Take this True/False test and see how well you do concerning what you can load on the hard drive of your computer.

1. False. Internet Explorer 4.0 caused conflicts with our Novell Network. A person who loaded this software took down the entire network at her school. 2. True. Netscape is the approved browser and email program for the District. 3. False. We have a core program called Keywords that teaches typing. 4. False. Screen savers are no longer a necessity as new monitors do not use phosphor and therefore do not burn images into the screen, and screen saver programs cause conflicts with the network and other applications. Only Windows95 screen saver and On Guard Screen Savers may be used. 5. False. We have a core word processing program called Microsoft Word that can be used.
6. True. Grolier Encyclopedia is on the Category 2 approved software list. 7. False. Ram Doubler is on the Category 3 software list as a piece of software that cannot be loaded on equipment. 8. False. We are not moving to Windows 98 at this time.
9. False. Games are not to be loaded on machines unless they are used to meet a curriculum goal.

A few years ago, purchasing a computer and software was simple. You purchased a program and put the disk in the computer and ran the program. Since that time, things have become more complex. Computer programs now have specific parameters and require knowledge on how to correctly load the program to have it run properly. Some programs cause problems when they run with other programs and these conflicts must be taken into consideration. This process becomes more complicated when the computer is connected to a network since more things must be considered in order for a program to run on the network. In an effort to meet the needs of the majority of computer-users within the constraints of the current staffing of the Amphitheater Technology Department and to provide flexibility within the system, the Amphitheater Department of Informational Technology has established three divisions for software support: Category 1, Category 2, and Category 3.

Category 1 software is the Core software that the District purchases, supports and trains employees to use. Category 1 software includes:

Microsoft Office (Word , Excel, and Power Point), MicroGrade, Kid Pix,McAfee, OnGuard, Student Writing Center, KeyWords, Netscape, Windows95, Windows95 Screen Saver, and On Guard Screen Saver.

Category 2 software is software that a user needs to accomplish his job that is not already available from the Core software. For example, if a user likes a different word processing package other than Word, s/he may not load it on a machine because an application is available that can accomplish that job-related function. We had a committee with over 30 representatives from clerical staff, teachers, and administrators that determined the Core software. When dealing with Category 2 software, the user is responsible for installing the software, learning how to use the software, and making it print. When the school or department finds a piece of software or downloads software from the Internet that meets the above criteria, they will submit a copy of the software to the Technology Department so that it can be tested. If the software is to be installed on a Windows ’95 computer, the program must say "Designed for Windows ’95." If the Technology Department approves the software, it will receive Category 2 Support. Any software downloaded from the Internet must be checked for viruses prior to running on a District computer. A list of the programs that are approved as Category 2 software can be found on the Web at www.amphi.com/depts/technology/software.htm

Category 3 software has been determined to cause problems with our computers and networks. A school can choose to load the software; however, the Technology department will no longer support the computer in terms of repair, maintenance and technical support and the computer cannot be connected to the Local Area Network and the District Wide Area Network for printing, server use, or Internet. Category 3 software includes: Screen Savers (Only Windows95 screen saver and On Guard Screen Savers may be used), Ram Doubler, Disk Doubler, Speed Doubler, Talking Moose, and Microsoft Internet Explorer.

Standardization is necessary with the complexity of computers today, the limited resources we have, and the limited amount of staff we have to support 3000 computers, 65 servers, and networks at 21 sites.

It seems as if you need a login name and password to get a drink of water these days. Since I spend a lot of time on the phone helping people with their login names and passwords I thought it might be a good idea to explain login names/ID’s and passwords, why they are necessary, and the difference between the various ones you are required to use.

Basically, a login ID is used as identification to gain access to a network system or software application. The system administrator can issue special privileges and security codes for each login ID to make sure each person has access to the applications and data s/he needs and keep other areas secure. A login ID may or may not have a required password. If a password is used it is for security. Login ID’s and passwords (if kept secret) assure that an unauthorized person cannot access your personal files and the various database information used in the district...such as student records, employee information, etc.

The important thing to realize is each network system or software application has its own security system, therefore, you can have many login ID’s and passwords. In some systems the login ID and password are case sensitive, in others they are not. In some systems numbers must be used as login ID’s or passwords, in others a combination of letters and characters must be used. Some systems require a certain number of characters for the password, others don’t. Sometimes you are required to change your password on a periodic basis. Each software manufacturer designs its own security system - we just follow the rules. Also remember that most passwords are ENCRYPTED (turned into unreadable code) and your system administrator cannot read them. If you forget any of your passwords, the best we can do is change them.

Here are a few of the different login ID’s and passwords we use and some information on each.

