Technology and Information Services

Support Student Learning with Technology

• Ensure access to appropriate devices that support learning for students.
• Provide timely access to devices that support learning, teaching and the business of education for staff.
• Gather and analyze student needs for effective assistive technologies, and make appropriate recommendations, monitor and evaluate use.
• Provide implementation supports for assistive technologies.
• Manage change requests, respond to and resolve incidents and problems in a timely, professional manner.
• Analyze competencies and research technology, resources, and media that can be applied to help students develop competencies and demonstrate what they know and can do.
• Build education professionals’ capacity to use technology, resources, and media to help students develop competencies and demonstrate what they know and can do.

Data Driven Decision Making

• Gather, document and analyze requirements for new ways of collecting and reporting information to inform administrative and classroom decision-making.
• Develop, test, implement and support custom solutions, including applications and databases for collection and management of information.
• Integrate applications and databases, to reduce duplicate requests for information and streamline management of information, applications, databases and information access.
• Design, develop, test and implement custom reporting solutions, including recurring standard and one-off reports and data extracts to inform administrative and classroom decision-making.
• Train personnel who collect, enter and manage digital information

Research and Innovation

• Review and develop policies that support the use of research-based pedagogies, digital resources, support systems and digital learning environments.
• Create and deliver learning opportunities to build capacity in review, participation in and application of research related to technology, online learning and digital learning.
• Identify and facilitate sharing of research-based educational technology innovations among educators and schools as well as external partners.
• Support jurisdiction-wide exchanges and collaborations related to research and research-based models and practices for educational technology, online learning and digital learning.
• Facilitate collaborative development of research between educators, schools and external partners.
• Identify emerging innovative practice and use of educational technology in classrooms and schools, and develop and implement strategies to scale innovations up and out.

Professional Learning

• Collaboratively design professional learning programs using data and research to monitor effectiveness and inform improvements.
• Design professional learning opportunities that employ technology in a variety of ways that meet participant needs and achieve jurisdiction goals and priorities.
• Collaborate with educators to design student learning opportunities that employ technology in meaningful ways.
• Engage students, teachers, administrators, education professionals and the community in creating innovative learning communities.

Technology Leadership and Governance

• Collaboratively develop technology-related policies that support district goals and objectives.
• Collaboratively develop district-wide plans for the innovative and effective use of technology to support learning, teaching, administration and management.
• Support schools with incorporating innovative and effective uses of technology to support learning and teaching into their planning.
• Engage students, teachers, administrators, education professionals and the community in creating innovative learning communities.
• Seek out and participate in partnership opportunities that support innovative use of technology and expand access.
• Manage cost, value and risks of Information and Educational Technology.
• Manage IT finances and assets through budgeting, asset management and procurement.
• Manage IT services to ensure delivery to an agreed-upon level of quality and responsiveness.
• Manage IT capabilities and human resources, to ensure that required capabilities and skilled personnel are available when needed.

Maintain Technology Infrastructure

• Gather, document and analyze requirements for the infrastructure that supports the digital learning environment.
• Design, build and maintain school wireless and wired, public and private networks, the jurisdiction’s wide area network infrastructure, and connections to external networks including Internet, SuperNet and RedNet.
• Design and implement policies and technical controls to ensure that the technical infrastructure is available, reliable and resilient.
• Manage change requests, respond to and resolve incidents and problems in a timely, professional manner.

• Change Your Password
• Instructions on Backing Up Personal Google Information
• Instructions on Backing Up Personal Microsoft Server Information

Red Deer Public Schools' Staff, Don't Forget, the Tech Help Line is Available for your Assistance...

For tech issues that are quick and easy you do not need to submit a work order through the Kace ticketing system (Sheldor). Simply call 403-342-3717 for any of the issues listed below:

• Student accounts not working in class
• Logging into your computer
• Accessing your Gmail
• Resetting your password
• Connecting to the Portal
• Logging into the Employee Self Service site (eg. Booking a Sub, retrieving a pay stub, etc...)
• The Technology Help Line is available for staff from 8am to 4pm, Monday to Friday.

Click here to visit our Digital Literacy & Citizenship website.

Red Deer Public Schools has a responsibility to empower learners to be evolving ethical digital citizens who understand the implications of technology in today's society, and prepare them to live, learn and work in a digital world.  

In Red Deer Public schools we prepare our students for the digital world with the 4C's of digital literacy:

• Creativity - Students will use technology to pursue their passions and demonstrate their learning through a variety of mediums and methods.
• Collaboration - Students will use technology cooperatively to solve problems, create global relationships & empower the learning of others.
• Citizenship - Students will apply the norms of appropriate and responsible technology use.
• Critical Thinking - Plan and conduct research, investigate and make informed decisions, and problem solve.

