Digital File Management

I learned a lot this week about digital file management. From organizing to maintaining to managing files, I now better understand the importance of effectively managing data. The National Teacher Training Institute website (http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/ntti/resources/workshops/digital_file/practice.html) not only explained what data management means, but offered suggestions for software and how to organize teacher and student files. Below are some important items I learned about this week.

School Server

Based on the website and articles I read, having a school server available to all teachers and students seems ideal. In this way, students and teachers may access work performed on any computer in the school. By using personal login information, each student may protect their own work and keep it organized without other students accessing and accidentally editing or deleting student work. I think teachers should have login information for each student so that teachers can review work and check in on what students are doing.

Backups

This is extremely important in prevening the loss or damage of files. Backups are copies of files that are on the server. By backing up files, students and teachers may access files that may no longer be available on the server due to power outages, shutdowns, etc. By being proactive about protecting files, teachers and students may prevent loss of important work and research. The idea of starting all over again can be quite traumatic! Backing up can be accomplished through backup software like VERITAS or a drag-and-drop method using an external hardrive, digital audio tape (DAT), or another server.

Archiving

Archiving allows teachers and students to easily access, transport, and copy digital work. By archiving, there is a permanent record of completed projects on a CD or DVD. Should a student come to a teacher from another semester and ask for a copy of a paper or project they would like to include in his/her portfolio, the teacher will easily be able to provide the student with a copy. Teachers may also pull up past student work when writing recommendations for jobs or school entrances.