1. Network Login ID and Password - This is usually the very first login ID and password you use when you turn on your computer; through it you gain access to your site’s server. For Windows 95 and Windows 3.1 users this login ID is NOT case sensitive. The naming convention for this login ID is the first letter of your first name and up to seven letters of your last name. Example - Stephanie Jones would be sjones, John Contreras would be jcontrer. The password is whatever you have chosen or has been assigned to you. Usually this password must be longer than 5 characters and must be different than your login ID and can be a combination of letters and numbers. This password is NOT case sensitive.

Word of warning to Windows 95 users - if you accidentally enter the wrong network password - you can proceed into Windows 95 and everything will look normal. However, if you try to access SASI and cannot, or try to access your word processing/spreadsheet documents and can’t find them you know you have missed your network password. Shut down and Restart so you can enter your password again to secure your network connection.

3. Pentamation - Pentamation’s login ID’s and passwords are set up in the Pentamation software and are unique to this application. Both ARE case sensitive. The login ID is always in lower case, the naming convention is usually the first letter of your first name and up to seven characters of your last name. The password must be more than 5 characters and must have a capitalized letter(s) or number.

4. SASI 3 - Sasi’s login ID’s and passwords are set up in SASI and are unique to this application. Here is a situation where a number is used as the login ID. The password is not case sensitive and doesn’t have a minimum or maximum length.

5. SASI XP - SASI XP’s login ID’s and passwords are set up in SASI XP and are unique to this application. The login ID is the first letter of your first name and up to seven characters of your last name and it is not case sensitive. The SASI XP password must be 5 characters or more and IS case sensitive.

6. Internet Email - The email login ID is the first letter of your first name and up to seven characters of your last name. There are exceptions to this rule when two or more people have the same first initial and last name. As an example, Mary Smith and Margaret Smith would have the same ID msmith - however, because everyone needs a unique login ID we would have to make adjustments. Usually one person would be msmith and the other might be masmith. The email password must contain a capitalized letter or a number. Both the login ID and password are case sensitive.

Note - By far the most common problem with Internet Email login ID’s and passwords are users not realizing they have their caps lock key on - which, of course, prevents you from entering your password in the proper case. So make sure your caps lock key is not activated when changing your password or entering your login ID and password.

7. Screen Saver Password - In Windows 95 and Windows 3.1 you can select a screen saver and set up a password. This provides another level of security for your workstation. If you get up and walk away from your computer, after the pre-determined length of time, the screen saver will come on and no one can access your desktop without entering the password. You establish the password you wish to use and you need to remember it. You can set the screen saver password from the Control Panel, Display icon.

There are many other district software applications that have login ID’s and passwords but are unique to a particular school or department so I didn’t mention them in this article. However, I hope this article helps you begin to understand the purpose and design of login ID’s and passwords. And why you have sooooo many of them.

John Connelly teaches the intermediate CCSC (cross-categorical self-contained) Special Education class at Holaway. He says that TesselMania is "relevant, effective, worthwhile. Plus, the kids like it!" How can a program designed to help students explore geometric transformations do all this for Special Education students? John makes it happen.

John starts by creating a basic tile in TesselMania. It usually has an unusual shape. Then he uses the drawing and paint tools to divide the tile into sections and he may include some eyes or other stamps to add interest. He leaves the coloring to the students. This shape is saved and used as a template.

Later, when John works with his students, he has them control the mouse to follow directions. He may say, "Move the arrow down. Put the arrow on the blue square. Move the arrow inside the shape. Make two sections blue." Eventually, some of his students are able to both create and complete the designs on their own.

John finds that he can help his students work on spatial concepts and visual discrimination skills such as up/down, top/bottom, left/right, inside/outside, over/under; color identification and recognition; and sequential skills and following directions. Activities with TesselMania also provide immediate positive feedback to the students. John reports that there is a "very small chance that artwork created by the student will be ‘wrong.’"

John’s students are enjoying using TesselMania and are learning more and more things that they can do independently. This is another advantage to using TesselMania - the students develop skills and confidence that are useful as they spend time mainstreamed in the regular classrooms.

TesselMania is a core software program that is available from the district for both Macintosh and Windows platforms.

Visually impaired students can find themselves at a serious disadvantage when using computers. Here are two solutions being tested at Canyon del Oro thanks to Bill Maginnis:

Zoom Text from AISquared (www.aisquared.com) magnifies screens automatically. It can also speak screens (including menus) in Microsoft Word. It can speak by character, word or sentence. A demo copy is available at the website.

PW Webspeak from Prodworks (www.prodworks.com) is a text only browser for the Internet. It is able to speak screens from the World Wide Web as well as its own menus.

Both programs allow visually impaired students greater and more independent access to computer technology. Please note that both programs are under review for Category 2 approval by the Technology Department.