What is Digital Citizenship?

Digital Citizenship is a concept which helps teachers, technology leaders and parents to understand what students/children/technology users should know to use technology appropriately. Digital Citizenship is more than just a teaching tool; it is a way to prepare students/technology users for a society full of technology. Digital citizenship is the norms of appropriate, responsible technology use.  Too often we are seeing students as well as adults misusing and abusing technology but not sure what to do. The issue is more than what the users do not know but what is considered appropriate technology usage. via DigitalCitizenship.net

Parent Resources

• Disney's Internet Safety
• Plugged-In Parents
• Government of Canada's Digital Citizenship Guide for Parents
• Common Sense Media Digital Literacy and Citizenship
• Media Smarts - Canada's center for digital and media literacy 
• Digital Citizenship Flashcards
• Bullying and Cyberbullying - RCMP resource site

Educational Assistive Technology

• Assistive Technology is any item, piece of equipment, device or digital program used to enhance or enable all students to have the opportunity to access meaningful curriculum. Assistive Technology can be used to support all learners and can allow them to remain in an inclusive setting.

Read & Write for Google

• Is a multifaceted cloud-based program that facilitates students with reading and writing, learning English and research projects.
• All readers and writers can use Read & Write's flexible set of support features within the programs and devices they use every day. Read and Write works as an enhancement to PDF and WORD documents, web pages and email.
• Read & Write is assigned to students based on need and is used to assist students to become more independent.  All students in RDPSD have access to the basic features in Read & Write (text-to-speech).

Read & Write More Information and Help Documents

• Read and Write Website
• Free Premium Accounts for Teachers - You must have an RDPSD account.  Use Tracy Wirtanen as the district contact and her RDPSD email account.
• Beginner's Getting Started Guide
• Read and Write Quick Reference Guide

Digital Repository for Students with Special Education Needs

• Alberta Education currently provides students with special education needs access to an online digital depository. This depository includes digital versions for grades 4 to 12 students. Alberta Education provides free access to basic textbooks for English language arts, mathematics, science and social studies. The depository allows students who would otherwise struggle to access the necessary material, the opportunity to learn along with their peers.
• PDF files of all textbooks can be used by students, along with the text-to-speech software Read & Write. 
• However, access to this depository is limited to students who:
  • Have an Individualized Program Plan,
  • Are registered in the related course, and
  • Have a print copy of the related textbook.

iPad Technology

• Red Deer Public Schools is currently involved in numerous school initiatives that are focused on best teaching practices, in combination with the use of iPads. These initiatives are designed to foster and facilitate student learning and engagement, through the use of appropriate apps.
• iPads are a dynamic assistive technology, that when used correctly, can greatly enhance the learning experience of all students.
• Devices have been distributed to all schools in Red Deer Public to assist with a variety of student learning needs.

iPad Websites

• Web & Mobile Apps
• Live Binders
• Autism EpiCenter
• Moms With Apps
• SmartAppsForKids
• Apple: iPad General Information

Our Mission:

The Red Deer Public School District Educational Technology department is a diverse network of educators, administrators, IT professionals and students who:

• support educators and learners in meeting all areas of the Alberta Education Learning & Technology Framework
• research, model, promote, apply, evaluate, and publish digital teaching and learning resources to improve and enhance learning
• design and develop imaginative student-centred learning environments
• empower learners to be evolving ethical digital citizens who understand the implications of technology in today's society, and prepare them to live and work in a global community
• forge connections between research, policy, and practice in educational technology 

Our Priorities:

Support teachers and learners in meeting all areas of the Alberta Education Learning & Technology Policy Framework.

1. Student-Centred Learning:  Technology is used to support student-centred, personalized, authentic learning for all students.
2. Research & Innovation:  Teachers, administrators and other education professionals read, review, participate in, share and apply research and evidence-based practices to sustain and advance innovation in education.
3. Professional Learning:  Teachers, administrators and other education professionals develop, maintain and apply the knowledge, skills and attributes that enable them to use technology effectively, efficiently and innovatively in support of learning and teaching.
4. Leadership:  Education leaders establish policy and governance structures, cultivate innovation and build capacity within the system to leverage technology in support of student-centred learning and system efficiencies.
5. Access, Infrastructure & Digital Learning Environments:  All students, teachers, administrators and other education professionals have access to appropriate devices, reliable infrastructure, high-speed networks and digital learning environments.

We have a responsibility to empower learners to be evolving ethical digital citizens who understand the implications of technology in today's society, and prepare them to live, learn and work in a global community.

