doing Unit 1 Outcome 3 last
>
> > year under this system!!!
>
> >
>
> > Now to me this goes totally against the grain of VELS, and must make
>
> > it very difficult for so many VCE classes (not just IT) and is rather
>
> > like saying “You can only access the top shelves in the library”
>
> >
>
> > What I need is a large number of excellent arguments for restoring the
>
> > internet to our students. Your help would be truly appreciated. A
>
> > bottle of wine or box of chocolates will be sent/delivered to the best
>
> > response!!!
>
> >
>
> > Cheers
>
> >
>
> > Ros
>
> >
>
> > **Roslyn Meadows | Information Technology***
>
> > ***meadows.roslyn.m at edumail.vic.gov.au**
>
> > <mailto:meadows.roslyn.m at edumail.vic.gov.au>
>
> > **ph 03 9579 1044 | mobile 0412 614 062**
>
> >
>
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>
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>
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>
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>
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>
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>
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>
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>
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> _______________________________________________
>
> http://www.edulists.com.au - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe
>
> IT Applications Mailing List kindly supported by
>
> http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment 
> Authority and
>
> http://www.vitta.org.au - VITTA Victorian Information Technology 
> Teachers Association Inc
>
> *Important - *This email and any attachments may be confidential. If 
> received in error, please contact us and delete all copies. Before 
> opening or using attachments check them for viruses and defects. 
> Regardless of any loss, damage or consequence, whether caused by the 
> negligence of the sender or not, resulting directly or indirectly from 
> the use of any attached files our liability is limited to resupplying 
> any affected attachments. Any representations or opinions expressed 
> are those of the individual sender, and not necessarily those of the 
> Department of Education.
>
> _______________________________________________
> http://www.edulists.com.au <http://www.edulists.com.au> - FAQ, 
> resources, subscribe, unsubscribe
> IT Applications Mailing List kindly supported by
> http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au <http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au> - Victorian 
> Curriculum and Assessment Authority and
> http://www.vitta.org.au <http://www.vitta.org.au> - VITTA Victorian 
> Information Technology Teachers Association Inc