Job Responsibilities - Network Manager V ICT Co-Ordinator

[steele_uk]

Does anyone else have real issues knowing where the line is for responsibilites of the Netwotk and its use?

 

I am having problems knowing when i should be calling the shots and when the ICT Co-Ordiantor should be calling the shots.

 

Recently the ICT Co-Ordinator has argued that;-

 

1.)Students eating at PC's in classrooms is acceptable when there is a lunch time club.

2)That it is ok that they (ICT Co-Ordinator & other staff) have over 800MB of MP3's in their user area.

3) That all teaching staff should know about unfiltered access and be shown how to access it.

 

I could go on, this is just a brief outline of some of the issues i face daily.

At the moment i am Line managed by the ICT Co-Ordinator, but i am fighting with the Bursar (who is on my side) that this structure is dated and that my responsibility is to the whole school, and that my ten years of experience and training should not be comprimised, and my decisions over-ruled by someone has no skills in the running of a network.

 

 

Does anyone else have problems with these situations?

 

I am happy to stand up for myself, but what would be the point if i am over-ruled each time?

 

Thansk.

[plexer]

As far as I am concerned the ICT Co-ordinator should stick to teaching and leave all technical ict support issues to the netman.

 

It's unhealthy to eat at a pc and not nice to have clean their crumbs and greasy fingermarks off.

 

Get a oplicy in place for user folder areas including all staff and stick to it.

 

What are the mp3's is it illegal content if so just delete it or report him to however.

 

Ben

[GrumbleDook]

We do not have an ICT Co-ordinator here ... we have Me (Director of IT), Head of ICT/DT (purely curriculum ), Head of Cross-curricular ICT (effectively the second in ICT Department but works with other groups around the school including leading the ICT Users Group) and the Network Manager ...

 

It is all part of the devolved leadership of ICT as outlined by the SLICT course ...

 

If you need to answer to anyone other than directly to an Asst Head / Deputy / Head then it should be the Bursar / Business Manager (the CSBM from NCSL actually covers a fair bit about managing IT Related stuff ... sustainability, DPA, SLAs, etc) and not to the ICT Co-ordinator.

 

The role of IT in a school covers many areas now, not just the discrete subject and the chain of command should reflect this.

 

I am not saying that it does not work to have the Head of ICT / ICT Co-ordinator as the line manager of tech support ... but there are possible confilcts of interest. Given a choice between having the best kits for the ICT teachers or spreading it out over the school so it can be used effectively ... most ICT Co-ordinators would keep it in their department ... when it comes to prioritising work most ICT teachers would like to be top of the list (in fact most teachers would do the same ... it is just that the ICT Co-ordinator being your line manager gives the power to make it so!)

[Norphy]

1) Show them what happens when people eat around PCs, spill some Coke on a keyboard. That keyboard will have disintegrated within a couple of days

 

2) Quote them copyright law and/or claim that you're fast running out of space either on your backup tapes or on the file server. Point out that MP3s are generally not an educational resource and that the space can be used better for other things. In addition, there are other ways and means for staff to bring their music into school (MP3 player anyone?).

 

3) Not sure what to suggest for this one. Maybe build a case around saying that if all staff know about it, it would only be a matter of time before kids know about it too as it would only take one teacher to get impatient with the filters during a lesson to let slip about it.

[wesleyw]

1) Say you won't support any machine damaged through this type of misuse, go to the head and say this too.

 

2) Delete the MP3s anyone asks say the backup system doesn't backup any music files whatsoever and cannot be changed.

 

3) Say that no one in the school is allowed unfiltered access and change subject each time it comes up?

 

Okay I know that lot is a little harsh but what the hell.

 

 

 

Wes

[CyberNerd]

That all teaching staff should know about unfiltered access and be shown how to access it.

Filtering staff internet access is important to protect them. Our LA has a policy on what cannot be accessed in a school by staff and it is incorporated into our contracts (staff must follow county policy, or words to that effect). You are protecting their jobs, it would be unfortunate if one of the little darlings tricked them into downloading illegal images, etc.

[Disease]

I report directly to the Director of Business and Finance not the ICT Co-ordinator which is a good thing as the ICT Co-ordinator does not know how to turn on his pc.

[jcs808]

In my opinion, anyone who works in a school should not have a problem with their internet/email being filtered.

[Midget]

except the techy who is unable to download anything from microsoft.com etc

[webman]

In my opinion, anyone who works in a school should not have a problem with their internet/email being filtered.

 

Why do you say that? Have you taken into account the dubious websites that some staff visit that could introduce a virus or other nasties onto the network?

