Modernizing BVSD's Digital Communications

As technology continues its rapid advance, digital communications are taking on a new level of importance. In order to fully utilize these tools, BVSD is officially embarking on an update and modernization of our communication avenues and we need your help. This effort will impact all of our student, parent, and employee communications, including district websites, mobile apps, branding, and logos, so we need your feedback. Our goal will be to establish modern, consistent and accessible communications with all stakeholders, including those with visual, audio or other disabilities.

We recognize that this will be a significant undertaking. For this reason BVSD has contracted with a company that specializes in the understanding of digital communications. iFactory has worked with several educational facilities such as Harvard University, Stanford University, the University of Chicago, Colorado State University, and Perkins School for the Blind to redesign their digital communications, and they will be working with us this school year.

As a part of iFactory’s work, focus groups surveys will help  gather input about what is working well and what needs still exist.  Through this process we will hear from all of our stakeholders, including students, parents, teachers, and administrators. The input from these groups, along with iFactory’s expertise, will provide us with a framework to redesign our digital communications with a focus on meeting the needs of our all of our users.

Our work with iFactory is only the first phase in a large scale project that will likely take 2-4 years to complete. I recognize that this may seem like a long path, but because this is such a big venture, we want to ensure we do a quality job from the beginning.

We value your input!

We need your feedback throughout this entire process, but most importantly during this initial phase. Our work with iFactory will set the stage for the rest of our work -- giving us a clear path forward as we move into implementation. If you are asked to participate in a focus group, please join! When you get the survey -- please give us honest answers. Additionally, if you have thoughts that you would like to share, please leave a comment below.

Andrew

Moving Toward a Printing Press in Every Backpack

Giving students access to technology is an essential part of my job. When I began in BVSD in 2010, we were a district of mostly Windows desktops, and not enough of them to go around. I’ve worked diligently to bring more devices into the district, starting with opening the door to Apple devices and continuing with Chromebooks (8,500 and counting), and now Android tablets. Through the 1:Web pilot, BVSD IT has provided take home digital devices to hundreds more.

But as I’ve spent time with teachers and students, principals and parents, I’ve come to understand the greater impact that these devices are having on society as a whole and on education in particular. We are living through a time when how people connect with ideas and with each other is fundamentally changing. 

And it all started with the printing press.

That’s right, fans of inventor Johannes Gutenberg, it all began in 1450, the year of the first printing press. The thing that made it so special—so revolutionary in the truest sense of the word—was that it was a tool for publishing new ideas quickly and in quantity. (We may not think of it as fast now, but consider the time it takes to painstakingly copy a book by hand.) New ideas were shared and new voices heard that were once silent. Publishing flooded the world with new knowledge.

And now it’s happening again. Except this time the printing press is the device you carry in your pocket, your purse, or your backpack. These mobile devices aren’t just the new pencil: they aren’t just tools for capturing ideas, they’re tools for releasing those ideas into the world. Now there is nothing between the ideas you have and the audience you want to reach. 

Everyone is a publisher.

So what does that have to do with education? What does it change when you realize that a student can publish a blog about the writing process instead of writing yet another report? What if a class can publish the results of their microclimate study, and somewhere across the country a climate scientist reads it? I think it changes everything. When a student can create something with words or music or video and then shares their creation in an authentic way, it makes their learning more meaningful. Some of those creations will change the world.

This fundamental shift in education is not some abstract concept in the distant future; it is happening right now in our district. I see it when I visit classrooms and talk with students, teachers, and principals. Here are some BVSD student products across all grade levels and content areas that demonstrate the power of publishing. Our Ed Tech team also supports student publishing--check out their blog post, Don't Turn It In, Publish It.

You’ve probably heard it said, “It’s not about the tools, it’s about the learning.” Now, looking at these examples and reflecting on what I’ve seen in BVSD classrooms, I truly understand what that means. When every device is a printing press, every student is a publisher with the power to share their ideas with the world.

