Looking for a little help from my PLN on this one before my frustration reaches a fever pitch.
I am not a techie. I’m aware. I have only the vaguest understanding of how computers and wireless networks …. well…. work. But I do know this: It is a darn shame–nay an embarrassment–to have a wireless network installed in a school for the specific purpose of enabling students access to the internet that students can’t access. Please imagine, if you will, the sad student holding her ipod touch aloft and looking longingly at the wireless router hanging above her head. Cue strings.
Anyway.
So we have a wireless network installed in the school. Its purpose is student access. But students are not allowed to access it.
I asked our CSA why and he said that it’s not secure enough. A student could, in his words, find a way to hack a teacher password and then they’d have access to EVERYTHING! (Which makes me wonder what dangerous and exciting things I have access to! Evil laughter….)
Ms. Barker: (showing off stylish shoes and batting eyelashes) But… couldn’t they do that on one of the computers in the library lab?
Mr.CSA: Yes, but they’re supposed to be supervised in there.
Ms.Barker: Oh…. (pout)
Mr. CSA: (blink. blink)
Ms. Barker. Okay then. (pout has no effect. Must be losing my touch now that I’m 31) But, um what about other schools with wireless networks for students?
Mr. CSA: We’re the only school that has one.
Ms.Barker: In our board?
Mr. CSA: Yes. We’re the only one.
Ms. Barker: Well, what about other boards?
Mr. CSA: I don’t know.
So, I put it to you, my PLN. Do you know of any schools that have wireless networks for students? How do they deal with this concern? How can I convince my principal (who is new to the school as of Monday and therefore has a ton on her plate) and my CSA to make this happen for our students. It kills me that we have this wireless network installed and the kids can’t use it!
Similar boat here in Ottawa – very limited student access.
Some questions:
-do student have access to it from “board owned/imaged” computers?
-is there just one network name (called an SSID) visible?
We have a setup here where there are 2 SSIDs available (even though there is just one set of wireless points). One SSID is restricted to staff – it gives full network access. The other, open to student that we trust with the passkey, gives just web access (port 80 www sites). This way we can enable student devices when we choose to, but in a way that is (fairly) secure.
Hope this helps
I fully understand your dilemma. As a former Director of Technology I wrestled with this problem for a long time. Do your students have access to school laptops in the classroom? If so, i have to assume they can connect. That being said, there is a huge difference between granting wireless access and access to the school domain. Yes, theoretically, the student could do damage but in all likelihood would not. (If it happens, the school should immediately hire the student!) Your network admin should be able to work out a secure way of granting wireless access to your students. Is it a lot of work? Yes! However, it must be done for the good of the students. I can tell you now that the network people will say it can’t be done. However, think of it this way–are all businesses granting public wifi putting their data at risk? Of course not, they have the proper security in place. Hope this helps.
Thank you so much for your responses. This really helps and gives me something intelligent to respond with. Ah, the power of the PLN.
We have wireless access for all of the students and teachers in our district with their wireless devices should they wish to bring them to school. There is a guest network that provides internet access only, at this time. Students/teachers log in with their active directory accounts. Their access goes through the same content filter and they are subject to the same acceptable use as if they were using a school computer.
I teach at a large high school in Kelowna, BC. I’m not a network/IT expert, but as a classroom teacher here’s how it works for me.If students are at school they have 2 options for accessing our wireless network. The first is to use a school laptop and log-in as they would on any school computer. The second option is used when they bring in their own laptop. They join using a guest network password which then points them to a secure log-in (where they use their school district log-in as per option 1). I know it works very well for the students, but is trickier if you have a visitor from outside the school district. See this link for a clearer picture http://twitpic.com/11401g
We are in the process of getting wireless in our school. We partially have it now. The router are expensive ones that will check for up- to- date anti-virus software before allowing access to the Internet. Students and staff then log in with their server username and password.
No reason why your school couldn’t put this in place.
Great writing as usual. I get the same responses from our I.T.S. dept, security! breach! infection! supervision! yet, wireless does work for every other company for some reason (comment2).
Perhaps I.T.S. is consumed with the corporate computer mission:
Student Data Protection,
Secure Document Storage,
Monitored Communication.
It’s a big jump to enable a parallel network with public data sharing, cloud document storage and open communication (kids might chat!) I think it’s just too antithetical to the Fortress of Solitude. In the end we’ll have real solitude when the students stay home and access learning online in an unfettered way.
Almost every school in our board is now wireless. Anyone staff or student can access the network with their board user and pass. There are hiccups in the stability of the wireless, but generally speaking it is awesome. I don’t know why your school is making it so complex. It’s easy – everyone has a user name and password, voila. If some geek genius psycho kid wants to hack it that badly, well, go ahead.
Again, it is frustrating that people are making decisions about learning based on fears brought on my sci fi action movies.
I’m a computer tech for a school board and there is no wireless offered for students or even teachers for that matter. The only wireless is for connecting board owned laptops for active boards (smart boards) etc. They also don’t allow any personal computers/electronics onto the network.
There is a firewall and internet is filtered (must be authenticated to access it) but the concern is virius, hacking etc. The board is concerned about data security.
Let’s just say that the secondary students like to get creative
Hey I just found out about a new Elite Athlete school in London Ontario, and they have wireless on the campus:
http://www.peac.ca/e-learning/
Well, thanks again for all your comments, information and suggestions. It doesn’t really look like there’s going to be any movement on this front for a while, but I remain hopeful.