Currently all 7th and 8th grade students have school owned laptops. In addition, a growing number of our high school students are registering their family owned laptops for use on campus, following a 1 to 1 laptop model that is similar to those used by colleges. This year we also hope to begin exploring the use of laptops as an integrative tool in our elementary school. While working with our computer technology, students develop a vocabulary of digital tools that they use at school and at home. Here are a few of those terms with a brief explanation of each.
- Our Network: The system that connects all campus computers, printers, wireless access points and other devices to each other and provides these devices with access to the World Wide Web (Internet). This is also call a Local Area Network (LAN) because it covers a small geographical area like our campus. Students who move with laptops from home to school sometimes need to reconnect to our network through an IP switcher or other device when they return to campus.
- Servers: are computers with large hard drives designed to store teacher and student files. WBAIS school servers can be accessed from any school owned computer on our network but they cannot be accessed from home.
- G Drive: is how our student and teacher server is identified on our network. As the G Drive is one of our school servers it is not available off campus.
- Novell: This is the WBAIS user management and security system which students and staff must log into in order to connect to the servers on our network. Novell is currently only installed on school-owned computers and it is not available off campus.
- Squirrel Mail: This is the WBAIS web based email system used by students in grades 5-12 and staff. Students are expected to use Squirrelmail for all school communication and they are given the option to use it for private mail from home as well. Squirrelmail is available through the Internet at school or at home.
- Blackboard: Blackboard is a secure online course delivery system that provides students in grades 5-12 with a web based portal to access class materials, have class discussions and turn in assignments. In addition, parents and students in grades K-5 may find class newsletters and other information by logging in to this system. Also referred to as the NE/SA Virtual School (NVS), our Blackboard site is shared by 19 schools in the Near East South Asia Council of Overseas Schools. Blackboard is available both at school and at home.
- PowerSchool: is a WBAIS secure web based system that facilitates communication on students academic progress to students in grades 6-12, parents of children in grades 6-8 and staff. This system is available both at school and at home through the Internet.
- Google Applications: These publicly accessable web based applications are accessed by logging in to Google with any email address. They may be reached from school or at home and are managed by Google.
- GoogleDocs: This system includes word processing, spreadsheets, presentation and online forms. It is used by many staff and students to share documents, collaborate on projects and manage course materials. This system is available to anyone through the Internet at school and at home.
- GoogleCalendar: This web based calendar is used by students and staff in grades 6-8 to show major projects and tests coming up. Some students in these and other grades have also set up a private calendar through this system. Staff members use Google Calendars to share meetings, events and facilities use with each other and the community at large.
- GoogleBookmarks: This is an online system that allows users to set up a bookmark system with links to individually chosen web sites that can be reached whenever a user logs in.
- iGoogle: This is a web page set up by an individual with links to various applications. For example, students in grades 7 and 8 have set up their own school iGoogle pages with links to their calendars, documents and bookmarks.
We hope that by familiarizing yourselves better with these terms you will better understand your children as they discuss their laptop and other computer use. If you would like further clarification of technology terms used on campus, feel free to contact anyone on the tech team.
You can learn more about our school's 1 to 1 laptop program by reading these upcoming Tech Talk articles: Going Digital 2: Future School Plans and Going Digital 3: Digital Tools. Previous articles are also available to you in the WBAIS Tech Talk Blog.
We wish you all a happy, healthy fall holiday season!
WBAIS Tech Team
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