Information

A bit ago, I sent out an email to an opportunity to take part in a Blended Learning Course that is being offered around the state. Several teachers have taken advantage of this wonderful opportunity.

• Which resources are provided by or supported by your district and/or other service agencies (such as an ISD or ESA) that you might have access to? (Such as a learning management system, blogs, other software) Make a list of these resources, marking each as provided/supported/mandatory, and noting who provides the resource if it is provided.

Dearborn provides a wide array of resources for teachers.

• What district policies should you be aware of when implementing blended learning? Especially ask about: the use of pictures/names; the creation of student accounts; the ability to share publicly.

Dearborn has long supported Blended Learning. Students are all provided with an account for the school district. This account is then tied into the various services that we provide (such as iLearn, iBlog, etc.). Our general policy on pictures applies to Blended Learning just like all usage. Parents can opt out of having their child’s picture posted or printed.

• Does your administration expect you to contact parents to notify them that you will be using the Internet as a teaching tool? If so, what information do you need to provide them?

Dearborn has long supported Blended Learning. This is not viewed as something “different”. Rather this is an extension of learning. Most of the tools that we provide are designed to be used by classrooms. Thus, they have similar protections as physical classrooms.

A new feature is currently being tested in which every teacher website will now have Google Analytics displayed on their dashboards in iBlog.  See photo below.

With the new year already underway it might be a good time to take a look at your classroom website and make a resolution to provide a better resource for parents and students.  There is no shame in “copying” ideas, links, and pages from peers.   We can all draw from each other’s strengths and share good ideas and resources.   Hopefully the sites listed below will help inspire you.

• https://iblog.dearbornschools.org/gretchen/  – Great Literacy Coach website
• https://iblog.dearbornschools.org/theartstudio/ – Really nice visuals.  The theme used on this site is great for someone who uses photos.
• https://iblog.dearbornschools.org/alvaradosecondgrade/ – Great example of embedding differnt resources such as Google Forms.
• https://iblog.dearbornschools.org/nowlin5science/ – Another example of how you can embed resources such as videos and Google Docs.
• https://iblog.dearbornschools.org/hosler/ – Clean, fun, and lots of photos.
• https://iblog.dearbornschools.org/kisso/ – This site follows a special format for posting homework everyday.
• https://iblog.dearbornschools.org/mrslahooti/  – Explore all the pages listed at the very top.  Very good use of multimedia.
• https://iblog.dearbornschools.org/reedc/ – Outstanding music website for students.
• https://iblog.dearbornschools.org/mrsbush/ – Lots of photos to keep parents engaged.

If you want to get started creating your own website please visit:  https://iblog.dearbornschools.org/getting-started/

You can also find tutorials and information on using your iBlog website here: https://iblog.dearbornschools.org/using-your-website/

If you have a website and would like it featured please send Chris Kenniburg an email:  kennibc@dearbornschools.org

Teachers interested in Blended Learning should try to attend the Michigan Moodle Moot.  You will be able to network and learn about the powerful features of Moodle (iLearn).

Please join Moodle enthusiasts from across Michigan for MI Moodle Moot 2014.  Moot 2014 features six Preconference Workshops on January 9 and 20+ Conference Sessions onJanuary 10 at Mid Michigan Community College Doan Center in Mt. Pleasant.

The Moot brings educators together from K-12 and higher education to learn to us Moodle to blend instruction and support teaching and learning. Registration and More Information: mimoodlemoot.org

**Preconference Workshop & Conference Session information is also attached***

Moot 2014 Conf Sessions

Moot 2014 Preconf Workshops

Training time.

There is a new virus that is spreading across the web. Falling for this virus could destroy the data of EVERY USER in the district. (This could also affect your home computer).

The virus’s design has made it so that even current Antivirus products running in your firewall and antivirus software on your PCs aren’t detecting it until it’s too late, if at all. The antivirus companies are trying to respond, but the virus ‘morphs’ each time it replicates, so its slippery for them to detect and block or quarantine.

What does it do?

In short, the virus is a form of Ransomware. Once it gets into your PC, it ‘encrypts’ all your personal files and data, and then holds your data hostage for ransom. In this case they want $300 to provide you with the unlock code to decrypt your files and remove their application.

Here is what the message will look like once it’s too late:

To motivate the affected user to quick action, they only give you 72 hours to act, then the data is lost forever.

Its design is such that if your IT person then tries to remove it, this will leave your files encrypted forever.

It gets worse. If your PC has external media like USB hard drives and USB keys attached, it encrypts those too. Imagine if your Backup drive was attached, it would be encrypted and unusable to restore your data from before the attack. Even worse, if your infected PC is connected to a network and you have connections to a Server, it reaches out and encrypts the data on the Server too. If you use a Cloud based storage like Dropbox or Google Drive, it will encrypt the data within those folders as well. If you use Internet Backup, the backup will pick up copies of the encrypted files.

How it’s getting in

I can’t tell you for certain how it’s been getting in (which is troubling). With its ability to slip through the Antivirus filters it comes down to there is no defense (yet) other than you using your smarts. Reports to date seem to indicate it gets in using one of two methods:

• As an attachment to an email message. Typically something claiming to be a shipping notice or receipt for your review. A common lure to get you to try and open the attachment to see what it is, and if you open that attachment the virus sets in. /li>
• If your computer is already infected with some mild spyware (pop ups, other nuisances) they have found a way to exploit the Spyware’s communication methods to slip in and get started that way. This doesn’t need a user’s interaction, and is crazy scary.

To Defend Yourself:

• Don’t open attachments that come with emails unless you are 100% certain to the validity of the attached file. Meaning you should know who is sending it to you, why they are sending it, and you should have been expecting it. Even an emailed attachment from someone you know could be a cleverly disguised virus, so be SURE before you open it. You can always pick up the phone and contact that person to be sure they sent you something. YOU CAN’T rely on your antivirus software to defend you at the moment. You have to use your own smarts and avoid things that will trigger it.
• If you suspect that your PC has Spyware in any other way (acting weird, slow, pop-ups) contact your IT person to address this immediately. When in doubt, turn off the PC until your IT person evaluates it.
• Keep your Antivirus program up to date on a daily (or more frequent) basis.

Basically, responsible surfing is the best defense.

Information from: https://blog.mmeconsulting.com/cryptolocker-alert/

There is a new type of malware being spread around. This one is particularly heinous. Here’s what can happen:

1. The user clicks a link in an email. The emails are particularly well designed to look like legitimate email.
2. The links runs a program.
3. The program encrypts ALL of the documents on your hard drive AND any attached drives.
4. You get a notice to pay hundreds of dollars to unencrypt your data.
5. There is a deadline and a countdown clock begins.

There is no remediation for this. If you install this, there is no way to get your data back unless you actually pay the fee and they unencrypt your data.

How can you prevent this?

1. Do NOT click on links in email. If you get an email from your bank or something else that looks legitimate, open a web browser and actually type in the web address in the Location bar.
2. Well, see #1.
3. Keep an non-connected back up of your data.
4. Keep a versioned back up.

Again, this virus is different. Most other viruses, an expert could clean up your computer and get things back to where you were. This one can destroy your data in way in which no computer expert (not event the NSA) can reclaim.

Sunday October 6, 2013 – All day infrastructure maintenance

Please be aware that there is a planned maintenance day on Sunday 10/6 from 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM from RESA. This is one of four scheduled maintenance Sundays this fiscal year. Users should plan for the potential of an all day loss of Internet connectivity to our district and the unavailability of Wayne RESA applications and servers. However, it is unlikely that outages will be all day but they can be sporadic.