TechNotes

Tech Notes from the Buildings

Friday, 09/05/08 Came in to fix another patch cable in the lab but the computer in question was being used by a student. Mr. Tedford's class was in the lab when I got here. Computer #7 appeared to be locked up but it was just Firefox again for the same student. Beginning to wonder if kids can lock things up just to be able to be assigned to a seat by their friend :-) Logged in as Admin and Firefox and went through first-run wizard. Mr. Tedford called me over to a students computer and asked me to confirm what he was thinking this student was doing, right-clicking the webpage, then not understanding what that does (contextual menu) was having trouble. This always makes me remember to "make no assumptions" about the minute skills of our learners, both adult and child.

Needed: Firefox v. 2.0.0.16 (current version is 2.0.0.5) Software Updates want to install Java, Quicktime, iTunes, and OS 10.4.11 KCA first run at Nort is??

I'm also leaving colored velcro cable ties on this pod of 6 eMacs. The custodian tries to help by crimping all the cables up off the floor but what they don't realize is that students like to turn their monitor to their neighbor so a tight zip-tie on the power cables will pull the power plug out and down a computer...and network troubleshooting is impossible without snipping the zip-tie. We need slack in our electronic cable management. :-)

These 5th graders have great opportunity to learn and design!!

Well, I went to the next pod after visiting with some of Mr. Tedford's students to find and replace 5 broken clips on the Ethernet patch cables. Things as looking better in the static lab. Just walked through Mrs. Hardy's class. It's always so much fun to see learning in action. I finally got the wireless access point up from summer in what is not Mrs. Allacher's classroom.

I noticed the "Smart Technologies" IAWB sitting in the front foyer. I'm reminded to visit with Kenny S. about getting that installed before teachers return from their first staff development workshop Sunday, Sept. 14th, 2008. Exciting stuff getting ready to happen!