Comments for iThinkEducation.net!

Comment on First day back troubles in DeKalb. Any other mishaps? by sandra742

sandra742 — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:19:58 +0000

Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog. Cheers! Sandra. R.

Comment on California District To Roll Out Surveillance, Access Control by M. Buffo

M. Buffo — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 23:33:57 +0000

This is the worst case of Orwellian, creeping totalitarianism I have ever come accross! As a resident of American Canyon, I was absolutely shocked and appalled when I discovered the item in “the Journal” via my Google News feed. The article was removed from the Google feed after I commented on it! Apart from myself, no one in my community knows about it! Oddly, even though once I made the local newspapers aware of the Journal article, they were “shocked” and aggreed that the community should know about this they have not printed a single word. It has been over a week. The surveillance programs were entirely unannounced by Napa County, nor can I find any meeting minutes of any council discussing these alleged “security measures”. My children will NOT be forced to carry some RF enabled “smart card” to get an education! I will not allow my children to attend that school — even if it means moving out of the area! Shame on Napa County, the city of American Canyon, the State of California and our federal government for perpetuating the paranoid ideologies that lead to such underhanded and draconian policies!

Comment on Let’s shut down gender essentialism with something that’s called "science." [Sciencewomen] by QuickSilver

QuickSilver — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 21:22:25 +0000

Hi, I am the one who wrote the e-mail in question. I hope you don’t think I appear stupid in doing so. Believe me, I don’t want to believe in this crap, it’s just, when I hear something often enough..all the time, being told that men are often smarter than women, I kind of start to believe it.

Any replies to my e-mail is appreciated.

Comment on Small Power Gains Add Up to Big Savings at Los Angeles Unified by rhubarbster

rhubarbster — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:46:00 +0000

Vickie Frederick needs to retire and make room for someone who really understands networks and their requirements. This focus on saving by eliminating printers is a sham; it looks good, but is mostly about justifying her own job. Removing extra printers won’t save much. Instead of being printed on several printers, documents will be printed on one central one. Sure, a small savings in power usage, but minimal and not a savings at all in cartridge use. What a crock!

Comment on Web 2.0: Are School Principals Falling Behind? by Vanessa

Vanessa — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 19:33:02 +0000

Administrators don’t need to know how to setup or even manage Web 2.0 technologies – however, I do think they should be aware of them in addition to understanding the implications they will have on the current way students learn and live.

Students are using similar types of technologies everyday in their social lives. So this would be like someone now knowing about a cell phone.

It might be useful for a principals to have a monthly briefing with the tech staff to go over the latest trends in technology since it comes and goes so quickly. Again, they don’t need to know how to manage or administer the apps – but they should be aware of them.

Comment on Web 2.0: Are School Principals Falling Behind? by Toni Olivieri-Barton

Toni Olivieri-Barton — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 17:39:03 +0000

I do agree that trying to keep up is overwhelming to anyone, but I do think school districts should learn some of the new technologies as ways to communicate within the district. I truly believe Professional Development can really lead in this way. There are so many professional development ideas that are easier to do with technology than without.

Comment on Google Earth allows exploration of oceans by Vanessa

Vanessa — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 19:18:18 +0000

Very cool use of Google Earth!

Comment on College web design courses fail with bosses by Vanessa

Vanessa — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 19:04:59 +0000

This is an interesting article, only confirms my opinion cutting edge technologies aren’t being taught or learned in our ‘institutions’ of higher learning!

Comment on Ohio University Closes Door on Breach Saga With $90,000 Settlement by John Franks

John Franks — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 16:41:34 +0000

Most companies enjoy “security” insofar as they haven’t been targeted, or had an employee make a human error with catastrophic exposure. Price Waterhouse Cooper and Carnegie-Mellon’s CyLab have recent surveys that show the senior executive class to be, basically, clueless regarding IT risk and its tie to overall enterprise (business) risk. Data breaches and thefts are due to a lagging business culture – absent new eCulture, breaches will, and continue to, increase. As CIO, I’m constantly seeking things that work, in hopes that good ideas make their way back to me – check your local library: A book that is required reading is “I.T. WARS: Managing the Business-Technology Weave in the New Millennium.” It also helps outside agencies understand your values and practices.
The author, David Scott, has an interview that is a great exposure: www dot businessforum dot com/DScott_02 dot html –
The book came to us as a tip from an intern who attended a course at University of Wisconsin, where the book is an MBA text. It has helped us to understand that, while various systems of security are important, no system can overcome laxity, ignorance, or deliberate intent to harm. Necessary is a sustained culture and awareness; an efficient prism through which every activity is viewed from a security perspective prior to action.
In the realm of risk, unmanaged possibilities become probabilities – read the book BEFORE you suffer a bad outcome – or propagate one.