BlockedandFilteredInternetResources

Working with your Instructional Technology Support Department

The Web sites and online tools you'd like to use with your learners are blocked by your school districts IT? What do you do about it? Here's a collection of experiences and possible ways to approach this issue.

Susan Gaer's Solution
- Original Message -

The Technology and Distance Learning Discussion List  Susan Gaer Wednesday, September 08, 2010 10:40:39 AM Subject: [Tech & DL 2862] Re: [PD 5120] Re: Information Request To: The Adult Literacy Professional Development Discussion List 

//I had a similar problem at my community college. It took a while, but now we can do skype chatting and video conferencing etc. What I had to do is approach the college board and demonstrate the educational value of using these types of sites. In some cases, they are blocked because it lessens security and allows students to hack into the system and change grades. This is the case with Web cam video conferencing at my campus. So when I want to do a web cam conference, I make a arrangements with IT to open the port. Once the conference is done, they then close the port. Tedious but doable for all involved. Start with the board of trustees, Get on the agenda to demo educational uses of the tools you want to use. Once you get them excited, the rest will be easy//. Susan Gaer, Google Certified Teacher, Professor ESL, Basic Skills and Instructional Technology Coordinator 2010-2011, Santa Ana College School of Continuing Education



On Wed, Sep 8, 2010 at 10:26 AM, Margo Brewer wrote: //Hi Katrina// //No advice on getting things unblocked, but I attended a conference recently where the presenter of one session talked about having similar issues with her college IT. She ended up working at home to build an accessible site that incorporated the content (video and print) from the blocked sites. Students then accessed her site to view the contents they wouldn’t otherwise have been able to view from the classroom computers.// //Good luck on getting the filters removed. That would certainly be a better solution for you!// Margo Brewer, Senior Education Director, Able Career Institute, Chicago



From: professionaldevelopment-bounces (at) nifl.gov On Behalf Of Katrina Hinson Sent: Wednesday, September 08, 2010 7:27 AM Subject: [PD 5114] Information Request

//Good morning all:// //Many of you may not know me because I often lurk on the list lately but I always read the postings. I just recently returned to teaching at the community college level and I have encountered a technology pit....websites, mainstream websites are blocked; instant messaging programs are blocked, online radio is blocked. Technology that can be used in the classroom to assist in educational programs - blocked. Does anyone know of a good repository of information I could find to help build an argument as to why content shouldn't be blocked? I'd be happy to hear other people's thoughts if you've ever encountered a problem like this in the past. Did you find a middle ground and if so how?// Regards,, Katrina Hinson

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