To help assess the software needs of both current and future PowerRangers, two questions were posed:


-- What software would help you better integrate technology into your classroom?
Suggestions ? (some specific to curriculum areas) included:

• Foreign language dictionaries (Spanish, German, French)
• Internet utilities (Real Audio, Windows Media Player, Shockwave)
• Geometer’s Sketchpad
• QuickTime Pro (for creating and editing QuickTime movie clips)
• FileMaker Pro database (for research data collecting)
• Microsoft Word (which includes all the Foreign Lang. dictionaries)
• Microsoft Excel
• Spell-checker for email
• Adobe Acrobat (for creating PDF documents)
• Inspiration
• First Draft (an Inspiration product) for term paper organization
• iMovie
• SoftWindows 98/Virtual PC (to be compatible with files shared from PC users, and programs that exclusively work only on Windows platforms)
• "Hardware" request: More projection devices


-- What software have you not used on your laptop? Why not?
Some PowerRangers reported they were unsure what was available. Charlene asked that Rangers again look through their applications folder to investigate the programs that are installed, and report back via email.

MacLink Plus 11 Translator
The MacLink Plus translator was installed in the Staff Development lab over winter break and can be used to translate Microsoft Word (.doc), Microsoft Excel (.xls) and Word Perfect (.wpd) documents that have been received via email, into AppleWorks. PowerRangers can get a "keyed" version of this software on their laptop which will work while on campus if connected to the network. Please make an appointment with Jan Colburn if interested in having MacLink Plus installed on your laptop. Be sure your files are backed up before you bring your laptop to Jan!

The following message received via email was shared:
"A software alliance company by the name of Business Software Alliance (BSA) with web site address of http://www.bsa.org is in the process of doing software licensing audits at various school districts in the area.The process is that they come to your school site with a court order authorizing them to check that you have proper licensing on all software installed in school computers.

"We have been notified by ISBE that this is truly happening to schools and are writing to suggest that you do an audit of your school sites to be certain that any software on your computer does have proper licensing.  If BSA comes in and finds that you do NOT have proper licensing, steep fines will be assessed."

Sam again stressed the importance of having only "legal" copies of software installed on the laptops. Stevenson is very conscientious about adhering to licensing guidelines. The software provided for the PowerRangers is legally owned and licensed by Stevenson High School. Any additional software installed must be the legal property of the PowerRanger—not the property of a spouse, friend or neighbor. Most software applications are intended for installation on a single computer.

* Program Evaluation

End of First Semester report: Responses to the first semester report (completed online) will be compiled and presented to the Board of Education in April. Sam reported that although his look at the evaluations has been somewhat brief, he is pleased with the narratives submitted. The completed report will be published on the "Official PowerRanger Home Page."

End of Second Semester report: The process for the second semester evaluation will be the same as last year, providing a 2-year documentation of the expected professional growth among the laptop users. The assessment contains a web-based multiple choice questionnaire and 2 narrative questions. As before, a sampling of "non-PowerRangers" will be invited to complete the assessment for comparison purposes.

* Future

PowerRangers as a group:

Sam has met with the Executive Technology Committee, which consists of himself, Dr. DuFour, Jim Hintz, Mark Michelini, Dan Galloway, Janet Gonzalez, Pat Caldwell, and Board of Education Members Gary Gorson and Merv Roberts. This group oversees technology initiatives for the district.

The "PowerRanger" program will continue into next year, and will not be limited to 50 new members as in previous years. Sam will be sending an email with details directing interested faculty members to apply through their division directors.

New PowerRangers will be issued iBook laptop computers. In previous years G3 laptops were used since the iBooks did not have "video out" capabilities nor removable/ swapable devices (zip drives, CD-Roms). The G3 laptops are no longer in production. The current laptop models are the iBook and G4-Titanium. The durability of the G4 is questionable and may not be suitable for the "wear and tear" demands of teacher-users. The current iBook model now has video output capabilities and neither have swapable devices. The price of the iBook is more affordable, which had some bearing on raising the "ceiling" of new applicants to the PowerRanger program. Additional wireless network hubs are planned for next year (some in common areas like the Staff Dining room), which can be accessed by the 2000 Rangers’ bronze keyboard model and iBook laptops.

2000 Rangers will keep their current laptops. 1999 Rangers will have the option of upgrading their laptop to the new iBook model. 1999 PowerRanger laptops will require system upgrades before next fall. Laptops turned in for replacement will be "re-purposed" within the district. There is a possibility that some may be offered for sale to the faculty and staff.

Technology changes next year -- (Hardware & Software)

Computers older than "all-in-one" G3 models will be removed over the summer and replaced. The replacements will not have disk drives, and the availability of disk drives throughout the building will be limited. Increased access to network storage space is planned, with students and faculty being able to access files from home.

There is a good chance (90%) that Stevenson will be upgrading to AppleWorks 6, which is hoped to support the translation of documents from Microsoft Word and Excel. Also hoped for is a license agreement from Apple which will allow Stevenson to provide copies of the program for students’ at-home use.

HOT OFF THE PRESS! This past weekend Apple announced the AppleWorks upgrade to 6.1 which has translation built in for Microsoft Word and Excel files! I will be testing the updated version and will report back to the group. If you have AW6 installed on your laptop, you may want to download the update (14MB) when you get back to school -- visit http://www.apple.com/appleworks/.

Sam reported that the "disk imaging" method used to facilitate the software installation on the PowerRanger laptops will be used throughout the building next year. This technology provides a method of reconfiguring computers to get them back in service quickly. Similar to the experience of PowerRangers, all users will have the responsibility of backing up data on a regular basis, since re-imaging a computer will reset the software and wipe out all files that may exist on the hard drive.

* Summer with Charlene

Course/training offerings

Charlene is working on developing summer curriculum offerings and would like to "recruit" PowerRangers who may be interested in team- teaching technology classes over the summer. She would like to have an after-school planning meeting to get the offerings defined before the end of April. This will be a paying position! Interested Rangers should email Charlene.

Summer Curriculum projects

Charlene announced that she will be available throughout the summer to assist with technology needs of teachers working on Summer Curriculum projects. Please let her know your timeline -- she will even come to your house if invited.

Laptop "clean up"

Charlene circulated the cleaning spray and non-linting cloths for cleaning the laptop screens and exteriors. Sam suggested that laptops will need to be "cleaned up" with a disk utility that will defragment the hard drive and improve performance. Computers may also be a bit "grungy" and can be cleaned of crumbs and fingerprints. Please make an appointment with Charlene for a check-up and clean-up.

* Sharing:

On Tuesday, March 20, PowerRangers Laura Brown, Phil Raffaelli and Tom Loew attended TECH 2000 with two Stevenson students. Sponsored by Ameritech, this annual event provides an opportunity to meet with school children from all over Illinois at the Capitol Building in Springfield, to show legislators their education technology programs and projects. For the past eight years, TECH 2000 demonstrations have provided policy makers a first-hand understanding of how students use technology to reach high academic standards and to develop the skills they will need to be competitive in the 21st Century workforce.

Charlene demonstrated the use of Graphic Converter (available on the Shared Server "Beaker" in the Link Lab zone) to provide an instant slide show of the digital pictures taken by Phil, Tom and Laura.

Sam also highlighted the recent Business Week Magazine article that, in part, showcased the application of technology in the classroom by PowerRangers Margaret Plank and Michelle LaCognata.

* Backing up files

Please remember to "back up" your files!