Computers and Technology

During the school year 2003 to 2004, a case study was conducted in a high school to determine (a) what problem existed on the use of school computers and (b) solutions to the problem.

The study had three objectives:

• Provide a safer and more effective environment for internet users in the school environment;
• Fulfil the school's request to provide software that provided monitoring and auditing capability, enabling more flexible internet access;
• Fulfil the school's concern regarding chat room activity on school computers;
• Remove undesired communications from the schools computers such as pornography, racism and bullying.

Test Setup

The school suspected that extensive computer misuse was taking place by a large number of their students, approximately 1600 students sharing 480 computers, but could neither prove, nor quantify, their suspicions. Detection and analytical software was installed to determine the range and extent of this misuse. The analytical element of software was configured and installed in order to:

a) Log the computer activity of each student on a per user basis.

b) Monitor and record existing traffic across the system architecture that did not comply with the school's Acceptable Use Policy.

Analysis Results

Within minutes of the first day of implementing the test, a violation icon was flashing. The test was conducted in stealth mode to prevent the users of the computers knowing that their activity was monitored. By the end of that day, more than 2000 violations had been detected. The volume of violations kept growing; to the staggering number of over 20,000 in two weeks. Consider that these violations occurred on only 480 computers within a school of 1600 students. The violations averaged GREATER than one violation per student per day. The school administrators were not prepared for this level of misuse of the school computers.

Additionally, the range and seriousness of the violations was unexpected.

· Offensive language was being used in chat rooms, e-mail, message boards, instant messaging and mobile phone text messaging.

· Students were attempting, and all too often succeeding, to access pornographic websites. This was particularly worrying, as the school accessed the Internet via filtering and blocking systems installed by the School District.

· There were descriptions of violence and examples of bullying and racism.

· Students abused the computer network in all applications, not just in accessing the Internet and email. Violations were detected in word processing files and spreadsheets.

· A culture of inappropriate use of the computer equipment was prevalent. Typing inappropriate words about teachers was commonplace.

· A significant number of violations originated outside the school, for example, via hotmail.

The school administration established an Acceptable Use Policy to govern the use of the school computers. At the end of the two week trial period they decided to publish and make known to all students and staff that the school's Acceptable Use Policy was being enforced.

At log-on, and in order to continue, every user had to confirm agreement to work within the school's Acceptable Use Policy. To allow the education of the students to continue, it was decided to show and discuss with offenders proof of their violations, rather than to take immediate disciplinary action. The software was directed to operate in active mode which prompted the software to immediately notify the user of violations and disrupt the chat room, instant messaging, email or other application that the violation occurred in. Initially students challenged the Policy and continued with their activity. However, when computers were immediately shut down when a violation occurred and students were confronted on the spot by school administrators, compliance occurred rapidly. The direct consequence of this approach was a noticeable drop in violations.

Conclusions

This test and analysis was able to identify the range and extent of the problem. Alone, it provided a broad brush method of supporting the school Acceptable Use Policy and went some way towards eliminating the misuse of computers in the school. The analytical software identified the problem and provided part of the solution. The response and enforcement element of the software provided the rest

Implementing the solution

Effective monitoring software provides the flexibility to configure different modes of operation, such as the ability to give warnings to the user, or to close the down the application in use. It allows varying modes of operation to be applied to different individuals and groups. It allows individual settings to be made for Internet access. It allows the building of individual user profiles.

In this instance, the school asked every student and their parent/guardian to sign a new Acceptable Use Policy, which included the use software to monitor for violations. Users were warned on screen when a violation had taken place and informed that a screen capture of the violation had been stored on the server. If a user continued to misuse the computer system, services for that user were suspended. This decision was not taken by the software, but by a senior member of staff. In order to regain access, the user had to approach this person to explain why they had misused the computer. Imagine the surprise and embarrassment to a student to be confronted with a screen shot of their activity on the computer and have to explain it.

Results of the Implementation

After the school instituted an Acceptable Use Policy and configured effective monitoring software to active mode, the school experienced a significant change in the usage behaviour:

• On average, there are now less than 10 violations per week;
• A significant improvement of network performance was gained by the removal of inappropriate material - at least 60%;
• Teachers spend more time teaching and less time policing children's computer activity;
• Current analysis of Internet sites visited by students shows a massive swing towards educational and technical sites. More then 80% of web sites visited are education or technical sites verses only 40% prior to the installation of the monitoring software; and
• Students are using computers well and examination results have improved significantly across the curriculum. The school has seen a 10 point increase in grades since the installation of monitoring software.

Imagine this, the students started using the computers for their school work rather than unacceptable activity and as a result their grades went up.

Conclusions

The flexibility of operation and the information provided by effective monitoring software enables the school staff to use their professional judgment in dealing with violations of the Acceptable Use Policy. Screen warnings remind students about the need to use the computer in an acceptable manner. Internal monitoring at the school has concluded that students' better use of computers has made a significant contribution to improving academic standards and that project had exceeded the school's objectives in full.

Points to Consider with Monitoring Software

· It allows full and safe access for all to the school's computer network;

· It enables enforcement of the school's Acceptable Use Policy;

· It keeps decision making in the hands of the school's teaching professionals;

· It lets teachers teach rather than police computer misuse;

· It prevents inappropriate Internet, e-mail or internally communicated material reaching students and staff;

· It provides protection to students and staff from the potential consequential liabilities derived from accessing the Internet;

· It has reduces the instances of inappropriate misuse of computers;

· It helps teachers prepare students for the working world by encouraging proper and more effective use of computers; and

· It helps raise academic standards by encouraging proper use of school computers for academic studies.

Summary

As staff and pupils grow more confident in their use of new technologies across the curriculum, the potential dangers and benefits grow in similar proportion. All computer users in school must be protected from the ever-widening range of threats. Students must be encouraged to make the most effective use of school computers for learning. Effective monitoring softwareprovides a unique, flexible and simple to use management tool that combines comprehensive protection and with a better learning environment. What was uniquely disturbing in this case study was learning that the school district had installed district level filtering software that proved to be totally ineffective. The administrators had tried to resolve the problem but were employing the wrong technologies.