Here at WiscNet World Headquarters we pride ourselves in being a membership organization. We also like to think we have a well-informed idea of what challenges have our members’ attention. Though we can never be completely sure that we have a real understanding of what is important to our members until we ask.
So we asked.
In July 2010, Craig Stephenson, WiscNet’s Enterprise Services Architect, surveyed representatives from each WiscNet member organization to find out what issues and initiatives currently catch their attention. The results of the survey will guide the decision-making process as we attempt to bring new, meaningful services into the fold. Craig further explains,
”The fundamental purpose of the survey is to get ideas for new WiscNet services, but I also look at this as an opportunity to begin new conversations. Even if a member’s suggestion doesn’t turn into a service in
the short-term, it’s important that the conversation still exist because there may be potential in the future.”
As a starting point, the survey offered six topics and asked members to report whether each topic had their attention. These predefined topics were determined by members of the WiscNet staff and were based on significance and relevance to WiscNet’s mission and core competencies. The survey also allowed for members to contribute additional topics. Over 200 individuals responded (an 18% response rate).
Highlights of the survey results include:
- Of the six predefined issues, the following four issues caught the majority of respondents’ interest:
CAN Services
Fiber Services
UW-Extension Broadband Grant
Anti-Malware Service
- The remaining predefined issues (unable to catch the majority’s interest) were additional MasStore Services and Managed Identity Services.
- Members were also asked which topics they were “passionate” about with Anti-Malware Service and CAN Services being the top vote getters.
- When members were asked to list additional topics there were no trends detected, but the following topics were offered individually: IPV6, mySite, Microsoft Office/Exchange to Google Apps, file sharing, infrastructure, knowledge sharing and e-mail archiving.
When asked if any of the results were surprising, Craig responded,
“I was surprised by the overwhelming response to Malware protection. I expected a middle-of-the-road response on this topic, but it has the attention of our membership and they are passionate about it…with good reason.”
Stay tuned to learn more about how we are moving forward with some of these initiatives!
One of the best pieces about being a part of WiscNet is connecting people. Organizing the people network to share their learning is something we do online here on the WiscNet Wire. We periodically profile the people that have our attention in order to build our online community further. We invite you to visit our entire friend collection at http://wire.wiscnet.net/category/people.
How do you describe what you do? Director of Information Technology, Pewaukee School District; I am privileged to work with a collaborative team that consists of a Network Engineer and 3 Network Support Technicians. Together, we support over 300 employees and 2400 students in their use of technology.
Who or what has your attention these days? Preparing for the expansion of our 1:1 Teaching & Learning Initiative (laptops). Last year we piloted the use of laptops to support learning and instruction in grade 8. We are expanding that to grades 7, 9, & 10 this year. Most recently, we have been busy imaging and prepping over 600 laptops which will be issued to students on Sept. 1.
What is the most significant thing you see impacting your work in the next 5-10 years? The rapid change of and access to technology & information will greatly impact our work as instructional leaders in the next 5-10 years. This impacts not only those of us that directly work in IT, but all educators. This rapid change has redefined education and the roles of the teacher and student. Teachers should be comfortable giving up control of “keeping” the knowledge, and should rather lead students in their exploration of new learning and discovery.
What would you like to be able to do on the Internet that you can’t do now?
Wow, I haven’t given that much thought. I find that the resources I have in use now to support my professional learning and daily administrative tasks, are sufficient. Maybe if the Internet could do my laundry? Now that’s a thought!
WiscNet’s efforts in supporting Community Area Networks (CANs) in Wisconsin will be further advanced thanks to $32.3 million in federal grants announced today by University of Wisconsin-Extension Provost and Vice Chancellor Christine J. Quinn. UW-Extension led the grant application process.
The larger of the two grants will award $29.9 million to build more than 600 miles of fiber optic cable impacting 39 communities and 182 institutions. This will not only advance the statewide research and education infrastructure, but it will also extend advanced broadband to public safety agencies, healthcare providers, schools and community organizations in four demonstration communities: Platteville, Wausau, Superior and the Chippewa Valley region.
A separate $2.4 million grant will support education and outreach in the same four communities and in the Menominee Nation.
As a leading proponent for CANs, David Lois, WiscNet’s Executive Director, is excited about the impact this award will have on our state’s economy and the well-being of its citizens.