When your Windows 95 workstation turns on, it automatically checks for an IP address. If another computer or device on the network has the same IP address that your machine wants you will get the following message.

When you see this message you should make note of the information in the dialogue box and call 696-5221 to leave me a message. I will resolve the issue as soon as possible.

If your computer gets this message you will not be able to work in Netscape, Pentamation, Sub-finder or any Internet based e-mail package.

During the AMS Prime Time elective classes, the yearbook staff comes together with our advisor, Mr. Soto. This year we are going to produce the entire yearbook through the use of computers. In this class we are learning how to use our Adobe Software Page Maker 6.5 and our new digital Olympus D600L cameras. We are using H. Reff Jones Publishing to publish the yearbook. All of this work is done on our new Hewlett Packard Pentium II computers.

We wish to welcome Sue Sledge, our department’s new secretary. She replaces Joan Muñoz who is now at AHS. We were without anyone in that position for several weeks and are very pleased that we were able to fill that vacancy with someone as capable as Sue. Most recently, Sue worked at Raytheon where she utilized her customer service and auditing skills. She has taken on the challenge of learning the operation of our department and has been instrumental in implementing a revised system for processing HP, Repair, and Network work orders. Sue is responsible for the maintenance of all three hotlines and is the initial contact person for anyone with emergency service needs or inquiries on previously reported service requests.

Sue enjoys the outdoors and the ocean – she and her family have wet suits, which are used for year-round play with their wave runners. She has recently received her scuba diving certification and is indeed an avid ‘beach bum,’ as she loves being in the ocean and stays at the beaches of Mexico often. We enjoy her sense of humor and insight, and hope that you will extend her a warm welcome.

Have you ever created a PowerPoint presentation on a Winodws 95 computer, tried to save that presentation to a floppy disk only to realize that the presentation is too large to fit on one floppy disk? PowerPoint has a Pack and Go Wizard that allows you to compress that file to a number of floppies which allows you to be able to travel with a large PowerPoint presentation. If your presentation has links to other files or embedded fonts the wizard will allow you to include those in the package. It even has a PowerPoint Viewer (only works on Windows95, not 3.1) that allows you to use your PowerPoint presentation on a computer that does not have PowerPoint.

Every month or so you should optimize your hard drive to maintain system speed. To do this double click on My Computer. Then right click on your hard drive (C or D). A dialog box will appear. Click on the tools tab. Then click on the Defragment Now button. This will start the defragmenter.

I am so pleased to announce that for the first time in about two years, the Technology Department has filled every position for which we are funded. Now each staff member can begin to focus on his/her areas of responsibility rather than attempting to cover other people’s duties. As the new members become more familiar with their duties we will certainly increase our service to you, our customers. In an effort to define who does what, please find a list located on the last page of Tech Talk, that describes staff members and their areas of responsibility. When you have questions or problems, use this list to contact the appropriate person to expedite service.

I’d like to introduce you to our newest member of the Technology team, Amanda Trible. Amanda was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. About 3 1/2 years ago, she began working for America Online. For the first year and a half, she worked in productions developing content areas and page layout. Then, she transferred to member services where she provided telephone support for AOL users. Three years ago, while still working for AOL, she moved to Tucson.

Amanda has a music degree in vocal performance from East Texas State University. She also participates in a Scottish country dance group called Dancing in the Isles that performs all around the state, including the Renaissance Festival. When Amanda isn’t working with computers, she enjoys other hobbies including sewing and arts & crafts.

We are most fortunate to have Amanda as our Computer Installer. She will be kept very busy installing new computers and trouble shooting all of the new computers that have been purchased in the last year. Please give a warm welcome to Amanda.

For over a year, many school districts and libraries around the country have been waiting to hear from the SLC (Schools & Libraries Corporation) if they will receive funding for networking components to provide classrooms access the Internet. It was originally intended that schools would receive notification and funding around July 1, 1998. However, here it is nearing the end of October and we still have no idea if we have qualified or if we will receive any funding. If we fully qualify, we could stand to receive approximately $300,000.00. About 1/3 of that would be used to reduce our telecommunication utility bill. The remaining 2/3’s would be used to purchase the necessary hubs, switches, and routers necessary to connect the remaining classroom computers to the District network and the Internet. At this time, we are just in a standby mode, hoping to hear about our funding level and time frame for receiving funds.

I know it is frustrating to have a computer and not be able to connect to the Internet. All we can do is be patient for just a little longer until the SLC makes their decision.

Our three largest Bond projects are finally near completion: installation of 487 classroom computers, 195 administrative computers and 21 file servers. There is still much work to do in terms of connecting them to the networks, installing additional software and providing training, so we are not taking it easy. But, it is nice to occasionally stop and recognize the work that has been accomplished so far. Congratulations to all the staff involved in this accomplishment!

