WWW.TECHLEARNING.COM | FEBRUARY 2018 | 11
TRENDING
WWW.TECHLEARNING.COM | FEBRUARY 2018 | 11
1
Managing the Security Risks of Virtual Reality in K-12 Schools
As VR technology becomes more advanced, affordable, and
available, it will play an increasingly prominent role in schools.
Unfortunately, VR devices have become targets for cyber-criminals.
In the rush to bring headsets and software to the market ahead of
competitors, many tech companies have released VR products with
serious security flaws. Currently, VR technology does not consist of
new systems; it merely offers users new ways to interface with existing
hardware through new input and display devices. Keeping current on
what information is gathered by software is important; in mid-2016,
Oculus Rift was accused of collecting information about users, including
their location and physical movements. Student data must be protected,
and while information collected by VR platforms is usually intended to
improve the user experience, it can be shared with practically anyone
— not just advertisers. Acceptable VR tech should not put student
information at risk.
2
Network Segmentation Boosts Wifi Performance Security for
K-12 Schools
According to Donna Williamson, IT leader for Mountain Brook
Schools in Birmingham, Alabama, VLANs are useful in K-12 schools
because, “they allow IT departments with limited staff and funds to
segment traffic on the network.” VLANs can boost performance of
connected devices and assure security—big wins for schools. Because
a VLAN structure reduces the amount of “chatter” on a network,
Mountain Brook’s connected devices are only competing with those
on that network segment. For example, the Mountain Brook Schools
foreign language lab has its own VLAN so that students can access
video and audio resources without dragging down the entire network.
The VLAN also allows Mountain Brook to specify permissions for
each segmented network, which means their guest network keeps
unauthorized users from internal resources. VLAN segmentation
can also help stop the spread of a virus with additions such as threat
detection between networks.
3
Edtech Allows Students to Report Bullying with Greater
Anonymity
The vast majority of students never report bullying because of fear
or embarrassment. With the growing use of online reporting methods and
reporting apps, the process of reporting and documenting of incidences
should be easier than ever. These programs should also allow schools to
track repeated instances of bullying by a particular student so that steps
can be taken to deal with the situation. This means that schools need to
have clear policies in place that include how to address cyberbullying. If
school districts or states are implementing online anti-bullying programs,
these issues will also need to be addressed in updated policies. Bullying
not only affects students’ emotional wellbeing, it is a school security issue.
It also affects graduation rates and can be a major factor in students’
decisions to leave public schools for another option.4
Educators: We Need More from Edtech
Some educators are lamenting a disconnect between the products
entrepreneurs are offering and what schools actually need – a
rare criticism of an industry often lauded as vital to maximizing student
learning potential. Eva Moskowitz, founder of New York-based Success
Academy Charter Schools, said in December at NYEdTech Week,
regarding the role of technology in the classroom: “I do not believe you can
get to equality through edtech.” Education technology is pitched as a cure-
all for the many problems plaguing K-12 education, though rarely do new
technologies move the needle in any significant way – and they often come
at a steep price. One of the key areas of focus for education technology has
been its response to a push among school districts to adopt what’s known
in the education space as “personalized learning ” – creating learning
environments tailored to each student’s specific needs. “Don’t build what
you think we need,” Susan Enfield, superintendent of Highline Public
Schools in Burien, Washington, just south of Seattle, said during a panel
at NYEdTech. “Have conversations with us about what we need. So many
things don’t meet a need we have. Don’t assume you know what our needs
are.” In her speech, Moskowitz said, “I have found the education space
just way behind every other sector in terms of how do we do things faster,
better, more efficiently.” She continued, “There is enormous inefficiency
there, and we certainly could use a lot of products to improve the home-
office situation.”5
Rural Administrators Say Bandwidth Access and Funding
Remain Top Challenges
Rural school district CTOs and superintendents shared their
thoughts on educational technology challenges and opportunities with
CoSN, according to EdTech: Focus on K-12. The top four challenges
for rural districts include insufficient access to reliable broadband,
lower levels of funding resulting from a smaller tax base, difficulty
recruiting staff with the expertise and experience needed, and a larger
gap in understanding the “why” of educational technology among their
communities. The positive aspects of rural schools are that their smaller
size allows them to be more flexible and give administrators more
ownership in what happens in schools, they have greater community
involvement, and they have greater success at retaining educators who
embrace the small-town lifestyle.EXECUTIVE BRIEFING