“You have to be excited about this. What community area networks are are local economic development opportunities through 21st century technologies. This grant allows us to pilot or test connecting these communities in new and innovative ways developing a platform for community-based services. They will make the public sector more efficient and the private sector grow locally.”
UW-Extension partnered with WiscNet throughout the application process to facilitate partnerships among the public and private interests and to promote community engagement.
“This effort is community driven! This is a wonderful example of the Wisconsin Idea at work,” Quinn said. “People all over the state will be able to learn from the experience of these five demonstration communities. The long-term impact will be stronger communities with broader access to education, employment, global markets, health care and other resources.”
Additional statewide public and private partners include the University of Wisconsin System, CCI Systems, Inc., the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin Department of Transportation and the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board. Each of the five locations also have local partners that contributed time and money to the project.
Lois added, “There is a lot of talk about creating 21st century jobs throughout Wisconsin. CANs are the foundation we need to build them. That is the essence of building the capacity right in Wisconsin’s communities. That is what I mean – exciting!”
The grants were awarded by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s Broadband Technology Opportunities Program under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
The current map shows broadband coverage as of the summer of 2009 – as required by the NTIA. Maps will be updated in fall 2010 and bi‐annually thereafter.
LinkAMERICA is using a number of techniques to verify the accuracy of provider data including customer surveys and comments received from those who view the online interactive maps.
Please join us for September’s Third Thursday webinar as we welcome Jen Wagner, a passionate Instructional Technology Coordinator from Southern California. Jen has won numerous awards for her creative ways in encouraging teachers to collaborate and will share ideas for incorporating technology into the PreK-6th grade classroom.
Join us from 2:00 pm – 2:20 pm on Thursday, September 16th.
Community Area Networks (CANs) are becoming an increasingly popular way for research, education and public service organizations to provide a robust broadband infrastructure. One of the oldest and most successful CANs in Wisconsin is located near Eau Claire and is called the Chippewa Valley Inter-networking Consortium (CINC). In an effort to share their work with [...]
We’re in the business of keeping you connected; not only through the fiber network, but the people network as well. What better way to stay connected to state technology happenings than to follow us? We’re passionate about educational and networking technology and we share our thoughts and relevant information through various formats including our website, [...]
In our next Third Thursday webinar Jon Tanner, the Technology Director for Oregon School District, will describe the tenets of a theory in productivity called Inbox Zero. Timely? Yes! A squeaky clean inbox at the beginning of the school year is like fresh sheets dried in the crisp Spring air! Join us from 2:00 pm [...]
The Pew Internet & American Life Project released the results of a survey designed to tap the minds of tech experts and analysts regarding the future of the Internet. Although this was not a scientific survey, the results are a nice reminder of how much has changed in 10 years (in 2000 no one connected [...]
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Short answer: The primary short-term concern about this increase in root cert size is for out-of-date / out-of-support software that is not capable of generating a 2048 bit Certificate Signing Request (‘CSR’) for requesting a cert. Clear as mud? Servers that want a SSL certificate need to generate a CSR, which is then used by [...]
Join other Drupal users, or wannabie Drupal users for 2 days of interesting presentations and discussions. There will be experts, newbies and everyone in between asking questions. There will be pre-planned sessions, but there will also be plenty of time and space to create new sessions on the fly. There will be plenty of FREE WI-FI. [...]
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If you need Technical Support
You can reach our support staff in the office M-F from 7:45am to 4:30pm by calling (608) 265-6761 x.2 or by sending email to support@wiscnet.net. Faxes can be sent to (608) 262-9085. If you need immediate assistance our Network Operations Center is available 24/7 at (608) 263-4188, or (608) 265-6761 x.1
If you need General Information
Our office is open M-F from 7:45 to 4:30pm. We can be reached by phone at (608) 265-6761, by fax at (608) 262-9085, or by email at info@wiscnet.net. You can also write us at: 740 Regent St. Suite 203, Madison, WI 53715.
Next Gen Learning Challenges seek to dramatically improve college readiness and college completion in the U.S. through the applied use of technology and digital media. - Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation […]
Here at WiscNet World Headquarters we pride ourselves in being a membership organization. We also like to think we have a well-informed idea of what challenges have our members’ attention. Though we can never be completely sure that we have a real understanding of what is important to our members until we ask.
