Power Ranger Meeting Minutes
Friday, September 28, 2001
Room 7096

1. Opening Activity: Think -- Pair -- Share

a. PowerRangers were asked to write one positive comment on the green post-it note and one concern on the pink note.
b. Comments were discussed with the person sitting across.
c. Comments were shared at table, and one positive and one concern for each table was shared with the group.

POSITIVES

Period 4:

  • Faster work/efficiency
  • Lightweight and fast
  • Email anywhere/access
  • Airport
  • Flexibility
  • Organization
  • Revolutionary productivity tool
  • I-movie
  • Too reliant on hard drive
    (concern when drop off)


Period 5:

  • bring work home(flexibility) (2)
  • easier to update webpage
  • time saver
  • convenience(2)
  • productivity(2)
  • new classroom applications for learning
  • more creative
  • portability


Period 6

  • accessibility to all files -> everything is with you at all times
  • very convenient
  • speed and multitasking are excellent
  • it's easy to complete all managerial chores
  • contact and collaboration with other colleagues

CONCERNS

Period 4:

  • Changing location (airports everywhere?)
  • Sleeping disorder
  • Crashing
  • More than one restart necessary
  • Lack of time to learn useful applications
  • Connecting to monitors
  • Only ONE Charlene =(

Period 5:

  • freezing(2)
  • printing off airport
  • remembering to back up files
  • restart, change locations
  • inconsistencies in reliability
  • too attached
  • equipment availability
  • airport security
  • can do more damage
  • more Charlenes

Period 6:

  • starting up from location to location -> switching between airport and ethernet is a pain
  • should there be more airports around
  • operational fears -> packing & unpacking the computer and all of its components
  • waking up
  • using various programs to maintain things such as web pages, school notes
  • it's sometimes hard to trouble-shoot
  • will the restart at the beginning of the year be as problematic as it was this year.


2. PowerRangers have access to a "PowerRanger" folder in the Shared folder on Novell. It contains updates and other files exclusively for PowerRangers. Some laptops have an earlier version of Appleworks (6.0.4) which has a known conflict with Novell. If you are experiencing problems with AppleWorks, please update to version 6.1.2 in the shared folder. Charlene will help if you need assistance with the installation.

3. The Appleworks spell-check fix was posted to listserv and can also be found on Powerranger homepage.

4. Some users have reported missing signatures in Eudora. Send yourself an e-mail to check if yours appears. If not, then send an email to Charlene, and she will email you the "fix."

5. File sharing: Please be sure that file sharing is off, and that your iBook or PowerBook number is listed as the "Computer Name" (some may say RangerBronze or RangerWallStreet). You should keep file sharing off. To check the File Sharing status, open file sharing from the Apple menu, Control panels, or from the control strip icon.

6. Location manager: When you first start up your computer, the default location will be where you last shut down. If you choose a different location, then you must restart your computer. Do not click OK, be sure to click Restart. Also, you must connect your ethernet cord before you restart if you are using ethernet.

7. Be sure to update Norton Antivirus at the beginning of next week and also do the "scan and repair" of the Macintosh HD. If Norton requests a password, please stop and see Charlene for the fix. An email reminder will be sent to the listserv.

8. Expectations of being a PowerRanger were reviewed:

- complete 4 hours of initial training (done)
- participate or lead 8 hours of training per semester
 (Opportunities: U of S, STAR-Online, conferences, individual sharing)
- attend monthly meetings (usually the last Friday of the month during lunch)
- Participate in the list-serve.
  (Be sure to reply to the whole list as that will benefit the entire group.)


9. Power Ranger Mentors

- assignments are being finalized - letter from Sam to be sent out next week
- some PowerRangers will be designated as meeting co-facilitators

10. Have you backed up your files lately?!
There are 5 iBooks being returned for repair. You can back up files to the faculty server, and you can also back up on CDs.

11. Airports are to be installed the library area.


Next meeting will be: Friday, Oct 26, periods 4, 5, & 6, in room 7096.

Special thanks to:
Sharon Horwath, Cheryl Kessler, and Steve Armstrong for taking notes.
Laura Brown, Pat O'Donnell, Sean Carney and Kristen Garis, for co-facilitating at the meetings.