Information Services
Massachusetts Online Network for Education (MassONE)

Newsletter - February 2009

Explore a wealth of resources!

In these difficult economic times, it's good to know that MassONE is provided at no cost to schools. This is a great time to take advantage of MassONE's many resources: discussion forums, online file sharing and storage, curriculum resources, searchable curriculum standards, the lesson plan tool, and more.

MassONE offers several resources to help you learn about these tools:

• On the main announcements page, there are links to the MassONE Quickguide and the Student Quickguide. These quick tutorials will help you get up and running.
• For more in-depth information on using MassONE in teaching, you can take the MassONE Orientation. To access it, click the TLR in the menu bar on the left. Then click "Online Courses" and then "MassONE Orientation."
• For help with specific tools, you can use the MassONE Help tutorials. To access them, click the Help icon in the toolbar at the top of the screen. Then select the topic.

MassONE Continues to Grow

The number of MassONE users has increased more than 10% since June. Currently there are 113,792 students and 59,389 educators using the system.

MassONE has moved

MassONE has moved (along with the rest of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education) to a new office building at 75 Pleasant Street in Malden. While the email and phone numbers have not changed, MassONE does have a new fax number: 781-338-6850.

MassONE's Acceptable Use Policy

If you haven't already done so, it's a good idea to talk to your students about the responsibilities they have when using MassONE and other online resources. You can start the discussion by sharing MassONE's Acceptable Use Policy with your students.

Also, as you may know, the state's 2008 Technology Literacy Standards and Expectations include standards on Ethics and Safety. You can find these standards by going to MassONE's Curriculum Tools, and selecting "Search academic frameworks," and then using the dropdown menu to access the Technology Literacy Standards and Expectations. You can then search for standards for specific grade levels. The printable version of the standards is available at http://www.doe.mass.edu/edtech/standards.html.

Watch for virus-infected files

According to MassONE's Acceptable Use Policy, "placing a computer virus on any computer system, including the MassONE system" is unacceptable. As a result, users should make sure that all files are virus-free before uploading them to MassONE. The easiest way to do this is to install antivirus software on any computer that will be used to access MassONE.

MassONE can identify users who have uploaded files with viruses. If MassONE's antivirus software cannot repair an infected file, the file will be deleted. If the file is deleted, MassONE will notify the user (for educator accounts) and/or school administrator (for student accounts). If a student has uploaded an infected file, the educator or school administrator should explain the problem to the student and take measures to ensure that it does not happen again.

Calling all MassONE Administrators

MassONE Administrators play an important role in helping their colleagues use MassONE's tools and resources. The MassONE web lists the Admins in each district. If you are an Admin, please help ensure that this information is up to date. If any of the information for your district or school has changed, please send the updated information to: MassONEHelp@doe.mass.edu.

Tutorial for MassONE Admins

MassONE Admins can now enhance their knowledge of the system by taking a tutorial created by MassONE staff with help from Ann Morgan, the MassONE Admin from Chatham Middle School. The new tutorial, which is offered through MassONE's Moodle system, includes an introduction to each of MassONE's tools, along with a series of videos explaining their use. The tutorial will help Admins better understand how they can support MassONE users in their school district. If you are a MassONE Admin and you would like to take the tutorial, contact Chris Hieber at chieber@doe.mass.edu.

Back up your files

If you are storing important files on MassONE's Virtual Hard Drive or My Folder, it's a good idea to store copies of those files on another system, such as your own hard drive, a CD, or your school's network. An archive tool is provided for both the Virtual Hard Drive and the My Folder; the tool compresses the documents and stores them on your local computer.

Did you forget your MassONE password?

If you misplaced your username or password, you can quickly and easily retrieve them anytime. To do so, just go to MassONE's home page and click "Forgot Username or Password?" To provide security, MassONE uses a two-step process. First you need to provide some basic information, along with a new password. Then MassONE will instantly email you a secure link, along with your user name and password. When you click the link in the email, your password is reset. You should do this as soon as possible, because the link expires after 24 hours.

Older MassONE accounts

As part of its routine maintenance, MassONE deactivates accounts that have not been used in 18 months. If you have not used your account recently and are unable to log in, you should contact your district's MassONE Admin, who can resubmit the information to MassONE. If your district does not have an Admin, you can send an email to massonehelp@doe.mass.edu with your full name, school, and district, explaining the situation. MassONE will research your account and promptly resolve the problem. Because users with deactivated accounts will not receive the MassONE newsletter, please help spread the word to your colleagues about this process.

Back issues of newsletters

If you missed any previous issues of the MassONE newsletter, you can now find them on the MassONE web site. To access them, click MassONE News Archives on the MassONE home page.