[Midget]

In my opinion, anyone who works in a school should not have a problem with their internet/email being filtered.

 

Why do you say that? Have you taken into account the dubious websites that some staff visit that could introduce a virus or other nasties onto the network?

 

uhhhhhhh...... i think you have the wrong end of the stick

[Lee_K_81]

In my opinion, anyone who works in a school should not have a problem with their internet/email being filtered.

 

Why do you say that? Have you taken into account the dubious websites that some staff visit that could introduce a virus or other nasties onto the network?

 

I think that was his point webman

 

I think in todays climate it is unrealistic for the ICT Co-ordinator to line manage NM's. Like others have said, personal priorities may take effect. However ICT co-ordinators shouldnt be taken out of the process altogether. They are the side of ICT that parents see, policies will need their backing whether we like it or not. I occasionally butt heads with our ICT co-ordinator about things, but i'm lucky in that we get on, so any disagreements are usually spoken about calmly and points explained. Try not to get too agressive with the ICT co-ordinator, but at the same point she needs to understand that schools are now businesses. You have responsibilities to other areas also.

[webman]

Ah, yes... I see now. Sorry, I'm ZZzzzzzzz... tired...

[localzuk]

Our ICT Co-ordinator organises all the curriculum side of things, leaving me to get on with the technical side of things. We both have input into decision making processes but she doesn't line manage me.

 

Overall, I would say that most decisions to do with ICT are made purely on my recommendations (I don't have the final say...). Some things, like us getting Dreamweaver, are passed without my input being taken into account (my rather vocal and anti-spending £2k on a piece of software that will be underused input that is).

 

Things like MP3's come down to my asking my line manager about it and then deleting them. Filtering is on at all times for all staff unless they have a specific need for a site to be unfiltered. Eating in computer rooms is not allowed. Period.

[Quackers]

You think that them having MP3's in there area is bad, i had to explain to the head teacher and rest of SMT why A) Limewire cannot run through the schools internet connection, and that B) Downloading music from it for school assemblys would be illegal unless they owned the CD, in which case limewire would not be needed in the first place, and thats the people at the top.

[bossman]

Today's school environment has changed drastically but unfortunately the other professionals (Teaching Staff Primarily) have not changed quickly enough to expediate this.

 

Some SLT also have dated ideas about communications systems and how they should work and their only source of knowledge comes from a dated Local Education Authority who are also trying their hardest to upgrade to a 21st century business.

 

It's all about power and who has control i.e. which quango can come up with the best strategy for getting more from less. Government policies that quite frankly don't work in most situations but waste vasts amounts of money. This in turn fileters down to LEA and then to schools and then to staff. They in turn need to have the power and control and so back Phewww to the question in hand..........

 

steele_uk... get an AUP i think i posted ours somewhere on the site if you need a copy then PM me. Then get the SLT to take it to the governors and get it accepted by the unions and you then should be able to move forward on this. good luck

[Sylv3r]

The School ICT Co-ordinator here has had less and less responsibilties here over the last 3 or 4 years and since the latest TLR structure he is predominantly Subject Leader for ICT and that is it.

 

All ICT purchases are done through myself and the School Manager, with very little input from deputy head and Curriculum Director for e-Learning.

 

Everybody is happy to proceed this way, and it leaves me a free role to get on with my job without any fuss.

 

On answering your questions no food is allowed in any of our ICT Suites - its training the teachers that this includes Mugs of Tea and Coffee that you need to get right as students think if they see the teachers doing it then are able to do it.

 

I delete all MP3's, Avi, MPEG, EXE, ZIP etc etc files that are non educational that are found in students areas, staff I am slightly more relaxed with althouth MP3's are a no no for them also.

 

And staff here get the same level of filtering as our students, the only exception is certain admin staff in the office for booking train tickets etc online.

[Lee_K_81]

You think that them having MP3's in there area is bad, i had to explain to the head teacher and rest of SMT why A) Limewire cannot run through the schools internet connection, and that B) Downloading music from it for school assemblys would be illegal unless they owned the CD, in which case limewire would not be needed in the first place, and thats the people at the top.

 

Ah, the everyday battles of working in ICT in education. We have similar situation with joke emails. I'm not against them, in moderation, but when i check our exchange message log theres loads of "FW: how many men does it take......" etc. Now, how exactly can I implement a policy, which has to go through the head, when it's the head that most of these emails originate from! Not quite on the scale of the LimeWire thing, but perfect example of the difficulties we face on a day to day basis. Schools see us as there to serve their needs, which in a way we are, but we should almost be seen as external entities, paid to provide a service the school uses. They see the network as "theirs" without any consideration of what impact things they do have.

