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BLN3 Video Streaming Advice

Christmas has finally arrived and in between all the glitter and nativity performances many schools allow pupils more free time on the internet which often involves watching videos.  Video streaming is allowed across the BLN at all schools and it is up to you how you wish to manage this.  Our recommendation would be to place a temporary limit on the amount of bandwidth video streaming can use which will allow other internet traffic, such as email, to still work effectively.

When streaming video, a single video can use between 3Mb and 7Mb of bandwidth depending upon the quality of the stream.  On a 10Mb connection, even at only 3Mb per video, if 4 of your classrooms are all streaming at the same time, all your bandwidth is suddenly gone!  This will mean other users trying to do things online will find it very slow to use and may even get ‘page cannot be displayed’ type error messages. Therefore, we recommend you put a limit in place so at least 2Mb (of a 10Mb connection) is kept spare for other users to browse.  Schools who have larger connections such as 100Mb plus may let students stream but we would still recommend enforcing a limit.

Limits can be put in place for one off instances or on a permanent basis.  If you would like to put a limit in place and you do not manage your Smoothwall device, please log a call with the service desk on 01274 439300.

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Searching for Images

I have filtering in place so why do inappropriate images still appear?

Your Smoothwall box may do a brilliant job of filtering out websites but images are a whole different kettle of fish!  The Smoothwall cannot look at a picture like a human can and decide whether it is suitable or not.  Image searches work by relying on the words that the picture has been associated with on the internet, which is known as 'tagging.'  Search engines work hard to make sure that people are not tagging appropriate words to inappropriate images but there will always be a few that slip through the net. 

There is also the issue of what is deemed to be inappropriate.  If you search for 'Carnival Costumes' you are going to get some scantily clad ladies.  Is that inappropriate?  What would you expect to see?

What can we do about it?

There are a number of sites that vet all images before they are published.  This means that all the content has been deemed appropriate (often by education experts) allowing you to let your pupils search freely with the piece of mind that nothing unexpected is going to appear.  These sites often rely on content to be donated by the public, therefore the range of images available is limited.  They are usually, however, copyright free!  Some of these sites are free to access, some have paid for subscriptions.  A list of sites that we the BLN have used are below.

However, most users will still rely on sites like Google images to be there one stop shop when looking for an image because of the breadth of pictures available.  For all BLN schools using Google images, Smoothwall enforces 'Google Safe Search' which should minimise the number of inappropriate images coming through, however you are relying on the search engine.  For all other search engines such as Bing, Smoothwall can also block keywords, so if a user searches for a word that you have added to your block list, no results will appear.  This is one of the most effective ways of filtering images however it can be more reactive than proactive.  If an appropriate word is searched for, such as 'bread' and you get an image back of a naked lady, you can report the picture to the search engine as not being appropriate under that search criteria however, it is completely at their discretion as to whether they deem the image inappropriate.   

Why is Google an exception to the key word block list?

Google changed the way they deliver their content because they dont agree with censorship, aka they dont like being filtered!  Smoothwall adapted their filtering so that it forced safe search for users but safe search is what Google deems to be appropriate and not necesarilly you! 9 times out of 10 it will be more than sufficient but you arent in full control.  You can apply somethig called 'De-Crypt and Inspect' which does then filter Google but you may find it stops other encrypted sites, like internet banking sites, from working properly.  If you want to apply this you can, but you need to be prepared to be patient while other sites are then fixed.   

But I want more protection than that!

There are products available that analyse the amount of skin tone in the picture.  These are not 100% accurate and can often bring about a different issue.  If you search for 'arms' the pictures you get back are going to be pretty much 100% skin and therefore the system will block them.  Because of this, most users find the system frustrating rather than useful.

So where does that leave us?

Basically, it is all about educating your pupils about safely searching the internet and them understanding what to do if an inappropriate image does appear.  As a school you should ensure that you have appropriate levels of filtering in place and that you are updating the keyword list as and when things arise.  You also need a clear policy in place for when incidents do occur.  Think about what you are asking your pupils to search for too.  It might be worth having a quick look yourself before the lesson starts then talking to your class about using specific search criteria.  If you want to find pictures of baby chickens should you search for 'Chicks' or would 'baby chicks' or 'farm animal chicks' deliver better results? 

Keyword lists dont just apply to 'rude' words either.  If you find your year 6 girls are spending more time looking at pictures of their favourite popstar rather then on the task at hand, get them added as a blocked key word.   

Useful links to safe images

http://gallery.nen.gov.uk

http://morguefile.com

www.scran.ac.uk

www.ingimage.com

 

 

  

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Free Bradford Learning Network Consultation

As part of our ongoing service, we are offering all BLN schools a free one hour consultation around the services that the Bradford Learning Network has available to you to support your school’s (e)Safeguarding agenda. 

These tools are already freely available to you in school but most users don’t even realise they are there.

 

We would like to tailor this visit to your specific requirements so we would like you to choose from the following menu. (You can choose up to 3 items.)

