Technology

Elementary Techknowledge Login

Click the icon to log into the elementary computer class website.

The purpose of the RCS Technology Initiative is to provide up-to-date technological capabilities to equip RCS students to move seamlessly into a college environment that increasingly requires superb technical proficiency.

Begun in August 2007, implementation of this far-reaching technological advancement for RCS has been introduced in various stages, and now the time for students to become engaged is approaching.  A brief description of the steps which will directly involve your student is provided below.  You will also find information outlining steps that have already been taken.

 

Student One-to-One Laptop Program Begins in the 09-10 School Year

All students in grades 9-12 are required to have a MacBook.  There are numerous versions of the MacBook, and the recommendation is the MacBook 13.3-inch white laptop or the MacBook 13-inch aluminum laptop.

Teachers and staff have been trained in the Apple operating system. Students will receive training in the use of the laptop to assist them in organization, communication, daily course assignments, and research.  As more courses are developed and placed online, students will also be able to take online courses.

NOTE: RCS will only support the use of a MacBook for classroom use.  All other devices including an iPad are not acceptable at this time.

Apple stores are located in the Galleria, Woodlands Mall, Willowbrook Mall and Memorial City.

Two added items that we are recommending are as follows:

• LoJack:  A subscription-based theft recovery service, LoJack for Laptops Standard gives you the resources of the CompuTrace Theft Recovery Team working with more than 1,000 police departments across America to begin the process of tracking down your notebook if it is stolen.  The cost is $90 for three years and is available online and through the Apple store.
• Accidental Damage Insurance:  www.safeware.com/rosehill

Upper School Teachers:  Adapting & Learning Technology

All upper school teachers have spent many hours in staff development learning how the different MOODLE tools and Google applications tools could help them work with students and staff.  They will continue to attend sessions and request additional help as they become more familiar with each aspect of the applications. Our goal is to get our entire curriculum adapted so that it will be presentable in an online environment.

The following are some of the applications and items that have been completed in staff development sessions.  Also listed are significant advancements in infrastructure work:

• New Macbooks were provided for each teacher in June and July of 2008.
• Teachers were trained on the Apple platform.
• MOODLE was introduced as a new teaching tool.
• In August 2008 Renweb launched its own new web-based version.
• Google Applications have been introduced.

A new and expanded Aruba wireless infrastructure has been installed that allows for wireless connection anywhere on campus.

What is MOODLE?

In layman’s terms, MOODLE is a learning management system for the delivery of online instruction. Teachers can now post their course content and student activities online so that participation and collaboration can occur from anywhere at anytime. Learning is no longer bound by the limits of time and space within the traditional classroom walls. Almost every college today provides some of their instruction in an online format. Students are now provided the opportunity to submit assignments electronically from anywhere that has internet access.

Our teachers have begun the learning process to use MOODLE as an extension of their classroom instruction.  We hope to provide online classes as a supplemental alternative to face-to-face instruction in the future to help students take as many classes as they would like and give them greater flexibility in scheduling classes. Your student will probably be doing some of their work in MOODLE this year as teachers become comfortable with the system.

As of August 2008 all 6-12 grade students now have a MOODLE account. Students can log in to MOODLE at http://MOODLE.rcseagles.org. Their username will be assigned by the Technology Director. (If your student has already been using their MOODLE account, please ask him / her for the password.)

For those of you with inquiring minds, MOODLE stands for Modular Object Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment.

Google Applications

As we move into the brave new world of online instruction, we have also embraced the free tools provided by Google. As of January 2009 we now have a school email account at www.rcseaglesonline.org.   All 8th-12th grade students have been provided accounts that give them an email account, a Google calendar account and a Google documents account.  We plan to train students to use these tools to research, collaborate and communicate with other students and teachers as they work on projects and assignments.

Students may access their Google applications with the same username and password used for their MOODLE accounts.  Their username and password will be assigned by the Technology Director.

Student Privacy Online

Students must always assume that when working online, anything they post or write is
not private.  RCS administrators have the ability to view posts made to MOODLE and Google applications.  We make every attempt to respect individual privacy and do not spend time looking unless there is something that has been called into question.  We have read too many stories of people who posted something to web sites (My Space, Face Book) that later prevented them from gaining admission to a college or a job because of the nature of what they posted.  We will continually teach and remind students that anything put online could be accessible by others.

Why Can’t We Open School Documents At Home or Vice Versa?

In our continuing effort to be frugal and spend wisely, we have adopted the open-source
software packages “Neo Office” or “Open Office”. These are free alternatives to the licensing fees previously paid to use Microsoft Office.

Not only do they still allow us to open Microsoft-formatted documents, it also allows the formatting of documents into the Microsoft format – so that those using Microsoft only can open them.  You can download Neo Office free at www.neooffice.org and Open Office free at www.openoffice.org.  If your internet speed prevents this, Mr. Meyers, Director of Technology, can load it onto your student’s computer for them.

Also, for those of you using Office 2007 or VISTA at home, please be aware that RCS cannot open the 2007 format.   When saving a document to be emailed to RCS, be sure to select the 2003 format from your drop down menu so that it will open for us.  In order for RCS to open documents from the 2007 version of Microsoft Office, we would have had to upgrade all our computers and licenses at a considerable cost.

Development Process

Since August of 2007, Mr. Priest, Dean of Academic Affairs, and Mr. Meyers, Director of Technology, have been vigorously investigating, vetting, and consulting with numerous vendors, computer experts, leaders in educational technology, and other Christian schools about implementing an online community for RCS students and faculty.  Their investigation was aimed at determining the most cost-effective and support-efficient means available to enable students to work online with as little “down-time” as possible due to computer malfunctions.  Factors such as the convenience and availability of prompt repair service and support, the initial cost of equipment, and financial investment into software packages (versus free applications) played an important role in the RCS program that has been developed.