SIGMS at the conference formerly known as NECC

Looks like the librarians in the SIGMS will once again have a cutting-edge presence at the NECC ISTE Conference in Denver. Thanks to outstanding leadership, the Special Interest Group for Media Specialists will once again have a playground, forum and breakfast. Woo, woo.

See ya in Denver!

A message from Lisa Perez to all members of Media Specialists SIG on ISTE Community!

Dear SIGMSers:

As a companion to the "21st Century Media Center Playground" at ISTE 2010 in Denver, be sure to visit the virtual playground in 2nd Life.  It is a FUN build with a Victorian, Wild-West motif.  As your avatar strolls through the kiosks, you'll learn about exciting new educational technologies that you can use with your students.  See the preview at the ISTE 2010 ning at http://www.iste2010.org/profiles/blogs/wild-wild-steampunk-west-the?xg_source=activity.

Visit Media Specialists SIG at:
http://www.iste-community.org/groups/group/show?id=2280708%3AGroup%3A485&xg_source=msg_mes_group

Filtering and hyper-compliance

GLENDOWER I can call spirits from the vasty deep.

HOTSPUR Why, so can I, or so can any man;
But will they come when you do call for them?

Henry IV, Pt 1

The guy that does my taxes says that good citizens pay every penny they owe in taxes - but not one penny more. That pretty well summarizes a sensible view of compliance with any law. Follow it, but don't go overboard. A driver is not more law-abiding by going 10 mph under the speed limit.

Unfortunately, too many technology decision-makers "hyper-comply" with CIPA. A great example is the current flap over Google enabling encrypted searches for materials. In some weird, paranoid logic, the readwriteweb folks think this violates CIPA since such searches can't be monitored. (The websites found are still blocked.)

CIPA, just as reminder, only says:

"The protection measures must block or filter Internet access to pictures that are: (a) obscene, (b) child pornography, or (c) harmful to minors"

Nothing about monitoring - period.

Some school districts (San Diego) have just flat out blocked any sites that use SSL, encrypting data sent - which honks off, I guess, the more Orwellian techs. Since GoogleApps in Education uses SSL (aren't we supposed to be protecting users' privacy?), schools have been blocking GoogleApps as well.

No filtering attempt works 100% - even filtering companies admit this. Kids use proxies. Kids have their own devices with 3/4G connectivity. Kids take computers home and cache web pages. New nasty sites or old nasty sites with new web addresses appear. Just like a school cannot 100% guarantee a kid will never get hurt on a playground, a school cannot 100% guarantee a kids will never be exposed to pornography*.

Smart schools practice "due diligence." This means filtering at a reasonable level. It means ADULT monitoring of student computer use. It mean having, teaching and enforcing an understandable AUP (or Responsible Use Policy). It does not mean using any crackpot CIPA scare tactic to block access to useful information, tools and experiences.

Due diligence can have a different meaning to reasonable people. But relying on over-blocking by web filters alone is not due diligence.

* Postman's "one big room" theory seems to be increasingly prescient.

Thanks, Geezer Online.

If your position is eliminated, who will suffer?

This came from David Loertscher on the AASLforum listserv (via Buffy Hamilton):

Tragedy strikes the best. But examine this report for the stereotypes:

http://www.nj.com/news/local/index.ssf/2010/06/parsippany_laying_off_a_teache.html

What does the picture say?
What does the principal value the most?

Throughout my career, I've always hoped that if my position were eliminated, other people would really suffer.

I know, that sounds vindictive, mean-spirited, even vengeful, but it's not.

If you are offering services truly important to your boss and staff, and your position goes away, people will suffer. The more important the jobs you've been doing, the greater the agony.

Summer is a good time to reflect on what priorities we give the tasks in our jobs. Which ones will others miss; which ones will only YOU miss doing?