[Richie1972]

We were in a similar situation in the past, but now... well, most of the time the ICT Co-ordinator just deals with curriculum stuff (if he interferes I just ignore him lol).

With regard to what's allowed on the network... students have a 200mb disk quota and can't run exe or zips. I've not blocked MP3s as students in music to need them.

Everyone has filtering; staff and students (students far more strict).

There is some eating and drinking in ICT suites by staff - but not allowed by students.

I am slowly chipping away at staff rights on computers - theyr're soon to lose local admin rights and any access to drive C and software installations.

The sooner staff (teaching staff) see that they have responsibilities to the integrity of the school's network, just like the students, the better.

As others have said, ensure that there is an AUP that students AND staff have signed and agreed to.

[ITWombat]

@richie

If things are that difficult at a faith school then the rest of us are doomed

[deerwood]

I guess I am in a fortunate position in that I go around many schols and can see different styles of ICT setups and working arrangements. What seems clear to me from these visits and it appears echoed in this thread, is that things work best when staff with different roles work together and recognise the responsibilities, skills and expertise of each other.

 

In our modern schools things are constantly changing; sometimes slowly, sometimes too fast. These constant changes mean that people's roles and responsibilities also change. Several years ago, the roles of network manager or network technician did not exist in schools and those roles were carried out by the ICT co-ordinator (who was also a full time teacher and probably had responsibility for other AV aids). I'd guess that maybe some ICT co-ordinators have difficulty in letting go of previous roles and focusing upon ICT as a curriculum tool (which I'd suggest should be the role of an ICT co-ordinator).

[Roberto]

1.)Students eating at PC's in classrooms is acceptable when there is a lunch time club.

 

We say... IT Labs are labs. It is not suitable for ANYONE to be eating in ANY lab at ANY time.

 

2)That it is ok that they (ICT Co-Ordinator & other staff) have over 800MB of MP3's in their user area.

 

Tough one this. Is this content legal? Are you responsible? Remove it if you are. This isn't a discussion point. Either it's 'legal' in which case it's a simple matter of how the organisation chooses to spend its resources (*all* of our staff and students get a quota, and within the terms of the AUP can spend it how they wish), or its not legal in which case it goes, end of discussion.

 

3) That all teaching staff should know about unfiltered access and be shown how to access it.

 

Yikes. Oh my goodness. NO ONE here, not even us in IT Support, has an unfiltered connection of any sort at any time.

 

I could go on, this is just a brief outline of some of the issues i face daily.

At the moment i am Line managed by the ICT Co-Ordinator, but i am fighting with the Bursar (who is on my side) that this structure is dated and that my responsibility is to the whole school, and that my ten years of experience and training should not be comprimised, and my decisions over-ruled by someone has no skills in the running of a network.

 

We're line managed by a director, not by IT department head or anything like that. IF you're delivering a service across the whole organisation then you should be managed and funded at that level in the organisation.

[_Bat_]

Several years ago, the roles of network manager or network technician did not exist in schools and those roles were carried out by the ICT co-ordinator (who was also a full time teacher and probably had responsibility for other AV aids). I'd guess that maybe some ICT co-ordinators have difficulty in letting go of previous roles and focusing upon ICT as a curriculum tool (which I'd suggest should be the role of an ICT co-ordinator).

 

Thats has interested me for a while actually. I left secondary school back in 2002 and for the entire five years that I was there, the only technicians we ever saw were the RM technicians who occasionally nipped in to deal with the major network changes (very rare). We had about 90 computers across the school and one server. Any broken PCs were sent to a company to be repaired and any other general maintenance was carried out by the head of ICT (with help from a friend of mine and myself).

 

I know that isn't an awful lot of computers, but a full time teacher being given that role? Where on earth did they get the time from?

[deerwood]

I know that isn't an awful lot of computers, but a full time teacher being given that role? Where on earth did they get the time from?

 

I think you can guess the answer ...

 

after school, lunch times, before school, weekends and school holidays. ... I guess ICT co-ordinators should be grateful that they have network managers and technicians (unless, of course they haven't got them!)

[sqdge]

At my school the ICT Co-ordinator is responsible for what ICT is taught to the child, but the Network Manager (me) is responsible for making sure the computers work, and that the system is not being abused. Therefore, it is my responsiblity to make sure that no-one eats at the keyboards, that I am the one that monitors the internet access, and (my personal gripe) that the laptops have suitable battery life for the forthcoming lesson.

 

It's important that both parties are aware of what each other are doing, but it would be wrong if I were to try and work out what should be taught during the lessons, and if the Co-ord monitored the traffic through the server.

 

Maybe I'm just lucky.