MFA Fatigue

Have you heard of "MFA Fatigue" or the more ominous term, "MFA Bombing?" These terms refer to a new type of cybersecurity attack that occurs when a hacker gains access to a user's account password and then repeatedly sends requests for Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) approval to bypass the final verification step.

MFA Fatigue or Bombing attacks often happen during late evening hours when the attacker hopes that the victim will quickly click "Accept" on the MFA notification to stop receiving these messages. The terms "fatigue" and "bombing" are used to describe the repeated nature of these attacks that attempt to wear down a victim. 

To combat these attacks, Barrington 220 is implementing a number matching strategy for our MFA system. This means that your MFA Authenticator app will require you to input a matching two-digit number displayed on the login screen of the app you are trying to access. Additionally, the app will show you a geographically close map location of your attempted sign-on. 

These changes will provide added security to protect access to our Barrington 220 apps and systems. More details will be shared via email. Stay safe online!

Unleashing Creativity and Learning: Introducing a New App at Barrington High School!

We are thrilled to add the design app Procreate to our high school's Self Service app toolkit. This app is the number one design app for iPad and is used by professionals in a variety of creative fields. This app allows students to use their Logitech Crayon or an Apple Pencil for creative drawing projects in a variety of classes. 

Procreate is a design app for creating digital artwork and illustrations. It offers a comprehensive set of brushes, layers, editing tools, and a user-friendly interface.

Procreate was purchased for use in graphic design and digital arts classes, but has many uses beyond those classes. This app is a strong option any time a student might want to draw, design, or otherwise create. Students and staff should consider Procreate for quick drawing, design, or for more significant projects such as:

• Sketchnotes
• Designs for logos, posters, or product packaging 
• Scientific illustrations and diagrams
• Timelines, historical maps, and other visual interpretations of historic events
• Infographics and presentations
• Geometric illustrations, graphs, and diagrams
• Digital flashcards
• Illustrations of scenes from novels, digital storyboards, and design book covers

Our school embraces a culture of creativity, innovation, student engagement, and dynamic learning environments for students and teachers. The addition of Procreate into our high school app collection allows students and teachers a new versatile toolset for drawing and design options not previously available.

Student Data Privacy is Everyone's Responsibility (Part 2)

In today's data-driven world, protecting student data is a foundational requirement of all school districts and the people working in them. Student data privacy obligations and good information security practices are critical to mitigating data breach risks and reaping the benefits of a data-driven instructional program that promotes student success. So what is Student Data and what are the laws that govern and enforce student data policies?  

First, as CoSN (Consortium for School Networking) defines it, student data is:

“any student information that is protected under applicable federal or state privacy 

law, including information that identifies, relates to, describes, could reasonably 

be associated with or could reasonably be linked, directly or indirectly, with an 

individual student. Student Data is also referred to as personally identifiable 

student data or student personal information.” (Siegl & Leichty, 2023)

In last month's post, we tackled the ins and outs of PPRA (Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment), originally established in 1978. This month our focus is on an even older federal act that is still pertinent and perhaps even stronger today, FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 1974). Like PPRA, FERPA compliance is enforced by the US Department of Education. FERPA provides parents and students age 18 and above with rights to: 

• inspect and correct or amend certain information in the Education Record
• provide prior consent to release information
• opt-out of publishing certain information

An acronym often discussed when considering Student Data Privacy is PII or Personal Identifiable Information.  This type of data includes, but is not limited to, information that could identify a student, such as their name, address, social security number, or other personal identifiers. It also includes any other information that, when combined, could be used to identify a specific student. Additionally, it covers information requested by someone who is believed to know the identity of the student in question to whom the education record relates. PII is the first important aspect when it comes to complying with FERPA. The other main areas of FERPA include: Education Records, Directory Information, and De-Identified Data.

Education Records

Education Records are materials that are "maintained by an educational agency or institution or by a party acting for the agency or institution," and that contain information directly related to the student (Siegl & Leichty, 2023). It might help educators to understand what is NOT an educational record in order to distinguish what IS an Educational Record. The following are NOT considered Education Records:

• Records kept by the person who made them that are used only as a “personal memory aid” and not disclosed to anyone, except a temporary substitute
• Records maintained by an educational agency’s law enforcement unit
• Employee records made in the normal course of business that pertain only to the individual’s employment and that are not used for any other purpose
• Records created about a student age 18 or older or who is attending a postsecondary education institution by professionals such as a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist or other recognized professional or paraprofessional acting or assisting in that capacity for treatment of the student; this information can only be disclosed to those who provide the treatment
• Records that an educational agency created or received after the student stopped attending the institution and that are not directly related to the individual’s attendance as a student
• Grades on peer-reviewed papers before they are collected and recorded by a teacher

The Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education have established joint guidance on the intersection of HIPAA and FERPA. According to these two entities, they have come to the consensus that "At the elementary or secondary level, a student's health records, including immunization records...as well as records maintained by a school nurse, are education records subject to FERPA" (Siegl & Leichty, 2023).