Using my P.T.O. money this year I purchased a VGA Gold converter. This system allows me to put anything that is on my computer monitor on my television screen.

I worked with the Internet and PowerPoint to save pictures and put them into slide show format.

My first slide show was on tessellations. I timed the slide show so that I did not have to stand near the computer so that I could have a discussion about different tessellations. Not only could I display M.C. Esher’s work, I could also display artwork from a 6th grade class in Wisconsin that had put its tessellations on the web. The kids loved it and it gave them great ideas. It made them feel connected to a world outside of our school.

With one computer in the classroom, technology now being a section on the Amphitheater Evaluation Instrument, and the emphasis on instructional methodologies, many teachers are wanting to learn ways in which to effectively use that one computer or laserdiscs with their students. Technology is a great tool to help you develop ways of using Cooperative Learning, Inquiry, and Direct Instruction with your students.

As the Technology Education Specialist, part of my job is to work with teachers to help them develop ways of integrating technology in their classrooms. The grade level or subject area doesn’t matter, I can work with you to develop ways of using technology. I will set up an introductory meeting with you where we talk about ideas or ways of integrating technology with the subject matter. I find programs, Internet ideas, or laserdiscs that will support what you are already doing in the classroom and schedule a time to come to your classroom to team-teach with you. Usually, I model the technology being implemented for a while with you supporting me and then when you feel comfortable you start using the technology while I am there to support you. I have worked with a variety of grade levels and am excited about helping teachers find great ways of using many different technologies with their students. If this is something you are interested in, contact me at 5218.

There have been many spams going around lately on the Internet and I want to make you aware of them. A spam is an inappropriate attempt to use a listserv or newsgroup to send a message to a large group of people who didn’t ask for it. Lately, these spams have been hoaxes that people have been emailing to other people in the belief that they will receive money, trips to Disneyland, and Nike shoes and clothing. There have been several versions of the Bill Gate’s urban legend, but the email message states that Bill Gates is developing an email tracing program and that if you forward this message to 10 people you will receive $1000. Patrick Crispen, author of Internet Tourbus, contacted Microsoft spokesperson George Shaw who stated that the story is "officially not true." The email hoax then evolved into a story that Nike was offering free shoes and clothing to people who tested their email tracing software. The next version appeared that Disney was helping Microsoft test an email tracing program and that if the message reached 13,000 people, the first 1,300 people who sent the message to others would receive $5,000 and the remaining people would receive a free trip for two to Disney World. Walt Disney Jr., Bill Gates, and the Microsoft Development team signed the letter. However, as Joanne Day informed me, Walt Disney did not have any sons, he only had daughters. All of these claims were not true.

You may wonder what’s wrong with forwarding messages like this. First, it takes up space on the Internet server, and it uses bandwidth and therefore slows things down when you are trying to do other work on the network. Further, Patrick Crispen states, "Many people who have redistributed the Bill Gates/Nike/Disney email tracing program have asked, ‘who could it hurt?’ Unfortunately, the answer is them! Procter and Gamble has recently been dealing with a similar urban legend (the P&G urban legend says a P&G executive proclaimed his love of Satan on the Donahue show, and asks everyone to boycott P&G’s products). Procter and Gamble’s response? So far, they have filed and won over a dozen lawsuits against people who have spread this false story."

Other common urban legends on the Internet include:

Use common sense when you receive these kinds of email messages. Big companies do not use chain letters for their business. Think before you forward a message.

Are you looking for ways to help you prepare your students for the Stanford 9 and to satisfy some of the requirements for the State Standards and the Amphitheater Public Schools Curriculum Framework? A key concept in all of the above is the ability for students to develop ideas and organize thinking. There is a program called Inspiration that is developed by Inspiration Software, Inc. specifically designed to fulfill these needs.

Inspiration is a software program that helps students develop visual thinking. It can be used for graphical organizing, concept mapping, webbing, planning, brainstorming, diagramming, and outlining. These things help students develop relationships between concepts, clarify thinking, and develop ideas. Students can jot down their thoughts using a graphic diagram view or an outline view. They can switch easily between the two views. The program comes with templates and example folders to help the teacher or students get ideas for creating their own diagrams or outlines. It also comes with a folder of symbols that allows students to place different pictures and symbols in their diagram.

For more information about the program, you can look at their web site at http://www.inspiration.com. The web site has ideas for using the program, information about teacher scholarships, demos to download, and other things. Or you can call 1-800-877-4292 for a 30-day software preview.

Now that Windows 95 has worked its way through most of the district, many of you have been playing with screen savers. If you haven’t been using them and wish to, just follow these steps. Be sure to read about which ones not to use though, because some of them can cause Windows 95 to freeze up on you.