Strategic goals of the program:

• Implement and support the Learning and Technology Policy Framework (LTPF) and Inspiring Education vision for technology in Red Deer Public Schools.
• Develop technology literacy in teachers so to aid them in developing learner-centred environments
• Create and share new knowledge through digital publications
• Develop common district technology practices
• Build educational technology capacity and leadership in every RDPSD school. 
• Develop a district-wide digital citizenship curriculum.

1. RDPSD-Guest
   1. The guest wireless network is available in all Division locations, and is accessible to any individual with a wifi-enabled device. 
      Once connected to the RDPSD-Guest network users will need to accept the end-user agreement acknowledging that they are joining the network at their own risk, and the Division is not responsible for any issues that could arise from use (eg. Protection from any phishing or malware sites). 
2. RDPSD-Staff
   1. Available to all Red Deer Public Schools' staff, RDPSD-Staff will allow access the Internet, some Division network services (such as the ability to ‘cast’, file, and printing), and the ability to use VPN and vendor driven privacy tools on their own BYOD systems.Red Deer Public Schools Staff are eligible to apply for a unique access code, which will allow them to connect as many as three devices to the network simultaneously. Each staff member will receive a unique code. In other words, there is no "single" password to connect to RDPSD-Staff, but rather, each individual staff member will have their own unique password, different from every other staff member in the Division. Red Deer Public Schools Staff can apply for a unique access code by FOLLOWING THIS LINK.
3. RDPSD-Managed
   1. This network is available only for Division owned and managed systems, such as Division laptops or Division owned and managed cellular phones. 
      Each individual system will go through an on-boarding process facilitated by a staff member from Technology and Information Services, and this configuration will not be accessible to Division staff. Similarly, devices on the RDPSD-Managed network will be completely managed and controlled by the Division (eg. End users will not be able to install software, change settings, and so forth).
4. RDPSD-Auto
   1. This network will serve educational systems such as Chromebooks, Chromecasts, and other sanctioned Division equipment in which are predominantly used by students to access learning resources. These are systems that would rarely leave the Division network, and settings and configuration would rarely change.

Workflow

A. Unfortunately no. 

Passwords have become technically insecure unless coupled with stringent policies/incompatible security technologies (i.e., very long complex phrases, 2FA/MFA, and regular timer based changes). Because of these and the requirement to make the passwords publicly available for guests/visitors to use the model has no intrinsic security value. The District wireless technology works in such a way to protect the District, the user, and all other devices on the network that insecure passwords are no longer needed.

Another strong feature is that as a District employee you can go to any location in the District and not have to change the configuration on your phone in order to connect. 

A.  Without changing to one of the new services, no. 

You will need to connect to one of the new services in order to use the RDPSD wireless network. Any application or service that doesn’t work after the change can be brought to the attention of Technology and Information Services for review via a new ticket in Sheldor.

A. Please submit a Sheldor ticket and Technology and Information Services will work with you to complete the process. Feel free to connect to the ‘RDPSD-Guest’ service until that process has been completed.

A. Because the system includes non-District visitors and guests and any system that can connect to a wireless service is allowed to, the system is engineered to maintain a high level of security for all users and 24 hour periods of service are technically considered the maximum allowed value of use to keep that security level maintained. 

A. The absolute driving factor in this work being done is due to the changing landscape of BYOD, the internet, and user privacy. The changes will make the protection of the user, their device and data stored on it, more forefront while still protecting the RDPSD infrastructure as a whole. 

One key caveat, the user’s own BYOD device will always be the responsibility of the user to maintain.The security of the device itself, via up to date system and security software, is not the responsibility of RDPSD or maintained while using the RDPSD network. Although the system is protected while being on the District’s network from other systems on that same network, a user’s own activities fall under the responsibility of that user and cannot be guaranteed to not cause harm to the device or loss of privacy by the user’s actions. 

Data to and from the device is protected while in transit on the applicable RDPSD networks from all other users and systems. 

RDPSD makes available a system that protects the user if the device is allowed to use it by default but is not forced to (in the case the user wants to use VPN/Privacy software available to them.) The system, if used, does not record what the user is doing and only stops a connection if the target of the user's activity is known to be a security issue. 

A. We do. 

Unfortunately there is an impossible dichotomy having to monitor what a user is doing on the network (and therefore knowing everything they do regardless of being a student, staff member, or visitor) in an effort to filter content and yet still allow the same user their privacy. This and the momentous effort being taken by companies to provide privacy functionality fundamentally limits all possible ways to filter unless invasive techniques are used. 

Users, regardless of who, are still responsible to follow the relevant policies that govern the District. 

A. Yes. Schedules are available for service operation.