EdTech @ETHS Volume 1, Issue 1
October 2010
Google Apps @ETHS
A New Guide to Integrating Technology at E-Town.
Collaboration between students and teachers
There are a lot of great things happening in the world wide web of educational technology, and many of them are taking place right here at ETHS. I’d like to use this newsletter to inform teachers of events, workshops, initiatives, and links all relating to technology and how it can help you and your classroom instruction. Last year, we completed a pilot project featuring Google Apps for Education. 9 teachers and over 100 students used Email, Calendars, Documents, Sites, and Groups to collaborate with each other on presentations, websites, and more. This year, ETHS Ambassadors corresponded with incoming freshmen via their ETHS202.org Google accounts, and many more teachers have begun sharing documents using Apps. As of today, over 600 teachers and students have accessed their accounts. There is minimal setup as all teachers and students have accounts already created using their same network credentials. So, feel free to try it out yourself, or email me if you’d like to discover how Google Apps might be used in your class. Give it a test drive here.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE 1
Google Apps @ETHS
1
Tablet PC Rollout
1
Discovery Education Streaming
2
Teacher Websites Double in a Year
2
Featured Posts from Chanatown.net
2
Next Issue
Tablet PC Rollout Nearly Complete This year marks the fourth year of the Tablet PC deployment cycle. The convertible laptop is making its way into more classrooms, and many teachers are seamlessly integrating the device into their instruction.
For more information on basic uses for Tablet PC’s, click here. To schedule an appointment to review/discuss how to use the Tablet in your classroom, please contact me directly.
Over 80,000 Video Clips Available on DiscoveryEducation.com Integrate multimedia into your presentations, show a full episode of Mythbusters, or a segment of Ken Burns’ Jazz series. All of this and much more can be found on discoveryeducation.com. Use your full email address (ex. chand@eths.k12.il.us) and grade book ID/last name (ex. 305chan) to login and begin exploring! Please contact me for integration ideas or if you have trouble accessing your account.
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FEATURED POSTS CHANATOWN.NET
FROM
Teacher Websites Double in a Year
This summer, I got hooked on blogging, so I thought I’d share a few of the more relevant posts from the past few months below.
CELL PHONE DISCOUNTS TEACHERS
FOR
As I mentioned in a presentation to the Board earlier this year, one of my favorite web pages on the ETHS website is the page that lists Teacher Web Pages. I personally love seeing this page expand as more teachers are finding it beneficial to create a website for their classes.
I’m a pretty frugal guy. However, I was shocked when I found out that I was missing out on an educator’s discount for my cell phone for over 10 years! All it took was to bring my ID to the store, and I’m saving nearly $20/month. Read more about how you can start saving here. Also, feel free to leave a comment on the post if you have a different carrier and/or specific experience to share.
PURCHASING
A
NEW COMPUTER
One of the most frequently asked questions I get now is about what computer to buy. Although I can’t say there’s been one machine that’s been head and shoulders above the rest, I tried to share a few things to look for, as well as offer some specific suggestions on both laptops and desktops. Read more here. Feel free to comment on your experience or if you’ve had a particular brand that’s been good to you.
One of the biggest reasons for this increase has been the option of using either SharePoint or Google Sites. Although each certainly has its strengths and weaknesses, many teachers have found one platform that works best for them.
ONLINE STORAGE: DROPBOX I nearly always carry a USB drive wherever I am in the building. On it, I have some important files, sample training documents, and key installation files. However, I am also using online file storage as a backup solution and it’s come in handy during those times I’m without my USB drive. Plus, with Dropbox, I’m able to pull up documents on my phone. More on this cool application here.
CAPTURING SCREENSHOTS Often times, when teachers have questions on applications such as TAC, it’s helpful to send an accompanying screenshot. Similarly, when creating handouts that need a picture of a website, a screenshot would make for a useful addition. Here are the easiest ways to get that coveted screen captured whether you’re on a PC, Mac, or iPhone.
Read more about options for creating your own teacher web page at ETHS here.
Next Issue: Next month, we’ll introduce the Technology Demonstration Classrooms, a summer project designed to offer teachers the opportunity to see technology in action during the school day. We’ll introduce VoiceThread, an online tool used for digital storytelling, and we’ll get a first look at the ETHS Netbook Project, a presentation that will be given at the Illinois Educational and Technology Conference in mid-November. For additional newsletter requests, tech support, comments, or just to say “hello”, please email or call at ext.7366. Thanks for reading. David Chan Technology Integration Specialist
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