HIT: School LANS

[Sandy Ridge Elementary School <sndyrdg@OLS.NET>]

Fellow LM_NETTERS,
Many thanks for the great responses to my >TARGET:School LANS> posting last
month.  I recieved many helpful comments and insights into the day to day
issues of managing a school network.
Below are some of your responses.

>1) What type of network do you have?
Novell, Ethernet, LANtastic, Windows NT, AppleTalk, LocalTalk

>2) What are the main applications of your school LAN?
Word Processing, Internet, E-Mail, Library Catalog, Upscale Printer Access,
Multimedia Production, Desktop Publishing, SIRS, Content Area Software,
Multimedia Encyclopedia, Scheduling Students, Magazine Reference, Grade
Keeping, Accelerated Reader, Dynix Scholar, Proquest

>3) What type of CD-ROM system do you have and how well has it performed?
Types: Towers, Daisy Chains, File Server CD-ROM Drives, Stand Alones
Manufacturers: Discport, Todd Enterprises, Optinet (old), Digital (towers,
great)
Performance: No problems cited, expect Optinet being "old and not
supporting new stuff."

>4) What software would you recommend purchasing in network version?
Word Processing Programs (Microsoft Works, ClarisWorks, Writing Center)
Multimedia Encyclopedias (World Book Info. Finder was the only one named)
Accelerated Reader
Multimedia Production: HyperStudio, KidPix
Keyboarding: Write to Learn
Gradebook: Integrade

>5) Who in your system is responsible for technical assistance?
System wide technical support -- 65%
LMS -- 21%
Outside contract - 7%
>"Whoever they can get to do it" -- 7%

>6) Approx. how available is your tech. support person?
>  "...I usually only call him for the most perplexing of incidents--most of it
>comes from me, not to me..."
>  "We have a district wide network manager who is difficult to get in touch
>with because he is always busy with other sites."
>  "We spent numerous years trying to convince our administrators and school
>board that we needed to hire more staff to deal with the technology and to
>help us prepare for the networking arena.  It never got a high enough
>priority. Finally, we just dove right in and started putting things together
>and now they are really seeing the necessity for the support staff..."
Totals:
Good -- 19%
Adequate -- 36%
Poor -- 45%

7) Within your school, do you have a network manager, and if so who is it?
>  "ME!!!@#$&"
>  "Our school has a Technical Assistance Group --TAG, you're it!"
>  "I am more or less the network operator... There are three media specialists
>in our district and we would like more rights to work on problems as they
>arise but the manager is holding on tightly to these.  Since he is overworked
>we would like more network rights in order to help him."
Totals:
LMS -- 55%
Other -- 19%
LMS w/ technical support -- 19%
None -- 7%

8) What are the primary responsibilities of the network manager?
>  "Everything -- mostly calling the media director when things go wrong.  We
>do back up and downing server.  Most of us can not assign passwords, user
>rights, etc. on Novell-"
>  "We put new students on the list.  We help teachers get comfortable with the
>software.  We crawl on our bellies under the tables & plug things back in."
>  "...trouble shooting, loading files for everyone's use on the server,
>e-mail, whatever..."
>  "Keep it up..."
>  "Everything they can load on him!"
>  "...everything then some..."
>  "To fix anything, add anything, do anything that needs done."
>  "Most teachers can put paper in their printers and turn on the computers,
>but I do the rest."

Specific responsibilities cited were: backing up and downing the server,
troubleshooting the system, software management, e-mail, adding new users,
assigning passwords and user rights.

9) If the LMS is not the network manager, what is her/his role in
maintaining hardware, software, e-mail, etc.?
>  "We do as much as we can and time permits to help keep things functioning."
>  "I am one of the principal support people, because if she [tech. supervisor]
>teaches me, I am willing to take care of a chore on all of the machines in my
>room.  She likes to team with me to eliminate all the variables when there is
>a problem on the network.  A logical mind is my chief asset."
>  "..chairman of the technology committee, order software, manage e-mail..."
Responsibilities included ordering software, troubleshooting, staff
development, clearing print queues, backing up the server.

10) What are the most common day to day network problems you face?
Printers and printing problems were cited most often, followed by network
security, troubleshooting, locked up PCs, and kids committing mischief or
trying to "help".
>  "The most common problems are having computers working on a constant
>basisfor teachers and students when they need them.  Tech support is vital to
>answer this need.  No one will be positive about using technology when
>something is wrong every other day.  Often it is a minor problem but teachers
>find the waiting very frustrating."
>  "Identifying which part is malfunctioning.  Not being able to print, for
>example, could be a problem in one of the many internal steps in the computer,
>a problem with the connection of printer to network, a problem with the
>printer, a problem with the connection of the computer to the network, a
>problem in the network wiring, a problem in the network hub, etc."

11) Overall how successful has your school LAN been in meeting the needs or
expectations of your school?
Exceeded expectations -- 50%
Good --  20%
Too new to evaluate -- 30%
>  "Teachers love it"
>  "Ours is new.  I just taught two expository writing classes about it so they
>could do research on their papers.  In all the years I have done this, I have
>never been so impressed with how seriously the students attacked the
>assignment."
>  "Fine for libraries; some computers...used; most not (expensive
>paperweights!)  I think it will really depend on the total overturn of staff
>before we get rid of (oops, that's not PC) all the computer-phobic types!"

And this additional comment:
"I think media specialist are the only persons trained to provide support
for staff and students and really integrate learning aides with curriculum.
And all  computers are is the opportunity to learn in a different way!  We
can't seem to get that straight and understood very well."

I also received a tip  for an article in the March 1995 issue of School
Library Media Activities Monthly  titled "Some Questions and Issues about
School Networking".  This is an excellenct article and most definitely
worth reading.