To get to the screen savers click your Start button and select Settings then Control Panels. Once the control panels are open double-click Display. A window will appear that has several tabs on the top of it. The one to click on is called Screen Saver. The name of your screen saver is in the pull-down menu called Screen Saver. If you scroll down this pull-down list many screen savers are listed. Here are the most common ones I see used in the district:

Scrolling Marquee - Displays scrolling text of you choice.

Flying Through Space - Zooms you though the stars, just like on Star Wars.

Mystify Your Mind - A bunch of lines that move in geometric shapes.

You may have noticed I avoided listing some of the more popular ones. The ones I’m talking about all have the letters 3D in the name of the screen saver. The reason for this is simple. They all seem to cause Windows 95 to freeze on most machines. If you currently have one set to 3D "name," I highly recommend switching it to something else.

Once you have decided which screen saver you like, click the button that says Settings button. This area allows you to change options for the individual screen saver. For instance you can change the number of stars in Flying Through Space or the text in Scrolling Marquee. To make sure it looks the way you want it, just click the Preview button and take a look at it. To keep your choice, click Apply.

Here are a few things that you can try while in Windows 95 that might make some of the functions you do a little easier and more fun.

To add a shortcut to the top portion of the start menu, just drag it on to the start button from any open folder or from Explorer. It will then appear at the top of the start menu.

If you need to know your IP addressing, you can view its parameters by running winipcfg either from explorer or from the start-run command.

Another fun command you can run from a DOS window within Windows 95 is the program named Trace Route. From a DOS window, simply type tracert and then the location name. Ex. (tracert www.amphi.com) This will display the hops and IP addressing.

One way to make Explorer come up when you click on My Computer or other icons, is to right button click to access Explorer, open View menu, click on Options/File Types and select Folder from the listing. Click on Edit and then click the Set Default button to change the default from open to explore. This gives you a more open view for browsing.

Students can easily design cover pages for reports, projects, and assignments by using the "sign" feature of Student Writing Center. Student Writing Center is a Core piece of software that should be loaded on all instructional computers. If it is not loaded on your computer, check with your Technology Coach to see if it can be loaded.

Students should open the Student Writing Center program.

Click on Sign.

Select a Border – single click on each choice until you find the one you like, then click on OK.

Select the page orientation – landscape or portrait – and select OK.

The students will then be able to use the Font button to select the size and type of font they would like to use. After selecting the font, size, and style they must click on OK. The students can then type their information. I tell students the minimum I expect to see in the Title page (name, date, name of teacher, title of project, etc.)

One final nice touch is that students can click on the Picture button and add a picture. I tell students that they must pick a picture that relates to the title page. The bunny is cute and the dragon is wonderful, but if it doesn’t relate to the title page, I tell the students they shouldn’t use it. In the pictures folder, the students can select a folder that sounds like it will have an appropriate picture. If they single click on each picture, they should see a preview of the picture. Once they find a picture they want, they should click on the Open button. They can resize the picture by dragging on any of the boxes in the corners. If the picture is selected, they can go to the Graphics menu bar and make changes such as cropping, rotating, flipping, or putting a border around the picture.

The sign function of Student Writing Center is great for students to make cover pages and for you to make signs of any kind.

Do you still have that Hewlett-Packard logo on your Windows 95 desktop? Are you ready to change it to something a little more appealing? There are several ways you can make your desktop attractive and personal.

Windows 95 provides several wallpaper patterns. You can right-click on the desktop and choose Properties, and then choose Background. Wallpaper is listed on the right side of the window. Simply click once to select the wallpaper you wish to use, and then choose OK. You can also choose None for the wallpaper and then choose a simple pattern from the Patterns list on the left side of the window.

Another great way to customize your desktop is to use images from the web. If you are surfing the web using Netscape and see an image (a picture file) you would like to use for wallpaper, simply right-click on the image and choose Set as Wallpaper. Be sure to follow copyright laws.

You can use Netscape to make wallpaper from other images on your computer, too. In Netscape, go to the File menu, choose Open, choose the image you want to use, and choose OK. The image will display in Netscape. Right-click on the image and choose Set as Wallpaper.

As part of La Cima’s Technology Plan, we have identified Instructional Team Leaders to master and then demonstrate effective uses of technology in the classroom. The Instructional Team Leaders have been meeting individually with Patti Greenleaf and Peggy Steffens to identify needs, find appropriate materials, and plan lessons. Patti and Peggy then model and team-teach with each Instructional Team Leader. So far, lessons have been taught using technology such as Struggles for Justice (laserdisc) with Jeff Panneck, Track Star using "Slake’s Limbo" (Internet) with Pam Busch, Using the Averkey for Daily Oral Language with Michelle Aron, International Inspirer (CD-ROM) with Phyllis Newton and Melanie Derksen, and Science Sleuths (laserdisc or CD-ROM) with Liz Nelson. More great lessons and team teaching is planned for next quarter. By the end of the year, the process will be replicated with the Team Leaders working with other classroom teachers. It’s exciting to see the "fun while learning" for the students and the teachers!

