Web Filter Checker - Sydney Region School ICT Website

Using the Web Filter Check
I N T E R N E T
A C C E S S
&
E M A I L
M A Y ,
2 0 0 7
The authenticated browsing environment provides a filtered browsing experience for all users based on user type—staff or student—and scholastic
year. The browsing experiences of staff and students can be quite different.
The Web Filter Check utility enables staff to check the filtering applied to
websites that may be used as part of the teaching/learning process. In doing
this staff will be able to determine the current availability of websites for
their students to view.
Accessing the Web Filter Checker
The Web Filter Checker is accessed
through the DET Portal, under the My Applications tab, in Account Administration.
My applications
Account
Administration
The Web Filter Check link, in the main Administration page, needs to be clicked.
Checking Websites
1. Enter website URLs, to be checked,
into the text box:
Websites to be
checked
2. Click Submit.
3. Note that the Display Report option is
ticked by default. Should a more permanent record be needed, tick Email
Report and the report will be sent to
your @education email box.
Checking the Results
The results will be displayed in a new
page; the time taken will depend on the
number of URLs to be checked.
Web Filter Check
URL
The Web Filter Check page will then be
displayed.
Request link
Notes
• The Web Filter Check
is available through the
DET network, from
home, and other external locations, through
the DET Staff Portal.
• For most users Account
Administration will display
only one school—the
staff member’s school.
For staff who are located
at more than one school,
the appropriate school
will need to be selected
before the Web Filter
Checker is accessed.
• URL means Universal
Resource Locator or in
other words: website
address.
Report Options
• The Display Report is best
used as a quick check of
the availability of a website through the filters.
• The Email Report could
be useful to record the
results for future reference.
Adding URLs
URLs can be:
• added one at a time
Websites to be
checked
Category Information
• copied and pasted from
a browser, Word
document etc.
• added in bulk, up to 50
addresses.
Report Options
Submit
Filter status
The results for each URL will be displayed separately.
PAGE
For the above example:
URL: www.bulldogarcade.com—
Requesting a site to be blocked, unblocked or categorised.
Each record displayed has a link to the
Request to Block/Unblock/Categorise a site
page:
Category:
Games
2
Notes
Categories
• Used by the DET to
apply filters
• 72 filter categories
have been defined
• A description of the
category will display
when the mouse
hovers over the
category name.
Blocked from K to
Year 12
URL: http://boredofstudies.org—
Category:
School Cheating ...
Blocked from
K to Year 8
URL: http://www.nlm.nih.gov—
Categories:
Govt/Military
Health
Blocked for K
to Year 4
URL: http://www.healthinsite.gov.au—
Category:
Health
Allowed for
Year 5 to
Year 12 and
Staff
From this page a staff member can request a site:
• be unblocked if it has educational merit
• be blocked if it is inappropriate for students, of particular scholastic years, to
view
• have its category listing changed.
Once submitted the request will be
emailed to the Filtering team for review
and appropriate action.
Requests are acted upon as quickly as
possible, usually within about 24 hours
(depending upon demand).
Block/Allow Rules
Any site blocked will also be blocked for
Scholastic Years below it. i.e. if a site is
blocked for Year 10, the site will also be
blocked from K to Year 9.
Similarly, any site allowed, will also be
allowed for the Filter groups above it. i.e.
if a site is allowed for Year 5, it will also
be allowed for Year 6—12 and Staff.
• For more information on filter categories see DET Internet Filters
Check Results will be
matched to the site:
• Infants Schools will
show results for
Years K—2 and
Staff.
• Primary Schools will
show results for
Years K—6 and
staff
• High Schools will
show results for
Years 7—12 and
staff
• Central Schools will
show results for
K—12 and staff
• TAFE colleges will
show results for
TAFE Students and
TAFE Staff
More detailed information regarding the Web Filter Check can be
found in the Help files. A link to
Help can be found on each page of
Account Administration.
USING
THE
WEB
FILTER
CHECK