anyone, anytime, anywhere LEARNING.Application Service Providers offer solutions to schools with outdated software, old equipment and insufficient funds. No longer is it a novel use of technology to infuse in·fuse v. 1. To steep or soak without boiling in order to extract soluble elements or active principles. 2. To introduce a solution into the body through a vein for therapeutic purposes. curriculum with technology and the World Wide Web. Today's schools use computers in teaching, record-keeping and as a key component of administrative management. Each year our schools discover new ways to use computing tools. However, the rapid rate of equipment purchase, technology integration, staff training and deployment creates problems that are overwhelming to many school districts. The confusing array of hardware and software setups, coupled with little time to learn how to use the equipment, continue to challenge school information technology staff. It is a monumental task to bring 1960s-built classrooms -- or even older schools -- into the wired generation. But educators have reason for optimism. Application Service Providers have honed their offerings in private industry and now offer real solutions to schools. ASP offerings via thin-client technology now provide a solution that doesn't include buying new hardware or installing new software. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. the National Center for Education Statistics The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), as part of the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES), collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States; conducts studies and QED QED abbr. Latin quod erat demonstrandum (which was to be demonstrated) QED which was to be shown or proved [Latin quod erat demonstrandum] Noun 1. , the student to computer ratio dropped to 6.1:1 in 1998, down from 32:1 merely 10 years ago. In 1999, 89 percent of the schools reported they were wired for the Internet. There is more hardware in schools than ever before, however much of the equipment cannot be used. Outdated computers line library walls. Pentium-speed computers share lab space with 486s and Macintosh machines. Schools equipped with new multimedia computers yield exciting educational applications, yet the issue of combining newer equipment with old still frustrates many schools. Stores of unused and outdated software are being housed in school supply rooms. Software for the Pentium-speed computers can't be used on computers with older processors. So, staff members hold onto user manuals and floppy disks to keep older equipment at least usable. Administrative software used by teachers with Macintoshes isn't compatible with PCs. Even floppy disks can't be shared. And, as new technology develops, hardware companies are eliminating the floppy drive See floppy disk. floppy drive - disk drive altogether, instead favoring file sharing Copying files from one computer to another. See peer-to-peer network, file sharing protocol and file and printer sharing. via e-mail and networks. What about schools without network connectivity? Where does the teacher without a classroom store his files when a stack of milk crates Milk crates are square or rectangular boxes made out of heavy-duty plastic, hardened aluminum, or galvanized steel. They are used to transport milk and other products from dairies to retail establishments. serves as his classroom? Application sharing A data conferencing capability that lets two or more users interactively work on the same application at the same time. The application is loaded and running in only one machine; however, keystrokes are transmitted from and screen changes are transmitted to the other participants. in a thin-client environment Schools have a chance to overcome these issues with the efficiencies learned by using the Internet to share information and applications. Application sharing in its simplest form removes the need for software installation from the desktop computer. ASPs actually serve data and software from a remote host that is accessed through the user's desktop computer via a connection to the Internet. There is no software resident on the user's machine aside from an Internet browser See Web browser. such as Internet Explorer Microsoft's Web browser, which comes with Windows starting with Windows 98. Commonly called "IE," versions for Mac and Unix are also available. Internet Explorer is the most widely used Web browser on the market. It has also been the browser engine in AOL's Internet access software. or Netscape Navigator An earlier Web browser for Windows, Macintosh and X Windows from Netscape that provided secure transmission over the Internet. Soon after its introduction in 1994, Navigator, or just "Netscape," as it was commonly called, quickly became the leading browser on the Web. . Users on any platform -- Mac or PC -- and on any speed computer have access to the software and data made available by ASPs. The technology concept that makes this possible is known as thin-client computing. "Thin" means the user's computer only needs the basic programs and set-up options that allow it to connect to the World Wide Web. The ASP hosts the data and software and is accessed via the traditional URL URL in full