As some of you may have already noticed, all new Hewlett Packard computers are being installed with a variety of new software on them for you to use. One of these is the latest version of Netscape Navigator, which has now been renamed Netscape Communicator. Version 4.04 of Netscape Communicator has tons of new features that you will enjoy, such as America Online Instant Messenger, Netscape Mail Notification, and User Profile Manager.

The User Profile Manager is one of the most beneficial items ever added to the package. Basically what it allows you to do is have "profiles" for each user. This allows one computer in a teachers' lounge or library to be used by several teachers for email and web bookmarks. Finally, people who have been without access to e-mail will be able to share one computer with several other people. The following steps will help guide you through the setup of a "profile." As with any new piece of software, you should look for help, and if you have any problems with this program use Netscape’s web site http://help.netscape.com.

Ok, here we go! We are going to setup a profile for Yakko Warner*, of Warner Bros. fame. The first step is to locate and start up the User Profile Manager. It can be found by clicking the Start menu in Windows 95 and following it to Programs and then Netscape Communicator. In Netscape Communicator select Utilities and finally, click on User Profile Manager. This will bring up a screen showing the existing profiles; default should be the only one you see the first time. Click New on this screen to start configuring Yakko’s profile. We are simply going to follow all the directions on the screens and when prompted, enter the following information. Some items will be entered more than once. To see an example of the setup go to www.amphi.com/depts/technology/mailsetup.html.

Once you are done entering the information, hit Finish and you’re set to go. Next time you start up Communicator it will prompt you for which profile to use. Select the right one and you will have access to your own e-mail and bookmarks.

Now that you’re all excited about this new technology, keep in mind this will only work in Windows 95 or MacOS and only with Netscape Communicator 4.05. So if you don’t have it yet, at least it is something to look forward to. We will be offering classes on Netscape Communicator this year. If you want Netscape Communicator 4.05 loaded on an existing computer, contact your Technology Coach.

*Yakko Warner is copyright of Warner Brothers Records and does not actually work for Amphitheater Public Schools.

The 7th Annual Teaching and Technology Conference for Educators will be on Saturday, January 23, 1999. The conference will be held at the University of Arizona in the Student Union and College of Education from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m.

The Keynote Speaker will be Lynne Anderson-Inman, Director of the Center for Advanced Technology in Education and Director of the Center for Electronic Studying

in the College of Education at the University of Oregon. She will be talking about Juan Bautista de Anza on the Web: Promoting Historical Inquiry into Arizona’s Past. Come learn how web-based study environments, primary source documents, maps, pictures and supportive resources team up to help you and your students conduct historical inquiry into the past. See a demonstration of Web de Anza, an innovative web site based on dairies, letters, maps, and supportive media related to Juan Bautista de Anza and his two 18th century expeditions from Sonora, Mexico, to northern California.

In addition to the keynote speaker, there will be exhibitors and presentations on the Internet,

multimedia, telecommunications, curriculum integration, and presentation graphics. Registration information can be obtained from your Technology Coach, Peggy Steffens, Patti Greenleaf, or on the web at www.ed.arizona.edu/tc/.

Have you visited the Technology department’s home page recently? Along with Guidelines for Software, Hardware, and for the Web Page, there is also information regarding our: Services, Media Center Search, Internet AUP (district electronic use policies), Tech Class Information, and Price Sheets (the Tutorials and Staff pages are currently ‘down’ for reconstruction).

Our Price Sheets page was designed to provide ordering information in a simple format – easily accessible to anyone. It is also the most expedient way for us to disseminate updated product information. The Price Sheets page is broken out into these categories: Computers, TV Converters, Scanners, Fax machines, and Printers. Each is further broken down by: Vendor, Price, and Part number information along with associated items or parts needed for installation. Some printer toners/cartridges are available through our Warehouse, others through outside vendor – part numbers for both are shown.

Manufacturers upgrade products and that affects pricing and availability. Occasionally we receive updated information from the vendor after a

purchase order has been forwarded to their supplier. As soon as the vendor notifies us of a problem with either product availability or a needed price change, we call the site’s Contact Person (per requisition).

This summer, we had serious delays in filling computer orders during a time when the industry introduced a new chip. Delays and price changes affected many of you. In most cases, our price sheets will provide you with current information; however, if you have special circumstances, please contact me and we will work with the vendor to get a specific quote for you. The price sheet is located at www.amphi.com/depts/technology/price.htm.

