The Citizen, 2003-12-17, Page 28PAGE 28. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2003.
Thousands taking advantage of AMDSB info
By Stew Slater
Special to The Citizen
Thousands of computer .users
across the world are taking
advantage of research information
compiled by Avon Maitland District
School Board staff, geared towards
greater success on the Ontario
school curriculum.
This information is all linked from
a website described by its creator.
Jacquie Vercruyssen. as “one-of-a-
kind "
And it's all being perused for free.
Getting Students Connected,
located at www.gsc.amdsb.ca . was
launched in 2001 to provide a means
Scoping the scene
A Huron OPP officer checks out the damage to the vehicles after a van hit a police car that
was pulled over to the side and dealing with a previous incident on Hwy. 4, just north of Blyth.
(Elyse DeBruyn plwto)
a
a
by which students could conduct
online research for (heir projects,
without having to weed through the
copious amounts ol useless
information that tends to also appear
on computer screens when
particular topic is entered into
mainstream internet search engine.
Since that time, it has evolved into
a comprehensive website, with
separate sections for each grade
level and another geared towards
"non graded" students, where career
options and other information can be
found.
Within each grade level, the site is
separated first into courses, then into
particular areas ol study within those
to Information
system principal
. Getting Students
courses from there, links arc
provided to actual online resource
sites; one example, shown during a
presentation to trustees at a regular
Avon Maitland meeting Tuesday,
Dec. 9. featured a site hosted by the
University of Sheffield in England,
describing how different types of
rock form.
According
Technology '
Maggie Crane.
Connected received over 7X.(><)() hits
in November. 2003. with (hose
representing a significantly larger
number of actual users. That’s
because one student might log onto
the website, but if that lakes place al
I
a school-based computer, there
might be several others waiting in
line to use the same website when
the first person finishes.
The popularity of the website s
secondary school section lags behind
that of the elementary section. Crane
admits. But she says that changes
each year, as students who
previously used the service while in
elementary school continue to
recognize its value — compared to
established internet search engines
when they move on to high
school.
The presentation by Crane and
Vercruyssen made it clear (he site is
well-used by students and parents
within the Huron and Perth
Counties. A printed report, provided
for trustees, notes "it is completely
free to staff, students and parents of
the Avon Maitland District School
Board."
The presentation also made it
clear, however, that Getting Students
Connected is just as free for anyone
else with an internet connection.
Vercruyssen told trustees “about a
quarter" of the website's hits come
from users outside the board,
including other Ontario school
boards but also including computer
users in the United States.
Great Britain. Hong Kong and
Taiwan.
“We are the only board in Ontario
that offers such an extensive
resource for free. We are currently
visited by over 5,000 people from
around the world each day.” she
said.
According to the board's
communications manager. Steve
Howe, the site’s creators looked into
the idea of charging out-of-board
users for connecting. But they
discovered the process of assigning
passwords and creating a security
system would have been too
cumbersome, complex and labour-
intensive to make it worthwhile.
Howe adds there are non
monetary benefits to the site’s
increasing profile — a profile which
he says is apparent in the fact some
internet search engines have begun
listing Getting Students Connected
even though the board never
registered the site with those search
engines. Those benefits include
"gaining credibility” with other
educational institutions in Ontario
Without a money-generating
aspect to the successful program,
however, does that mean it could be
cut from the budget during a lean
year?
According to director of education
Geoff Williams, that’s "always a
risk." But he adds the perceived
benefit to the board's own students
would probably outweigh any move
to eliminate it.
v'Given the volume of our kids that
are using (Gelling Students
Connected), it’s unlikely staff would
recommend" cutting the program.
Williams said.
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