[Year 12 IPM] Proxy avoiding web sites and individual useraccounts

[Robert Hind]

Let us be realistic and acknowledge that schools do have limited budgets. Ok the electricity bill has to be paid - but surely the school would look at ways of cutting the bill!

The same applies to Internet costs and we do need to curb the excesses of some students (and staff !).

Certainly I agree with Cameron that Internet access is an essential core component of learning these days.

I rather like David Eddie's system - although I understand that with Gaia (as used at Ashwood) the credits have to be entered manually (Please correct me if I am wrong Paul.) which is a ridiculously time consuming task for the techs if it is to be done each week.

So that is that path we should follow 
  a.. Internet access is essential today
  b.. Students should not lose access , except of course for gross breaches of Internet use policy
  c.. We need to keep investigating ways of restricting unauthorised use. This is an ongoing battle, just like the battle against viruses, spyware, etc. The locksmiths v the lock pickers all over again.
Robert Hind (Semi-retired)
Ex Traralgon and Ashwood


So schools do need to 
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Cameron Bell" <bell.cameron.p at edumail.vic.gov.au>
To: "Year 12 Information Technology Processing and Management Teachers'MailingList" <ipm at edulists.com.au>
Sent: Thursday, December 14, 2006 12:56 PM
Subject: Re: [Year 12 IPM] Proxy avoiding web sites and individual useraccounts


> We have decided to move away from charging for net access and fund open
> access  to the internet as it is simply too an important resource to
> restrict access to. We decided that the hassle teachers had with
> students not being able to access websites was restricting take-up of
> ICT in the classroom. Teachers were fed up with students not being able
> access websites without prior submission to the education channel -
> especially when it restricted free-form investigation and research.
> The down side is that students won't have "free" access to computers and
> will need to be supervised.
> You have to convince the admin that it has to fund the internet as a
> core component to education. It is used across all KLA's and is an
> essential tool for education. It is not an addon- it is core component. 
> I'm not sure many admins can see that just yet.
> If the electricity bill is over budget  they can find the money to pay
> that, they don't just turn off all power or tell kids they can only use
> the lights if they pay a power fee.
> There are tools like Packateer ($$  :(  ) that can enable access to be
> tailored to a packet by packet basis. You may want to look at something
> like that to help keep costs down. If you artificially slow the link or
> restrict certain traffic you can keep costs down without removing access
> completely.
> Fight for free access.
> Cheers
> Cameron
> 
> 
> fiona at balmoralhs.vic.edu.au wrote:
>> Do you give the students a starting balance on each account and, if so, how much
>>
>> thanks 
>> Fiona (the other kind of Bain)
>> Balmoral
>> "Bane, Janet A" <bane.janet.a at edumail.vic.gov.au> on Thu, 14 Dec 2006 10:32:09 +1100 wrote:
>>   
>>> Hi Kim
>>> there is a very simple solution to this problem - start charging the kids for their internet usage!  I think you would find that most schools do.  Our system is called Gaia Print and Net charger.  Not only do we charge for internet usage, we also charge 10c per print out.  Its amazing what "needs" to be accessed and what doesn't when they have to pay for it!
>>>
>>> regards,
>>> Janet Bane
>>> Patterson River SC.
>>>
>>> ________________________________
>>>
>>> From: ipm-bounces at edulists.com.au on behalf of kgration at myrtlefordsc.vic.edu.au
>>> Sent: Wed 13-Dec-06 3:31 PM
>>> To: ipm at edulists.com.au
>>> Subject: [Year 12 IPM] Proxy avoiding web sites and individual user accounts
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Dear List,
>>>
>>> During the last few months our wonderful students have discovered treasure troves of proxy avoiding web sites (e.g. vtunnel, kproxy, flyproxy etc. etc. etc.) with multiple variations of each of these and numerous others as the URL. Most of these sites are secure (i.e. https:// <https:///>  rather than http:// <http:///> ) so are difficult to block or usually totally unblockable using the SINA front end. The Year 10-12 students are particularly notorious for this kind of behaviour. Blocking the source IP address appears to be the only rather fragmented solution to this problem . . . but this essentially amounts to a game of catch up . . . and without a full time tech. usually means a call to Editure . . . who aren't always 100% successful either.
>>>
>>> Not surprisingly our Internet budget has basically been blown as a result. I am now considering taking away individual user accounts for student Internet use and having Learning Area, Year Level or some other account structure where teachers enter the password for students in their care.
>>>
>>> Does anyone out there have any gems of wisdom (bright ideas) or perspectivesto share in this area?
>>>
>>> Cheers,
>>>
>>> Kim
>>>
>>> ---
>>> Kim Gration
>>> ICT Manager
>>> Myrtleford Secondary College
>>> http://www.myrtlefordsc.vic.edu.au <http://www.myrtlefordsc.vic.edu.au/>
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>>
>>
>> ---
>> fiona at balmoralhs.vic.edu.au
>> http://www.balmoralhs.vic.edu.au/
>> _______________________________________________
>> http://www.edulists.com.au - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe
>> IPM Mailing List kindly supported by
>> http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority and
>> http://www.vitta.org.au  - VITTA Victorian Information Technology Teachers Association Inc
>>
>>   
> 
> Important - This email and any attachments may be confidential. If received in error, please contact us and delete all copies. Before opening or using attachments check them for viruses and defects. Regardless of any loss, damage or consequence, whether caused by the negligence of the sender or not, resulting directly or indirectly from the use of any attached files our liability is limited to resupplying any affected attachments. Any representations or opinions expressed are those of the individual sender, and not necessarily those of the Department of Education.
> _______________________________________________
> http://www.edulists.com.au - FAQ, resources, subscribe, unsubscribe
> IPM Mailing List kindly supported by
> http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority and
> http://www.vitta.org.au  - VITTA Victorian Information Technology Teachers Association Inc
>
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