Chime in below with your thoughts about student publishing.

IT Communication Strategy - Survey Says...

We all strive to communicate productively in our personal and professional lives. In IT, we want to communicate the right amount of relevant information so that you know what’s going on without feeling overwhelmed.

Recently, BVSD conducted a survey to better understand your communication preferences and habits. Based on your feedback, we in IT have created a new communication strategy that I will outline below.

When IT now communicates to all BVSD Staff, we will follow this model:

Email

We all prefer a tidy inbox. However, the survey results show that BVSD staff overwhelmingly prefers email to other forms of communication—provided those emails are relevant and written for easy scanning. Here are the types of emails that you can expect from IT:

• IT Alerts and time-sensitive communications that affect the majority of BVSD staff; sent as needed 
• IT Tips and Tricks; sent weekly 

Hint: Google offers several tools to help you manage an overwhelming inbox. Try using filters to sort your mail when it arrives. Also, try the Priority Inbox to put the really important stuff at the top.

Service Manager Portal

We will post alerts and outages that don’t affect the majority of BVSD staff on the Service Manager Portal, which you will see when you submit an IT Service Request. Check here first for status updates of your favorite apps.

Hint: Check the Google Apps Dashboard if you suspect an outage of a Google service such as Gmail, Google Drive, Sites, etc.

Monthly IT Newsletter

Every month we will send an IT Newsletter, which will contain the BVSD Technology Blog (see below), upcoming Ed Tech professional development opportunities, short surveys, and other timely topics from the IT Department. We hope you will enjoy this consolidated version of the information that you used to receive in separate emails.

BVSD Technology Blog

You’re reading the BVSD Technology Blog right now! This is where I share information about the technology that affects the business of education at BVSD. Some topics are very specific, such as changes to passwords, and some are broader discussions about the direction of technology. I’ll include the link to my newest blog post in the IT Monthly Newsletter.

Hint: You can add the RSS feed of this blog to your favorite RSS reader. (Not sure what RSS is? Watch this short video.)

Do you have thoughts about our new IT communication strategy? Leave your comments below. Don't forget you have to log in first.

Andrew

Information Security @ BVSD Campaign

Why is Information Security important?

As our lives move increasingly into the digital realm, we must expand what we think of as security.

Security is no longer just installing a home alarm system or locking the car door. An incredible amount of data about us is stored digitally, on a variety of devices and on servers both locally and around the world. Someone who breaches your digital security can cause just as much damage as a burglar: they can get into your bank account, your email, and other personal data.

And because data is interconnected, especially in a networked environment like ours, hackers can enter our network through one person’s account and cause problems for everyone.

Information security is not just an “IT thing”. We all play a role in maintaining the information security of the BVSD community.

Information Security is more than just passwords

Strong passwords are very important, but they are just one piece of a larger information security strategy. Our new Information Security @ BVSD website outlines each of these areas in greater detail. Here are some highlights from the website, which I encourage you to visit.

Protect Your Data

• Backup the data you need
• Review permissions for documents, email, and websites
• Comply with FERPA and Board Policies about technology use and student data

Secure Your Devices

• Protect against viruses and malware
• Control access to your devices using the Three Ls: Log out and Lock it up when you Leave
• Update your Windows laptop regularly
• Secure remote access to your device when you are on public wi-fi

Guard Your Privacy

• Avoid phishing scams and identity theft
• Use strong passwords
• Protect your account security

Get Help

• Know your information security resources
• Know how to report a suspected security breach or a stolen BVSD device

Information Security @ BVSD: The Campaign Begins

Information security has become a necessary part of our lives as digital citizens. Our Information Security @ BVSD campaign is designed to give you strategies for staying safe online, whether you are at work or at home.

Look for more campaign communications over the next few months, including a poster that you can post in your breakroom.

Chime in below with your thoughts about Information Security @ BVSD.