LM_NET: Library Media Networking
As you can see from the following responses, it varies from "full speed
ahead" to "not sure about this cuz we have only one line and one
account." Hope these responses are helpful to the rest of you who are
struggling with similar problems.
Thanks to all who shared their ideas and information.
Joyce
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From: Barbara Fiehn <bfiehn@VAX1.MANKATO.MSUS.EDU>
Ideally each user would have their own account. Depending on how large a
student/staff population you have that may be impossible with only one
line.
Ask your self some questions first. Who is going to be allowed to have
access,
for what may they have access, what time limit is being placed on the use,
Have an acceptable use policy in place before anyone accesses the net.
What applications are you going to have avaiable? Who can use each?
If you are going to have multiple email accounts, try to get a copy of
Eudora as your mail package. By removing the preferences file from the
program and having everyone use a floppy disk with a copy of the
preferences file you won't have to change addresses time their is a new
user. People will just work from their disk to bring up their account. I
know several school systems that use this method.
----------
From: Kathy Graves <kgraves@sisscoe.sisnet.ssku.k12.ca.us>
I'm from the Siskiyou County Office of Education in Yreka, California,
and we've
installed an internet node here in our office and are offering access to
all schools through ISDN lines and Frame Relay (depending on the phone
service provider). We received a Federal grant to help us hardwire all
schools directly to us, so time and distance sensitive charges won't be
incurred. I think that we are offering schools the option of how they want
to issue accounts (1 per class, each student, etc.). We are leaving it up
to each school to make that decision. If they decide to offer accounts to
all, then they can charge a small fee to each student for their account.
We did a little research on this and found that it is legal, just as is
charging a small fee for supplies for art classes, buying books, paying
fees for sports programs, etc. All of our schools should be hooked up
sometime this fall - about 16 schools already are.
------------
From: Katharine Bruner <BRUNERK@TEN-NASH.TEN.K12.TN.US>
Our situation is approximately the same as yours -- one dedicated
phone line per school. The only people with account passwords through the
state's TENNAS network are those who have undergone state training,
normally only the school librarian.
We've been given totally contradictory instructions. Number one is that
this will open up entire schools to the wonderful world of Internet,
enabling the students to find *everything* they need for research, and
instantly turn them into genii. Number two is that NO one is permitted to
even touch the computer itself except the one person with the account; it
is not to be used for any other programming, and by no means should any
student ever have access to it.
A third factor is that the new computer, in addition to modem, ProComm+,
Windows, also came with Groliers Encyc, Speed, MS Works, and any number of
CD-ROM program games that are too young for my middle schoolers.
Got all that figured out?
I've given one in-service for teachers and am planning another for August.
I let students use the machine freely for the encyclopedias (I've added
Info.Finder and Encarta) and for word processing (another teacher put on
Student Writing Project for me). As I get a chance -- not many in the
final two months of school since I got the machine -- I find some Internet
things for students. More of a serendipity thing at this point.
The bottom line is, facilities are extremely limited, interest is high,
time is at a premium. Do what you can.
-----------
From: Susan Weiss <sweiss@cks.ssd.k12.wa.us>
I am in a similar situation. I have a district email account and a
dedicated VAX line with gateway to the Internet at my desk. It is not
convenient for students to use. I consider it my private workspace. We
also have a Mac and modem with a telephone line accessibly to students.
When we use the Internet, it is under my supervision. Some students have
accounts that they can telnet to, if they want to retrieve their own
personal messages. The best solution would be to have students have
their own Internet email accounts. My son has one from his hs and that
way personal messages and privacy is ensured.
----------
From: jumatth%telis@telis.org
This year I had two computers in my library that we used for
internet access - mostly students working with newsgroups and the web.
Some of our students have their own CORE [a Calif. network jc] accounts,
so they logged on that way. For others, I logged on with my CORE
account.
The students generally worked on their assignments with few problems.
I did have one case where someone sent an e-mail message on my
account with an obscenity in it. The sender returned it to me so I saw
the original message with the date and time it had been sent. I had the
students sign in and out on a log sheet as they used the computers, so I
was able to deal with the person who had sent the message.
I would prefer that students have their own accounts rather than
have to use mine, but we made it work for the last 6 months of this
year. We also had the students and their parents sign a user policy.
-----------
From: Janice Mazza <mazza@freenet.scri.fsu.edu>
I have a dedicated line and a line to the fileserver for the kids
to use in the Media Center. I have a Media Account for those students
that do not already have their own account. If a child wants their own
account they may apply for one (those with computers and access at home
usually apply for an account...this is an elementary school. Also, we
have a permission form that must be signed and returned before a student
may use the internet....this is a district policy...
-----
From: PAT GILL <KWO_GILL@MEC.OHIO.GOV>
We decided not to encourage students to use the internet until we have a
board
approved usage policy in place. At the moment the board's lawyers have the
policy a group of teachers put together with help from lm_net archive.
In the meantime, we allow students to use our communication software to dial
up THEIR existing account with our area's freenet. Presumably they
have their parent okay to get one of their own accounts if they are under 18.
We do NOT allow them to use our account because all you have to do is
turn your
back & they'll be into something they've found out about or will send
something
inappropriate out with YOUR name on it (since your user name & address are
attached to your account, you may be blamed for what is received at the other
end).
Many of our students have computers at home & do have access to the internet
already. If they wish to show another student, we allow them (on their own
account, not ours) after cautions about netiquette & appropriate use.
Once our Board approves the policy, we will encourage students to apply for
their own Columbus Freenet accounts and will provide instruction & require
parent & student signature for general use.
----------
From: Linda Sue York <lsyork@tenet.edu>
I think, at this point there are many unanswered questions. I am in a
large Texas district. We are writing an acceptable use policy that
students and their parents must sign before they can access they Internet
at school. I do not know how that can be monitored in a library
situation. In a classroom or a computer lab it would be easier to
monitior. But, a library is a different matter. There are to be
consequences for students who misuse the Internet. A node is to be put in all
200 school libraries. Right now Texas teachers can get an easy access to
the Internet called TENET for $5.00 a yr.It is text only. I have a
dedicated line at school and use an old PC. I think it will be better for
the students to have there own account and hope that will happen. There
are various technologists in my district to work on the problem. Teachers
will probably need to be able to access their students accounts in order
to evaluate their work. That is another issue. Linda York
-----------
From: Sue Yahng <syahng@cello.gina.calstate.edu>
I got the same set up a year ago. There was no funding for a school
account, so I let kids use it with their own accounts. When it became a
problem (6 kids monopolizing it all lunch hour chatting on BBS,) I pulled
the modem. Kids may now check it out and I monitor their "research" use
by aking them what they're doing, how they are searching for info, etc,
in the guise of trying to learn more about the net (more truth than
fiction). Some use it effectively now. Good luck.
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