Directory Information

Each year, as a part of our Online Registration process in Infinite Campus, parents are given the opportunity to OPT OUT of sharing their information in the School Directory. Directory Information is a type of Education Record that can be released without causing harm or violating privacy. However, the specific details that fall under Directory Information vary from school system to school system. Examples of Directory Information may include a student's name, contact information, birthdate, academic information, and participation in extracurricular activities. Directory information may not include a social security number. It may also not include a student ID that may be used to gain access to Education Records with additional information known to the individual.

Classifying certain data elements as Directory Information allows School Systems to conduct some fundamental and often-expected practices, such as publishing team rosters, the program for the school play, or the student yearbook, without first obtaining prior written consent from the parent or eligible student. The Definitions section lists the types of information that a School System may choose to designate as “Directory Information.”

As noted by the DOE, each School System must:

1. Define what it considers to be Directory Information, consistent with the requirements and limitations on that information as set forth in FERPA.
2. Provide public notice of the types of information which they have designated as Directory Information.
3. Give parents or eligible students the right to opt out of having their personal information classified as Directory Information, effectively opting them out of disclosure of that information under the Directory Information exception.   

There are several other exceptions that school districts are allowed to claim in FERPA Directory Information, but these are the most important.

De-Identified Data

The Department of Education expects that records and information are considered "de-identified" after, removing all personally identifiable information and carefully considering any other available information, and it has been determined that the student cannot be identified. This determination has been made after one or multiple instances of releasing information. When all personally identifiable information has been removed and "a reasonable determination has been made that a student is not personally identifiable, whether through single or multiple releases of information and taking into account other reasonably available information" (Siegl & Leichty, 2023).

Here is a great guide to explain data de-identification:

 

For more information on FERPA as it applies to school districts and best practices for protecting student privacy, see Protecting StudentPrivacy While Using Online EducationalServices: Requirements and Best Practices and Future of Privacy Forum’s, Who Is a School Official Anyway?

Next month’s blog post will tackle COPPA and its many caveats for teachers and school personnel.

Reference

Siegl, J., & Leichty, R. (2023). Student Data Privacy Toolkit Part 1. CoSN. Retrieved April 5, 2023, from www.cosn.org/tools-and-resources/resource/student-data-privacy-toolkit-1/ 

Preparing for Changes to Instructional Technology Platforms

Last month, we updated you on the changes to digital subscriptions for the 2023–24 school year. Those changes include ending our partnerships with three platforms. Here is a quick summary of the platforms that are going away:

myON—This is one of several e-reading platforms we have available to K–5 students that offers digital books in a variety of subjects. The use of myON has steadily decreased while its price has increased significantly. We currently have several myON resources in our elementary social studies curriculum. The Social Studies steering team, Teacher Librarians, coaches, and LTAs will support identifying new materials within the many e-reading platforms we are keeping.

Explain Everything—With advancements in interactive digital whiteboards such as Jamboard (Google) and Freeform (Apple), Explain Everything has become an expensive redundancy. Explain Everything was available for Grades 4–12 and has had minimal usage. Many teachers have moved to Jamboard, Padlet, or Freeform for online, interactive whiteboard activities. Tools such as Ed Puzzle and Nearpod also have many of the same features teachers loved about Explain Everything. In addition, teachers will be able to download and keep any materials they made in this platform. 

Google Photo—At the end of this school year, we will remove student access to the Google Photo storage option for Grades PK–8. PK–8 students can still store photos in their Google Drive or on their iPad devices (in the Photos app). Staff members and students in Grades 9–12+ will still have access to Google Photo.

Library Technology Associates (LTAs) are prepared to assist users of these apps and services in shifting to alternative platforms. Please reach out to your LTA for further assistance if needed. 

Access to these platforms will end on June 30, 2023.

Instructional Technology Summer University Courses

The Department of Technology and Innovation is pleased to offer a variety of courses for the popular Summer University professional development program. All courses are open for registration, and more information is available in the Summer University Course Guide.

