Educational Technology

To add some visual appeal to your blog, consider using the “Rock You” tool. Here is an example highlighting our OK Conference Champion Gymnastics team:

For instructions on creating your own slide show, click here -> Rock You Instructions

Check out the image below. The laptop on the left is from a current COW cart and the netbook is on the right…

If you are looking to remove posts and pages from the past school year, follow these steps:

Edit Content on Pages

Click on Pages from the sidebar menu. Select Edit from the drop-down menu. A list of your pages appears. When you hover over a page title, several options appear. Select Edit. Make your changes, then select Update Page.

Delete Page

Click on Pages from the sidebar menu. Select Edit from the drop-down menu. A list of your pages appears. When you hover over a page title, several options appear. Select Delete.

Delete Posts

Click on Posts from the sidebar menu. Select Edit from the drop-down menu. A list of your pages appears. When you over over a post title, several options appear. Select Delete. However, if you want to select all posts and delete in one step, look for the small box next to the word ‘post’ in the gray title line. When you check this box, all of the boxes in front of post titles become checked. To delete all of the posts, click the down arrow next to “Bulk Actions” (found above your post titles) and select Delete. The final step is to click on Apply (next to bulk actions). All of the posts that are checked will be deleted.

The blogs have been updated with the latest release of WordPress. As a result, there are several changes in how you edit your blog. Here are some step-by-step instructions on how to create your blog for the first time, or add content to an existing blog.

Quick Reference Guide – Classroom Blogs

This Protopage site is devoted to free Web 2.0 applications which support not only collaborative learning for our 21st century students, but also collaborative professional development for our 21st century educators. http://www.protopage.com/continuousimprovement#Untitled/Home

Learn how to convert a PDF document into Word or other text formats. Visit the following link
http://blogs.howtogeek.com/mysticgeek/2009/03/05/convert-pdf-files-to-word-documents-and-other-formats/

Hide Assignments

Sometimes, you may not want an assignment visible in Parent Viewer (such as a surprise quiz), but you want to set up the assignment in Gradebook. This is now possible. Assignments marked “Private” do not appear in Parent Viewer. In addition, they will not appear in the following reports (pulled from PIV or from Gradebook):

• Student Assignment Report
• Student Missing Assignments Report
• Student Standards Report
• Student Assignment Report – All Classes
• Student Missing Assignments – All Classes

Assignments marked “Private” appear with a lock icon when viewed in the Gradebook.

To mark an assignment as “Private”…

Step 1. From the Assignment dialog box, click the Assignment tab.
Step 2. Select the Private check box.
Step 3. Click Save.

To remove the “Private” designated, de-select the Private check box.

Seating Chart

You can now print a seating chart without pictures for public posting.

Step 1. Open the Seating Chart page.
Step 2. Click the Print button.
Step 3. From the Print Options dialog box, clear the Print Student Pictures option.
Step 4. Click Print from the Print Options dialog box.

High/Low Assignment Scores 

Some teachers utilize a “drop low score” policy (lowest score is not included in category grade calculations). Some teachers also like to drop the highest score in addition to the lowest score to get a true assessment of a skill. With the upgrades, both options are now available.

Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1. From the navigation menu, click Class Options.
Step 2. Click the Categories tab.
Step 3. Click Yes to categorize assignment.
Step 4. Click Yes to weight your categories.
Step 5. Click Edit to open an existing category (or click New Category).
Step 6. In the Drop lowest and/or Drop Highest field, type the number of grades to be dropped.
Step 7. Click Save.

Student Schedules

Student schedules are still available in the Student Demographics window, but you have to be in the “Gradebook Grid” to open the profile. However, it is now easier to access. Look for STudent Schedule under the category of Reports from the options listed on the left. You can type in the student number (i.e. 793709) or type the last name.

Roster Drop-Down Choices

The student roster drop-down arrow is located just above the list of students on the left side of the window. Two new options have been added: Sort Students by Add Date, and Show Inactive Students.

