MLTI News week of Oct 26

Oct 27, 2009 – MLTI Conference Call re: the Macbook image – anything you want changed let me know and we will let MLTI know

On Oct 29, 2009

We will dispense modems to those LMS students who requested them. The instructions for them are found at this link http://www.maine.gov/tools/whatsnew/index.php?topic=MLTIFAQ&id=82065&v=faqfull

PD session with Scott and Craig in the LMS library at 2:15 pm on Oct 29

LMS is registered for webcast sponsored by Maine 121on Oct 29 at 3:15pm and 7:15 pm for session titled “UDL and Accessibility. Built-in Features and Customizations: Make the MLTI Laptops Meet Your and Your Students Needs” See webcast at Maine 121.org and how to join… at Maine 121 How To

Scott and I participated in the Tech Lead Conf in Portland this week. The highlight: the new help desk chat for Apple issues – this is for parents and students as well, so we need to get the word out. Visit http://www.info.apple.com/mlti/ and choose Contact Information and look for Chat Support. It is available 8:00 to 5:30. We also need to devise a ‘Need-to-know’ procedure for this. It would be unfortunate that a call to Apple for an issue doesn't get back to us, esp if the Macbook requires repair. Teachers, students, or parents need to acquire a case number if they call with a Macbook issue.

The roundtable we sat in on discussed tracing stolen laptop procedures – and from what I could gather, it is poorly executed, esp when time is of the essence. Some expressed confusion about who to contact at MLTI regarding issues technology or otherwise. What enlightened me most was the communication among Tech Leads/Teacher leads and staff and students to improve teaching, learning, safety and security. In light of some of the student breaches at LMS, I need to do more to participate in meeting with Team Leaders and staff – and I have already outlined that process. Moreover, we need to kick off training and PD for using all the tech tools we have. I am hoping that the Mimio training by Sue StP. from LFHS is the start of weekly ‘teacher-shares’ and ‘how-to’s’. Finally, Scott and I sat in on more Apple Remote Desktop seminars and will do more with it asap.

6th Grade laptop repairs – These are old laptops and some are experiencing old age symptoms, some fatal. Please inform students that repairs for these will not rank high on the repair priority list since the Tech Dept. (like many others) is stretched thin- and G3/G4’s are not supported by MLTI; that said, Scott and I are deciding on a system for work orders regarding these machines (not the new Macbooks) – soon work orders will be electronic via Help Desk database but we are awaiting infrastructure support for this efficient way to manage assets internally. A` quick solution may be to use the white board in LMS Tech Dept office next to Yo and Brenda.

We have a conferencing system….Now What?

The TANDBERG Teachers Training Teachers Program (T4): Begins…Now!

We know that….

Interactive distance learning enhances the
educational curriculum by leveraging subject
matter experts, extending course offerings to
other districts, and increasing collaboration
among educators, students, and the worldwide
learning

I am working on scheduling a webcast with Lance Ford, a T4 trainer

Finally, I need three people from each school to train for the new school website