Here is a listing of this summer's offerings:

Infinite Campus and Ad Hoc Reporting for Beginners

Learn how to access student information in Infinite Campus by creating ad hoc reports.

Infinite Campus and Ad Hoc Reporting - Advanced

Take your ad hoc reporting skills to the next level and learn how powerful a tool ad hoc reporting is.

Infinite Campus Survey Tool

Learn how to create, send and extract responses with the Infinite Campus Survey tool.

Unlocking Student Creativity with the iPad

This two-day course is designed to help K-12 educators explore innovative ways to leverage the power of the iPad to enhance student creativity in the classroom. Participants will work directly with Apple Professional Learning Specialists to discover how to use iPad's built-in features and various apps to encourage student creativity across a range of subjects and grade levels. Educators will learn to use tools such as GarageBand, iMovie, Keynote, and Pages to create interactive presentations, documents, videos, music, and more. Participants will also learn strategies to integrate creativity into their existing curriculum and how to support students as they develop their own unique creative skills. By the end of this course, K-12 educators will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to inspire and empower their students to unleash their creativity using iPad technology. This course is offered at four different times to fit your busy schedule. Participants can take one two-day course or take all four sessions. Each session will introduce new skills, activities, and ideas. 

Personalized Student Learning with Blended Strategies

In this workshop, educators will learn about blended learning and how to design a blended experience that meets the needs of all learners. Participants will explore different blended learning models, design a lesson plan, and explore different tools and strategies for delivering and assessing learning in a blended environment. 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Education

ChatGPT is making headlines, and Artificial Intelligence is rapidly changing our work. In this workshop, educators will learn about the latest AI technologies and how to integrate them into their workflow to improve efficiency and productivity. Participants will explore different AI tools and resources, design a plan for integrating AI into their workflow, and explore different strategies for using AI to streamline tasks and automate processes. In addition, we will discuss the ethical and instructional considerations of student use of AI.

Managing Technology in Your Classroom

The workshop will cover topics such as how to create and enforce technology policies, develop effective classroom management strategies, and integrate technology into teaching and learning in a responsible and meaningful way. Participants will learn how to use digital tools to enhance instruction and assessment, promote collaboration and creativity, and personalize learning experiences for all students. Additionally, participants will learn how to create a balanced approach to technology use that takes into account the needs of students and the limitations of technology. They will explore the latest research on the impact of screen time on student health and well-being, as well as strategies for promoting digital citizenship and responsible use of technology. By the end of this workshop, educators will have the knowledge and skills needed to effectively manage technology in the classroom, promote a safe and engaging learning environment, and maximize the potential of technology to enhance student learning outcomes.

Tips, Tricks, and iPad Apps for Classified Staff

You may use your iPad daily, but are you utilizing the tools at your disposal in engaging, effective, and meaningful ways? Learn the basics of Apple’s top 6 apps: Keynote, Pages, Numbers, iMovie, GarageBand, and Freeform.

Mac Workflow for Beginners

Is your Mac Desktop cluttered, or is your computer running slowly?  Join us for tips, tricks, and workflow strategies designed to help you get the most out of your Mac.

Getting the Most Out of Your Apple TV

This course will explain the basic concepts surrounding the Apple TV, how to connect to an Apple TV via AirPlay, and some simple troubleshooting tips.

macOS and iPadOS Basics

Come learn some tips and tricks of macOS and iPadOS from two former Apple employees. This course will cover both operating systems, basic hardware functionality, and best practices for successful integration into the classroom environment. We will also leave plenty of time to allow for a Q&A session at the end to assist any staff members with specific questions. If there are specific questions that cannot be answered during the course, we will follow up with either a tech or building LTA as time allows.

New Papercut Client Software on the Way

The Technology Department recently updated the Papercut printer/copier system to the latest version. To complete the update we now need to deploy the client version of the software on all staff computers. 

Over the next couple of weeks you will receive communication regarding the timing of the update which will be done on a building-by-building basis.

Once the client software has been updated on your computer the two things you’ll notice will be:

1. The confirmation pop-up window will be back.
2. The color of your printing costs will be red. 

If you see red numbers in your “Balance” window, then you know your client software has been updated successfully.

Unfortunately, this update doesn’t resolve the behavior of the software asking you to authenticate again after setting the “Remember” drop-down menu to an extended period of time. 

We are researching ways that we can correct that behavior and will keep you posted on our progress.