Step 1. Open a class tab.
Step 2. Click on the Student Roster drop-down arrow.
Step 3. Select an option.

Gradebook has added several enhancements to the Categories option, but the changes are subtle. Included in the changes is the ability to copy categories from one class to another.

Category Tab

You can still see the “Would you like to categorize your assignments” and “Would you like to weight your assignments” questions. However, with the re-design, a checkbox appears before each category description. The Delete key has been replaced with an icon of a trash can and a Edit link has been added.

Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1. From the navigation menu, click Class Options.
Step 2. Click the Categories tab.
Step 3. Locate a category and click Edit. From this Edit box, you can change the description, color of assignment box, weight, as well as choose to drop highest or lowest scores within the category (click on image to your left for an example).

Copy Categories To Classes

For secondary level teachers, a new feature is the ability to copy categories to each class (whereas previous version required creation of categories for each class).

Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1. From the navigation menu, click Class Options.
Step 2. Click the Categories tab.
Step 3. Select the checkbox(es) associated with the category(ies) you want to copy.
Step 4. Click Copy.
Step 5. Select the class(es) to receive a copy of the selected category(ies). Click on the image to your left for an example.
Step 6. Click Save.

MixedInk,a free web-based tool, offers a new twist on collaborative documents. To demonstrate how it works, they are encouraging people to contribute to Slate’s collective document, “The People’s Inaugural Address.” The system could also be used for your class (or their entire grade or school) to collectively write a letter, a list of interview questions, an essay or any other relatively brief document. Passwords keep the work private. One caveat: the site does have advertising.Here’s how it works according to the FAQ:

• An organizer proposes a topic and invites people to participate.
• Participants contribute ideas and opinions addressing the issue. They also edit and remix other people’s submissions.
• Atthe same time, people rate others’ submissions. So the ideas and
  opinions that best capture the group’s viewpoint rise to the top and
  get fused together.
• In the end, the highest rated text – created jointly by many different users – represents the group’s collective opinion.

The company has run pilots for students in eighth grade and above to write persuasive essays, and they hope to develop numerous curricular items.

Unlike a Wiki which presents the most recent edit, the version with the highest average rating at the end of a defined time period becomes the final version. That is the one that best reflects the community’s point of view.

For the Inaugural Address, for example, a writer can search for common phrases or be alerted if they have just used a common phrase. They can snip freely from others and the previous addresses that are linked in to the document.  It may sound like plagiarism to old school writers, but users agree to the collaborative goal and the technology tracks authorship. It clips your paragraph, you (ideally, if the software is working as intended) get listed as a co-writer

To write an Inaugural address, go to The People’s Inaugural Address. To launch your own document, visit MixedInk or call (732) 547-0625.

Source: Mixed Ink blog, Slate press release, MixedInk Powers Slate Magazine’s “The People’s Inaugural Address” and the MixedInk site.

Want to learn how to use Skype in your classroom? Skype is a free application that allows you to video conference with another person that uses Skype. All you need is the Skype application and an inexpensive USB video camera. Check out http://www.techforschools.com/resources/SkypeinClassroom_AndyMann.pdf

Teacher shares how Skype is being introduced to her students. 13 minute video… http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/2006/10/using-skype-in-classroom-or-just.html

Wesley Fryer shares how Skype may be used in the classroom… http://www.wtvi.com/TEKS/05_06_articles/skype-in-the-classroom.html

SAVING DOCUMENTS TO NETWORK DRIVE (H: DRIVE) 

Step 1: Right click on the Start button. Select Explore from the pop-up menu

Step 2: From the list displayed on the left, click once on Workstation. This is a subcategory under “Documents and Settings”. Additional folders and files should appear on the right side of the display. 

Step 3: Left click once on Desktop, then while holding down the CTRL key, also click Favorites and My Documents. You will see all three folders highlighted. These are ready to be copied. NOTE: If you have Print Artist, you will also need to include the Sierra folder in this group. 