As part of the network security plan for Amphitheater Public Schools we are evaluating Firewalls and Proxy Servers. Firewalls prevent intrusion from the Internet (outside of Amphi) while allowing access to the Internet from Amphi. This means all our data and servers are more secure from hackers.

Proxy servers can perform many functions. The function we will discuss here is Web proxy. First I’ll discuss how it usually works then I’ll discuss how the proxy works. A typical scenario for a lab is this: An assigned set of topics is given for the class to research. Approximately 30 students search the Internet and end up at 4 to 5 different sites. This means that a large number of students are now downloading information from the same server either simultaneously or in close succession. When this happens the remote server may become overloaded or our connection to the Internet may become unresponsive. This duplication of effort or waste of bandwidth can be remedied by using a web proxy. This is how it works.

Instead of each machine using part of the path to the Internet (bandwidth) to talk to the remote web server, they will ask the proxy. The proxy will, in turn, ask for the information from the web server. Once the proxy downloads the information from the remote server it stores it. The next computer that asks the proxy for the same file will get it directly from the proxy and the proxy won’t have to go over the Internet to get the file. It already has it loaded locally. This means that each machine will no longer have to open up an individual ‘conversation’ with the web server. This translates to higher speed transfers of web pages and allows students to cover more material in the allotted time for research on the Net.

I recommend that technology coaches configure their labs to use the proxy. This is where you will see the greatest performance increase.

Configure each of your stations in the lab to use the proxy server at Wetmore. Look at the following setup for Netscape Navigator 4.0x. The screen looks the same for Mac OS and Win 95. (If you have Netscape 3 or earlier please check http://www.amphi.com/depts/technology/proxy.html.)

9. You’re ready to use the proxy server.

Editing is the process by which material is removed from or added to the original material, resulting in the desired finished product. As this applies to videotape programs, editing is performed by re-recording (copying) the original tape, or a portion thereof, by the process of assembly editing or insert editing.

In assembly editing both the picture and sound as well as a control track are recorded at the same time and in the sequential order desired. It is like adding railroad cars to a train. A car represents each assembly edit. You start with the engine (title or intro), then add cars as you go along until you get to the last car (credits or end). Straight copying of videotape is a form of assembly editing.

In insert editing the recording is performed over a previously recorded tape (i.e. one that already has a control track which is not destroyed in the process). The new picture and/or sound can be recorded separately, at different times, at the same time or either not at all. The recording can be done sequentially, as in assembly edit, or can be inserted in between two points for every edit. Some editing systems even have provisions for recording stereo sound - both tracks at the same time or at different times as might be done with voice overs or with the adding of music.

The following tips are given with the hope that they in the end will make the process of editing easier. It is assumed that those recording the original footage know that it will be edited at a later time.

In addition to some great nature videos, we have added some of the old Disney titles to the video collection. They are available for checkout from the media center.

V 930 Beaver Valley

While his carefree neighbors, the otters, frolic in the snow, the beaver remains hard at work raising and providing for his family and impounding water behind laboriously constructed dams to insure the proper homesite for his underwater home. Other residents in the area include moose, deer, coyotes, badgers, and raccoons.

V 931 Donald and the Wheel

An animated Donald Duck introduces young viewers to the history of the wheel and takes them on a fast-paced journey that reveals just how invaluable this simple invention is.

V 932 Donald in Mathmagicland

Donald finds himself in Mathmagicland. The ancient Greeks tell him about some of their basic mathematic principles. Successive sequences illustrate how mathematics enters almost every phase of daily life. Donald learns how math is related to music, art, architecture, mechanics and games.

V 933 Grand Canyon

Ferde Grofe’s composition, Grand Canyon Suite, accompanies a pictorial of the wonders of the Grand Canyon and Painted Desert.

V 934 Mysteries of the Deep

This video explores the depths of the ocean to show some of the many interesting creatures to be found there. It shows them as they mate, as they are born, and as they develop into adults.

V 935 Nature’s Half Acre

This video stresses the interdependence of birds, plants, and insects. Naturalists-photographers have contributed footage showing all the inhabitants in the tiny grass roots world of this half-acre of land. Rare sights depict the continuity of life found in the balance of nature.

These are the newest videos, CD-ROMs and laserdiscs available for checkout from the media center.

V 928 Reflecting on the Moon

This video focuses on the surface of the moon and the way in which it was formed. Students learn that the lack of atmosphere made the moon the silent world of extreme temperature that we know today. The video also addresses the interactions between the moon and the Earth.

V 929 Sherlock Holmes: The Great Detective - This is a unique biography on the world’s most famous detective. The life of Sherlock Holmes is examined along with that of his creator.