 (e)Safeguarding: How the BLN can support you in protecting your pupils, staff and school. This will include an introduction to the (e)360 safe tool, an overview of how your Smoothwall should be set up to fulfil elements of the E-safety mark assessment and  how to access usage reports.

Using Smoothwall in the classroom: How to quickly allow websites that you need instantly with the new URL management tool and looking at different types of policies to allow staff more open access.

Mobile Devices: How to filter school Mobile devices both at school and at home with global proxies

BLN3: the future of the Bradford Learning Network – your views and requests for what you would like in the BLN post 2016.

 

Please use this booking form to select your options and a time and date to suit you!

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BLN 3 New Contract Questionnaire

The current BLN contract is due to end on the 31 March 2016 so the team are already busy getting a new contract in place.  This process involves assessing the current design of the network and what the contract currently includes to make sure that any new contract meets the requirements of schools now and into the future.

To help us gauge what your priorities are as a school, we have designed the below questionnaire.  It is important to note that the below are possible ideas and suggestions, not all of the below may be included in a new contract depending on customer demand.

The results of this survey will be shared with the Technical Reference Group and School Reference Group, which are made up of school representatves who will agree to the final design and offering of the contract.  We may also contact you directly if we have any further questions about the responses that you provide.

One of the questions will ask you what size of bandwidth you would be interested in purchasing.  If you are not sure, the following guidance provided by the National Educational Network may help you make a more informed decision.  http://www.nen.gov.uk/selecting-broadband-connectivity-for-your-school/ 

The questionnaire should take you no more than 5 minutes to complete..he   THe    

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BLN New Contract Questionnaire
Your Name(*)

Please let us know your name.

Your Email(*)

Please let us know your email address.

Role in School (*)

Please write a subject for your message.

School Name(*)

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School Postcode(*)

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What is your current Internet connection speed?(*)






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Which email system do you currently use?




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What sort of connection speed would you be interested in purchasing under a new contract







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Would you be interested in purchasing a backup internet connection for failover purposes



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The current length of the BLN contract is 3.5 years as that allowed us the best savings. Were you satisfied with the length of the last contract?



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Would you be interested in a longer contract term than 3 years if this offered better value for money?


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Are you satisfied with the current filtering solution (Smoothwall)(*)



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If you are not satisfied with the current solution, or there are features missing that you think would enhance the product, please provide your reasons below.

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Would you like your filtering to be managed by a helpdesk?(*)



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Who would you prefer to log any fault calls with under a new contract?(*)


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Our suppliers regularly outperform their SLA targets. Are you satisfied with the current fault / change request resolution times? (*)


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If you use the Office 365 email service currently, under a new contract would you....



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Would you like the BLN to provide email filtering as part of the new contract (schools who use Office 365 do not need additional filtering)


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The BLN currently has a second Firewall at the core of the network to further protect schools from attacks. This means if someone tries to spread a virus or attack your network it will get stopped before it reaches your Smoothwall. Under a new contract would you



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Would you like to see any of the following included as an optional extra as part of your contract?












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Are there any other services not listed above that you may be interested in?

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The BLN has offered collaborative purchases on the following software products resulting in fantastic savings for schools. Would you be interested in subscribing to any additional software packages



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Are there any other software products that you would like us to offer?

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AUP Guidance

The YHGfL has devised a range of exemplar AUP’s which all BLN schools have access to utilise. 

What is an AUP?
An Accecptable Use Policy is a document which has been created by the school leadership team and governing body and which details the appropriate use of technology in school.  There should be a separate AUP policy created for both staff and pupils and all users should fully understand and have signed the school AUP before using school ICT equipment and systems.

Why do I need an AUP? 
An Acceptable Use Policy protects you as an employer as well as protecting your members of staff and your pupils.  The AUP should clearly state any sanctions should any issues arise.  An AUP Also encourages users to understand their responsibilities when using ICT in school. 

For legal purposes, it is also important that users are aware that their activity on the internet is being monitored by the smoothwall device.  If you have other monitoring software on your network, this must also be documented in your AUP. 

Where do I start? 
The YHGfL have created a series of Examplar AUP’s which you can use and adapt to meet your school requirements.  These can be found here

If you would prefer an ICT consultant to come out to school and help you to create your own policy, all of the Curriculum and Innovation Consultants are CEOP Ambassadors and will be happy to come out to school to help you develop your own documentation.  Please contact us for  further information

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WHAT WE DO

The Curriculum Innovation consultants are experts in their field with many years of primary school teaching experience. The team delivers high-quality training and support to schools and other partners in Bradford and the local region. We have a national reputation for leading innovation in the education sector. Besides having specialist knowledge of the Computing Curriculum we also have an impressive track record of raising attainment across the curriculum through the effective use of new and emerging technologies. All consultants are qualified Online Safety Mark Assessors, CEOP Ambassadors, and Into Film CPD Practitioners.

We work in close partnership with schools, communities and local businesses as well as a range of regional and national organisations. We are passionate about the safe, responsible, legal and effective use of connected technologies to encourage lifelong learning through developing successful pedagogies and practice in education and the local communities.