Step 4: Move the vertical scroll bar (found between the two sections) down until you see the network drive (H: drive that will begin with your user name).  

Step 5: Right click on top of one of the highlighted folders, hold down your mouse button, and drag the folders over the H: drive on the left. When the H: drive becomes highlighted, release the mouse button.  Step 6: Select “Copy Here”.  

SAVING DOCUMENTS TO FLASH DRIVE

Step 1: Repeat steps 1-3 as indicated above.

Step 2: Move the vertical scroll bar (found between the two sections) down until you see the flash drive (often, it will be the E: or G: drive). If the flash drive location is not displayed, click on Tools from the menu at the top, select “Disconnect Network Drive”. From the choices listed, select the F: drive. Allow time for the flash drive to connect.  

Step 3: Right click on top of one of the highlighted folders, hold down your mouse button, and drag the folders over the E:, G: or designated flash drive location. When the location becomes highlighted, release the mouse button. 

Step 4: Select “Copy Here”.  

SAVING DOCUMENTS TO CD-ROM Step 1: Insert a blank CD into the CD-ROM drive, then repeat steps 1-3 as indicated above. 

Step 2: Move the vertical scroll bar (found between the two sections) down until you see the CD-ROM drive (usually the D: drive). It may be indicated with a name that has several characters.  

Step 3: Right click on top of one of the highlighted folders, hold down your mouse button, and drag the folders over the CD-ROM drive (likely D:). When the location becomes highlighted, release the mouse button. 

Step 4: Select “Copy Here”.  

Step 5: After the files have transferred, click on File from the menu at the top, then select Write These Files To CD. Give the CD a title (such as BACKUP 11-08). Click OK. The files will be written, and when finished, the CD will eject automatically.

Wordle is a toy for generating
“word clouds” from text that you provide. The clouds
give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently
in the source text. You can tweak your clouds with different
fonts, layouts, and color schemes.
The images you create with Wordle are yours
to use however you like. You can print them out, or save them
to the Wordle gallery to share with your friends.

Create your own.

A full featured blog editor that integrates with the Firefox browser. A must have for blog editors using Firefox! https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1730

Emerging low cost web tools have implications for administration, public relations, communications, collaboration, teaching and learning throughout the school district.   Check out some of these tools today…

Skype - http://www.skype.com

uStream – http://www.ustream.tv

MeBeam – http://www.mebeam.com

Weblogg-ed TV – http://weblogged-tv.wikispaces.com

Ask your classroom a question and they can answer using SMS text messaging or the web, check it out at http://www.polleverywhere.com/

From SPEAK UP, a national, USA, online research project organized by Project Tomorrow.

For school work, students in grades 6-12 are using technology for these top 5 activities in 2007:

Students:
o Writing assignments (74%)
o Online research (72%)
o Checking assignments or grades online (58%)
o Creating slideshows, videos, webpages for schoolwork (57%)
o Email or IM with classmates about assignments (44%)

Teachers:

What do you do regularly with technology?
o 93% use email to communicate with colleagues or parents – only 34% email with students
o Create a powerpoint presentation – 59%
o Create or listen to podcasts or videos – 35%
o 21% maintain a personal website like MySpace or Facebook

#1 use of technology to facilitate student learning: assigning homework or practice work (51%)

Parents:

What do you do regularly with technology?
o Email my child’s teacher – 91%
o Email, IM or text with my child – 51%
o Download music – 53%
58% say that technology accelerates learning opportunities for their children

School Leaders – Principals and District Administrators

What do you do regularly with technology?
o Email with colleagues or parents – 93%
o Create a powerpoint presentation – 71%
o Participate in online communities – 30%

84% say that their school’s implementation of technology enhances students achievement

Here is a list of the elementary comments for those who prefer to view the whole thing.

MSPS Elementary Comments.xls

Click the image below for a review of the click steps for adding comments.

Do you have a class you no longer wish to see in you tabs?  Here is a brief video to show you how.

How to hide a class from tabs