Technology and CS in Dallas

Blog

  • SharePoint Server

    I am experimenting with a Share Point server and so far I really like it.

    My problem is that I have a certain number of files, many of the OneNote notes that I want to be able to get to from anywhere.

    I've tried keeping on a thumb drive and on a USB drive and none of that truly works well.

    So I've gone to the SharePoint and so far, so good.   I'll know for sure by the end of the week, but so far, it's working like a champ.

    I'm using the same people I do my exchange email with — though in this case they do business as myhosting.com  — the exchange email is with mail2web.com — and the same people.

  • Camtasia saves the day … twice

    Twice this morning I had questions that only Camtasia could really answer for me.  One on the phone, one an email.

    The phone one?  The main office was convinced we could take attendance as a Pep Rally day.  Well, we couldn't.  Pulled on the headset, did a screen recording and narrated what I was doing, produced it,  uploaded it to my ScreenCast account, emailed the link and was all good.  Not only that, but the email could be forwarded to anyone who needed to see it.

    The email?  Was a question about Alice — and where a photo might be worth a 1000 words, a movie is certainly worth more.  Again, pulled on the headset, and in less than 5 minutes, solved the problem.

  • The BEST Tech Support Kid EVER!

    We may be sick of each other by the end of the year, and I wouldn't mind haven't another kid (and have one in mind).

    The kid I have is really awesome.  I've sent him to two classes to hook up printers this week and he came back and he was done.  I also didn't get a note about his attitude. 

    I also think the two of us might be able to get the inventory until control but with 5x some new computers…..

    The best part, he's playing with the Scribbler Robot I bought this summer.  Yes, another project I have too little time to do.  I've got lots of other little programming/EE projects.  And yes, he wants to major as an EE, which I'm beginning to think is a good fit for him.  He's really not the CS kind of kid.

    The fun part is that he was in my room as a 9th grader and as a 10th grader.  I really want him to take AP CS, I really think he can handle it this year, and I think it will look good on his transcript.  He was pretty immature as a 10th grader, but it's too week later.  I love how he has been handling the Robot project, very EE type.

    I also can't wait until I see his parents again — some of my absolute favorite people.

  • Laptop / Tablet Repair — I am so frustrated

    So back in June, I dropped my Lenovo X61 while it was in its case.

    After much frustration, and having dealt with the tablet part not really working now that the latch was broken, I decided to take advantage of the insurance I had paid two premium's on, and it's now with Micromedics, Inc.

    They received it on 8/6.

    They finally got approval to work on it on 8/20.

    They ordered parts, and got them in on 8/24.  However, they got the wrong parts.  Worse yet, on Friday I was told they were in final test.

    The site just got updated with no notes.  I called — guess what, they got in the wrong parts.

    ARGH!!!!!!!!  I may never see my tablet again.

  • First Week with kids

    Last week was the first week with kids.

    Love my class sizes, love my CS classes.  The math/science kids are interesting.  The morning group is the best, and it progressive gets worse.  I have three sections.  Right now, instilling disclipine in them is tough.

    The hardest part is that the PTB weren't completely ready for school.  My students haven't been put on the Novell server yet, and they aren't on Moodle yet.

    Not sure what the hold up is.

    I've also had a lot of pressure getting the people in my building up and running on the new attendance system.  We've got some down because of system issues, but most are down because they can't remember their logins.

    Gee, had that problem with the same people when it came to fingerprinting, last year.

  • Math/Science Study Skills – A breakthrough

    Had a bit of a breakthrough — one of my math/study kids handed me his homework assignment after I asked if anyone had some.

    Scanned it into the computer, showed it on the white board and we worked on solving it.

    Did the same with the second class — kid asked if I would help with geometry too, but they don't have homework yet — we'll get it tomorrow.

    They fought a bit on word, but most of them went through the first tutorial.

  • First day

    It was good.  I like my classes sizes == my first period class is full!

    None of my other classes is over 15.  This will change.

    My AP Student has started his work — he already had a login from last year.

    My coworkers have calmed down — we still have a group of people who can't take attendance on the new system but we're getting there.

    Long day — got there at about 7:20 and left at 4:30.  But I shut the door at the beginning of 5th period and had lunch.

  • Good Lenovo news

    The Micromedics repair site is showing that they ordered three parts for my tablet.  Hopefully it will come back home soon, they have had it since 8/6

  • Alice and Math/Science Classes

    My CS Enrollment is down — which is crazy as it is one of the few professions not only hiring students out of college, but their starting salary is up!  Of course, the low enrollment helps.

    Anyway, I'm teaching three sections of math/science study skills.  They are all doubly described, and I suspect if I look up my students on My Data portal they haven't been successful on the TAKS tests in the past.

    My job – to change that.

    One of my first missions, is to make these students comfortable with computers.  One thing the research shows on this type of students is that they are on the wrong side of the digital divide, so the first thing we're going to go to is to become "computer literate".  Word, Excel and Powerpoint are my goals.  I'm going to use the Baycom tutorials at http://www.baycongroup.com/index.htm, they work with my other students.

    Next I'm going to teach them Alice. 

    I want to use Alice to illustrate their math problems, and have the computer do the math.  I've found once a kid writes a computer program to do something, they don't forget how to do that something again.

    I'll let everyone know how it goes.

  • The Week from Hell

    I am the campus technologist for my building.  I went into this year thinking it could be nearly as bad as last year when I had to get everyone in the building fingerprinted.  WRONG!

    This year, everyone has to take attendance online. 

    I've got people who can power up the computers in my room without being told how.  And the new computers are exactly like mine.

    I honestly believe I have been abused by about half of the people in the building.

    Okay, the principal didn't want me to have my netbook or my phone on.  Sorry, but I don't use paper and pen and like to take notes.

    One of the custodians stole money from my room.  At least the campus police officer believes it wasn't my fault as he knows I don't leave my room unsecured.

    It has not been a good week.

    And I almost forgot, my Dean called on Satuday at 4:40 looking for passwords for the registrar.