HIT: Internet Supervision

[Holly Tesar <dsh000@MAIL.CONNECT.MORE.NET>]

This is the first time I've posted a HIT so hope I did it right.  Thanks so
much to everyone who responded to my post.  Sorry I haven't answered
earlier, but we just started school, and I hadn't looked at my mail for
several days.  Anyway, these are the resonses I received.

Holly Tesar
Excelsior Springs H.S.
Excelsior Springs, MO  64024
dsh000@mail.connect.more.net

__________________

Our school is in a similar situation.  I am leaning towards placing a
Winnebago bar code on the back of a student's ID.  Unbeknownst to the
students, the bar code will not mean anything, but it will be an unique
marking that cannot (easily) be manufactured anywhere else.  I may go with
plastic, transparent pockets
on the back of chairs in the lab.  If a student is on-line, his/her ID, bar
code showing, goes into the
plastic pocket.  ( I got these ideas from a query I posted a few months
ago.  I *think* I posted a HIT.  PLease consider doing so, too, if you get
some interesting ideas.)

_______________________
I too was wondering about supervision. Since the computers will be
in the library, supervision may not be too too big a problem. I liked
your idea about stamping or punching the library cards. I think I will do
both. It's too easy for a student to punch his/her own card. But with the
hole put over the stamp, I think that might reduce forgeries. BTW, we
have almost 1700 students in a 6-8 school. The whole will make it easier
to see at a glance who has turned in an AUP/has permission to be there. A
closer glance will show the stamp if there is a question. A bit of tape
should help the stamp not to rub off any time soon.

________________________

We have recently installed the Netscape Enterprise and Proxy Web Servers and
that allows us to password protect access to sites outside of the school
site. IOW when a student or anyone for that matter opens up the Netscape
screen and tries to go to a site outside the school they are asked for a
logon name and password. If they can't supply these they don't get access.
We think we may go down that track. We can also track where any user goes.
(This access will only be at certain times)
The proxy server allows us to cache material This cache can be searched
offline and catalogued which is most useful.
Students sign an AUP and only those who have done so will get logon and p/w
rights.
________________________________

In the public library I now work in, we implemented a plan where the user
has to leave id: driver's license, library card, etc.  On their library
card, after they sign the AUP we put a bright pink stamp. With a DL, the
technicians have to look up the sig crd before the user can go intothe
room.
_______________________________

The students must sign an AUP.  Their ID cards are then punched with a
uniquely shaped hole punch (you can get them specially made) which changes
every year. They are on their third year of Internet access (it is a 3 yr.
high school) so they intend to go back to the first hole punch next year and
keep it on a three year rotation. They must also sign in with time, date and
computer number (all the computers are labelled) in a log book.  That way,
if a complaint comes in two weeks later from someone who received an
inappropriate message, it will be possible to trace who was using which
machine at what time.

________________________

Why not get small coloured stickers that you could put onto the library
card of a student that has signed an AUP?
Then you could have a "driver's license" for each of your computers.
The student gives you their library card, in exchange for the license, and
goes to a machine. Must quit the program/shut down properly and bring you
back the license.
Also, perhaps have a sign-in/sign-out book so that you can monitor who goes
there, and for how long. That could be useful later when trying to prove to
the administration that you nned more machines/ internet access.

__________________________

Do you have an AUP in place? If so, there should be a way to track who has
signed off on it.  We're going to issue "licenses" which will be put on top
of the computers.  Last year I also had kids sign a log book with the time
and station number (all computers are numbered). This helped eliminate
damages. With the internet, however, we will need to hold them accountable
for what they get into.  Someone should be checking the "go" to see their
paths.
__________________________

Last year we gave students passwords to get onto the Internet.  It worked
very well with one exception.  One student gave his password to another
student and the student used it for non-school info.  Both had in-school
suspension for three days.

_________________________

 We are working on an AUP for all
students to sign.  Some kind of surfing license will be issued after the
AUP is returned and a short course is presented teaching the basic uses
of the Net.  I'm in charge of this, and am still toying with what and
what not to include.  I'm planning to emphasise the need to be ethical,
legal, and responsible, and hope that sinks in.  The license will be
displayed on the top of the computer when a student is Netting.  Until
the computers are set up and I see how access is available, I'm not sure
about whether the connections will be eternally live or if each student
must log himself on or if the MC personnel will log them on (security
that way, but a hassle).
_________________________________

Speaking not from personal experience, I like the idea of a nearby high
school librarian who requires the AUP signature, the student ID, and when
completed with the internet use, a print-out of their on-line history (path)
in exchange for the return of the ID.

_________________________________

        I believe that the students should first of all have a signed
"contract" to use the Internet responsibly. . . or lose the privileges.
I think that the WEB-Watcher software is a more drastic solution, but
there is no way to screen out all objectionable materials.  Some of the
watcher programs are NET-NANNY, SURF-WATCH, and CYBERSITTER.  They may
screen some things you'd want high schoolers to access though.

_______________________________

       I just read your post on classroom connect, and I wanted to pass
along a suggestion.  I work at a cyber cafe in Michigan, and to keep track
of our users / customers we keep the mouse pads at the desk.  To log on,
they must have the correct mouse pad that has a number which corresponds to
the number of the terminal.  The customers (in your case - students) sign in
and out, and there was also a waiting list available for those who wanted to
get on.
_____________________________



Holly Tesar, Librarian
Excelsior Springs High School
Excelsior Springs, MO  64024
dsh000@mail.connect.more.net