Uniform Resource Locator Address of a resource on the Internet. The resource can be any type of file stored on a server, such as a Web page, a text file, a graphics file, or an application program. . Navigation Navigating in a thin-client system is as easy as surfing the Web. To obtain the data and software needed, users log onto their ASP's portal through the traditional URL. Typically, ASPs require a log-in name and password for security purposes. The user then navigates through pages with points-and-clicks just like surfing any Web site. Through thin-client computing, the virtual elimination of software holds enormous implications. Suddenly, every computer with access to the Internet -- not just a network -- is part of the system. This means that any computer, anywhere in the world can access data and software served by an ASP. Teachers in a thin-client environment can complete grade work and student evaluations at home via their own PC or Mac. School counselors A school counselor is a counselor and educator who works in schools, and have historically been referred to as "guidance counselors" or "educational counselors," although "Professional School Counselor" is now the preferred term. attending meetings can deal with student emergencies and check necessary records while away from the school site. Similar to networked systems, thin-client computing makes data available in "real time." Data entered by admissions clerks at 8:14 a.m. are available to the teacher in her classroom at 8:14 a.m. Similarly, the tardy tar·dy adj. tar·di·er, tar·di·est 1. Occurring, arriving, acting, or done after the scheduled, expected, or usual time; late. 2. Moving slowly; sluggish. mark entered by the teacher taking roll at 9 a.m. is immediately available to the parent who has logged on to check on his son from work. Counselors dealing with student emergencies can look up relevant data such as medical information, parent contact data and daily attendance records. The benefits of thin-client computing in schools have demonstrated successes. Duchesne County School District in Utah recently deployed PowerSchool's student information system, a Web-based system that manages administrative data and student information in the thin-client environment. The district wanted a single system to handle compilation of data for transcripts, report cards, attendance, form letters and state reports. The ASP also provides an access point for parents and students to track grades, attendance and assignments while enabling direct communication with teachers. Previously, Duchesne used 14 servers to reach 13 schools. Using an ASP, it eliminated all but one server and reduced the hardware cost by more than 90 percent. By eliminating many steps in the original data management process, the work of five distinct vendors was consolidated into a single information management system. The result was an 80 percent reduction in database management, training, installation and data transfer. Membership audits that originally took two weeks to complete dropped to three hours because the need to transfer data was eliminated. Generating all of the required state reports became virtually automated and dropped from hundreds of hours to a single hour of data compilation within the system. Teachers discovered that because they took attendance and reported student progress every day on the ASP, report cards and attendance summaries were ready at a moment's notice. Teachers also found that parents were more involved in and informed about their children's success in school because they could log on at home or work to obtain real-time data Real-time data denotes information that is delivered immediately after collection. There is no delay in the timeliness of the information provided. Some uses of this term confuse it with the term dynamic data. about grades and schools. While Duchesne County School District's savings in time and cost are impressive, the example they provide demonstrates that this latest trend has finally found "Finally Found" was the debut single from the Honeyz. This was their most successful single in the UK and worldwide, securing a number 4 position in the UK singles chart and achieved platinum status in Australia [1] Tracklisting # Title Length a way to help schools deal with their uniquely magnified technology issues. USING ASPs Application Service Providers sell schools Web-based access to sophisticated computer applications that might be too costly to purchase, or would require more expensive computers. Applications that can be outsourced include distance learning, e-mail, assessment, budgeting, enrollment and other record-keeping tasks, online resources and more. Following is a partial list of providers: * AboveNet.com * Blackboard (1) See Blackboard Learning System. (2) The traditional classroom presentation board that is written on with chalk and erased with a felt pad. Although originally black, "white" boards and colored chalks are also used. .com * Edmin.com * imind.com * LearningStation.com * NetSchools.com * OpenSchool.com * PowerSchool.com * SchoolCity.com * SchoolCruiser.com * SchoolTone.com Greg Porter is president and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of PowerSchool. |
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