Back to work

I have been putting off this post for a week now, this is because I dont quite know how I feel about returning to my previous position. I still dont really know how I feel about being back.

Sinced returning, I have found a security hole in our system, doing what I do well, finding issues and trying to solve them. Been a busy teacher and getting my classes back up to stream and getting them started on assessments.

Helped do the stage production set construction and lighting, that has been three days hard work. With this we created 3m high screens to project images and backdrop onto. Two of these had to be built. I managed to tonight to grab two wireless projectors and project images onto them, these still have to be mounted and setup. Though I found there are lights in the way and sound cable, so will work out those issues tomorrow night.

Requesting software for the students top be installed on our system, a mixture of open source and freeware. As these are the best as the students can download them at home and carry on using them.

Requests for software to be installed on ICT Block machines

*Scratch http://scratch.mit.edu for this GUI programming software to be available as a RM package

*Gnatt Software, open source to be available as a package http://ftp.gnome.org/pub/GNOME/binaries/win32/planner/0.14/planner-0.14.4.exe

*Update Google Sketchup which is currently a package on the school network to the latest version http://sketchup.google.com/ this was last updated in 2006 when I was teaching graphics, new features added since then

*Lego NXT, the package that was created earlier this year will not operate on a student account due to needing access to a particular file. Need to be fixed - Email sent 6/4/09, still no resolution
“the mindstorms software that we created a package for will not run on a non administrators account it throws up an error error Loading "fantom.dll"
A dynamic link library (DLL) initization routine failed.

To fix it we need to
http://forums.ni.com/ni/board/message?board.id=beta18&thread.id=1038
Normally non-admin account don't have write permission on the All Users folder,
so the application was crashing because it was trying to write a file named "NI-VISA Shared Memory.tmp" into this directory:
"C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\National Instruments\Shared Memory\"
Now I just created a GPO and changed the file system permission on all my computers so that normal user can write into that directory. And it works.
Charles.“

*Request for Google Chrome and associated Google App links to be added to student desktops, needs to be a package that can be updated and distributed for security updates

Writing up a agenda item for our department meeting

There are a number of changes being proposed to the ICT area of the technology curriculum, these will change the subject from what it is and has been for the past 25 years. It will provide that focus that has been sought for from teachers ever since computer studies was removed from 6th form and bursay because NCEA.

These changes have been outlined by a professional body that has been made up of industry and education. It is called the DTEP and to read there findings

Future Subjects of Technology

The Ministry of Education has been exploring the place of technological knowledge and skills within the learning area of Technology. This project seeks to identify what might become the 'future subjects' of technology to support coherent learning programmes for students; and, in this context, develop technological knowledge and skills to support programmes in senior secondary technology through the provision of:

-Context specific knowledge and skill achievement standards for technology; and -Technology Teaching and Learning Guides.

Future directions of technology - http://www.techlink.org.nz/curriculum-support/NEEP-documents/resources/Future-Subjects-Technology.pdf
Outcomes from Digital Technologies Expert Panel / Ministry of Education Process - http://www.techlink.org.nz/curriculum-support/NEEP-documents/resources/Outcomes-from-DTEP.pdf
Press Release: Future Direction Of ICT Education In Secondary Schools - http://www.techlink.org.nz/curriculum-support/NEEP-documents/resources/DTEP-Press-Release.pdf

The second thing has been the change of Unit Standards and the need for discussion on the changes of standards from level 2 to level 1 and how are we going to accommodate these changes for the 2010-2011 years.

Third - DTG, Digital Technology Guidelines - our school becoming a member of an Auckland Cluster, what are the requirements and repercussions of this.
letter and expression of interest for the next phase of the DTG project - http://dtg.tki.org.nz/content/download/1311/6238/file/letter%20and%20expression%20of%20interest%20for%20the%20next%20phase%20of%20the%20DTG%20project.pdf

We have our Teacher only day coming up, attended two of the National Curriculum Support Days, one in Nelson and one in Wellington both had different focuses, but the push of them were the look at the new curriculum and the techlink support document on technology.
http://www.techlink.org.nz/curriculum-support/programme-design/index.htm
for the whole pdf of the support document - http://www.techlink.org.nz/curriculum-support/pdfs/technology-curriculum-support-2009.pdf