The Magic School Bus: Series

The Magic School Bus series helps teachers and students explore science through a series of adventures filled with humor and wonder:

CDR 147 The Magic School Bus Explores the Human Body

CDR 148 The Magic School Bus Explores in the Age of Dinosaurs

CDR 149 The Magic School Bus Explores Inside the Earth

CDR 150 The Magic School Bus Explores the Ocean

CDR 151 The Magic School Bus Explores the Rainforest

CDR 152 The Magic School Bus Explores the Solar System

CDR 153 Eyewitness Children’s Encyclopedia - encyclopedia geared for children ages 7-12

CDR 154 Eyewitness Encyclopedia of Nature - This program presents a unique blend of information in ways that make full use of multimedia.

CDR 155 Eyewitness Encyclopedia of Space and the Universe - This is a software reference guide to astronomy, space exploration, and the Cosmos. It covers the planets, stars, and galaxies; astronauts and their spacecraft; and satellites and probes.

CDR 156 Eyewitness Encyclopedia of Science - This CD-ROM leads students into the fields of Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Life Sciences, Earth and the Universe. It explores the lives of famous scientists, reviews the facts, theories, and systems which make our world tick. The program is designed to be used with different levels of learning; intermediate, middle, and high school.

CDR 157 Eyewitness History of the World - This CD-ROM program can be used as an introduction to many topics covering the broad sweep of history, from ancient to modern times; from the history of the united States to Europe and the whole world; from political to social and cultural history. It can also be used to teach students how to think historically, to develop sound thinking skills and to master important concepts. The program is designed to be used with different levels of learning; intermediate, middle, and high school.

CDR 158 My First Incredible Amazing Dictionary - My First Incredible, Amazing Dictionary is a multimedia dictionary with over 1,000 first words and their meanings.

CDR 159 Graph Action Plus - Graph Action Plus combines three innovative, easy-to-use software tools with a comprehensive set of activities designed to help middle school students understand the fundamentals of graphing change over time.

CDR 160 Ocean Expeditions: El Niño

This program brings Earth System Science concepts to life by challenging students to conduct modern climate research as it really happens. This multimedia learning tool engages students in a journey where they must navigate their own ship, operate modern research tools, and manipulate satellite and climate model data to investigate and help predict El Niño.

Science Court - series

Science Court is an interactive CD-ROM series that mixes animated courtroom drama, hands-on science activities, and humor to teach students fundamental science concepts and model good scientific practice. As each case unfolds, students examine the facts and perform hands-on experiments to help them predict the verdict. titles are:

CDR 161 Science Court: Seasons CDR 162 Science Court: Soil

CDR 163 Science Court: Fossils

CDR 164 Science Court: Electric Current

CDR 165 Science Court: Living Things

CDR 166 Science Court: Particles in Motion.

CDR 167 Fizz and Martina’s Math Adventures: Blue Falls Elementary

Fizz and Martina’s Math Adventures is a series of elementary-school CD-ROM titles that help students understand and apply important basic math concepts. At the heart of each title is an animated adventure story. When math problems arise in the story, students work in teams to find solutions and articulate their strategies.

CDR 158 All Star Review - This program lets the entire class review information in a fun and exciting baseball game format. While the program keeps the game moving, the teacher can watch, coach, or be the umpire. All Star Review creates an exciting classroom environment and makes the review of any subject fun for both teacher and student.

LD 237 Who Owns the Sun

Based upon the book written by Stacy Chbosky when she was 14 years old, Who Owns the Sun will introduce the viewers to the concepts of freedom, prejudice and self-respect as the young son of a slave asks some profound questions about people and the locale around him.

LD 238 Blackberries in the Dark

Blackberries in the Dark tell the story of nine-year-old Austin and his grandmother and their struggle to come to terms with the recent death of Austin’s grandfather.

LD 239 True Life Adventures: In Beaver Valley - On Seal Island

The Disney films presented in this interactive videodisc are designed to be easy for students and teachers to use independently or in groups.

LD 240 Like Jake and Me

This is the story of the developing relationship between 10-year-old Alex and his "cowboy" stepfather, Jake. This program portrays how mutual support and understanding can transform strangers into family.

Amphitheater District has a voicemail system that allows us to call any number in the school district by using only the last four digits. It is a good idea to forward your phone to voicemail while you are teaching. In addition, you can pick up your voicemail messages anywhere. The phone number to receive your messages while you are not on campus is 696-5100. Here are some other tips.

When you are in Voice Mail and listening to your messages you can press the following:

Connect to the Voicemail system with your password, then:

If you don’t do this a person just hears your extension number when they are forwarded to your voice mail and don’t know if they are leaving the message for the correct person:

When you are listening to a message:

You can have up to 9 different groups on our voicemail system.

To Create a Group or Distribution List

Connect to the Voicemail system with your password