Technology Tips and Tricks

Friday, May 23, 2014

Reflect..... Year of 2014

2013-2014 Reflection

As many of our great staff at ACSD are checking semester tests, generating report cards, making memory videos, and saying goodbye to ACSD for the last time, it is time to reflect. I am reflecting on what great things I have seen regarding technology!!! WOW.... can we say we are moving to the right direction? Great job everyone!! Keep up the good work!!

Here are great examples of technology/learning done this year:

3rd Grade Team -- Implementing the IPAD Cart
K-3 Using the Chromebooks ~~Google Docs, Google Presentations, Moby Max, and More.Starfall (Great find Margo)
Launching Moby Max -- Great Find Jordan
An Awesome AHS 1 to 1 Committee AHS 1 to 1 Committee
Approval of the 1 to 1 Initiative at AHS 1 to 1 Initiative
Trojan Learning Camp -- Teachers teaching Tech (TTT) Trojan Learning Camp 2014 Check out the Session Handouts -- AWESOME RESOURCES
Successful online testing -- NWEA, IEOC, and Smart Balance
Great uses of Interactive White Board
Book Share Training
Google Charts and Spreadsheets -- Data Collection - Science
Awesome Webfolios created
Teachers with an online presence (Blog or website)
Chromebook introductions at Washington, Schuler, & Middle School
Great uses of BrainPop Jr and BrainPop
3D Digital Books -- Zooburst
Storybird creations
Creative Glogsters created
Google Apps used all over and everywhere
Implementation of Khan Academy for many new users
Home School department making an awesome animated video
Great back channels with such websites: Today's Meet, Padlet, and Twitter
Google Hangout with a family in Korea
Google Hangout with Yemen Students
Skyping with Authors
Eye of the Needle Episodes -- GREAT JOB
Attendance to EdCamps, ITEC, NETA, 1 to 1, 21st Technology
Clarity Survey -- Great results
Awesome videos created at AHS for the 1 to 1 Roll Out
Faculty loving their Point 2 Views
Many Iowa Area Online Users
Various videos uploaded to Youtube and Google Drive
Screencasts created
Symbaloos for all buildings
New online assessments being used
Students working on their writing skills through Kidblog and other Blogging tools
Administrators modeling technology by Google Forms, Google Docs, Google Calendar, Camtasia, Google Sites, Appointment Slots, and much more
QR Codes posted throughout the district

.......................................and the list is never ending....................................

GOOD JOB FROM THE TECH DEPT!!!!

KEEP IT UP......

“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”
― Benjamin Franklin

“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young.”
― Henry Ford

Come join the learning this summer.

2014 Summer Professional Development

#acsdtech

By: Jessica Fincel
Twitter: @jfincel32

Friday, March 14, 2014

My First Ever Edcamp Experience -- LOVED IT!

Last Saturday, I signed up to go to the Southwest EdCampIowa. I will be honest, by Friday afternoon, I wasn't excited about going. I was tired after a long week, and it was scheduled on a Saturday. Most of all, Iowa State Cyclones men's basketball team was scheduled to play at 1:00PM against Oklahoma State. I love my #Cyclones. PS- Cyclones won in overtime 85-81.

I was running late Saturday morning, like always. Ginger, Nita, and Julia were very understanding. Thank you!! We got there 5 minutes early....plenty of time. =-)

As being my FIRST EVER Edcamp, I really didn't know the details on how EdCamps worked. Of course, I have heard of Edcamps before, and I had a general idea. As my FIRST EVER Edcamp, COUNT ME IN NEXT YEAR!!! I absolutely loved it.

I am a strong believer in #communication and #collobration. WOW!!! Great things happened in the sessions I attended.

I attended the sessions below:

Genius Hour
Tech Tools - What Are Your Favorite
1:1 - Measuring Success
Technology Tools for Formative Assessment

The sessions listed above relates to technology, but there were many different alternatives to choose from on Saturday. Here were some of the other sessions offered that day: Competency-Based Education, What Would School Look Like If We Could Redesign It?, Response to Intervention, Things That Suck in Education, Iowa Core Implementation, and much more.

A special thanks to Red Oak and Green Hills!
@JudyGriffinAEA
@davidleevanhorn
@mangeroth
Deanna Etherington

In the link below you will find resources from Southwest Iowa EdCamp.
Southwest Iowa EdCamp -- Red Oak, March 8, 2014

Resources from all EdCamps in Iowa.
http://edcampiowa.org/

#edcampiowa

By: Jessica Fincel
Twitter: @jfincel32

PS--Cheer on the Cyclones Tonight!!!

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

What is After the "+" in Gmail? Need an Undo Send? What is Google Drive's Activity Stream?

What is after the "+" Sign in the Compose Email Screen

Formatting Options
Formatting, Fonts, and Colors - Gmail Help

Add Attachments
Add Attachments -- Gmail Help

Inserting Files Using Google Drive
Inserting Files Using Google Drive -- Gmail Help
Sharing Settings -- Gmail Help

Inserting Links

Inserting Emoticons
Inserting Emoticons - Gmail Help

Inserting Invitations
Inserting Invitations - Gmail/Calendar Help

Undo Send

Have you ever had .... "OH NO, Opps, or much worse"..........moment!
Gmail has a Lab named Undo Send.

1.) Log into Gmail
2.) Click on the Gear
3.) Click on Settings

4.) Click on Labs

5.) Find the Lab "Undo Send" and Click the Enable Radio Button

6.) Scroll to the button and Click Save Changes

7. ) Once Click Send button the following message will appear on the top of your Gmail

Misc. Notes

Recommended Gmail and Calendar Labs

Send cancellation period defaults to 10 seconds, but can change the duration in the General Settings.

Google Drive New Activity Stream

What is Google Drive's Activity Stream?

1.) Go to Google Drive

2.) Click the "I", and the new activity stream will appear on the left hand side.

By: Jessica Fincel @jfincel32

Sunday, January 19, 2014

A Tech Conference... "Not for me".. Why Not?

What? I don't need or want to attend a conference and/or Edcamp? It is not for me? I am not techy? I don't have time, and it is a waste of my time.

If that sounds like how who you feel, my first question to you is, "have you attended one"? My guess would be probably not. Well as a person that has attended many conferences, you will come home with A LOT of information, and feel overwhelmed. No jokes you will. Even with the feeling of being overwhelmed (yes, even a tech person), a more powerful feeling will take over -- EXCITEMENT. When I attend a conference, my goal is to come home with a few tools. I will not be able to use and remember everything that was taught that day. IMPOSSIBLE!! You will find that quote, statement, speaker, tool, or concept that will make you grow as a teacher and person. That is how you define the conference was a SUCCESS. So, I hope my motivation speech, makes you to decide to attend a conference in the near future!!

Below are some great camps and conferences coming up in the next 6 months.... Happy Learning!!!

EdCamp Iowa 2014
Saturday, March 8, 2014
http://edcampiowa.org/
EdCamp sessions are NOT 'sit and get' presentations. EdCamps are about discussion and thinking and problem-solving. We build the agenda first thing in the morning and then spend the rest of the day talking, sharing, and learning. Come prepared to participate!

Iowa 1 to 1 Conference
Thursday, April 10, 2014
http://iowa1to1.com/

The institute is open to anyone interested in 1:1 laptop computing initiatives in P-12 schools, whether they currently are working in such a program or just want to learn more.

Neta Spring Conference

April 24-25, 2014

http://www.netasite.org

The Nebraska Educational Technology Association exists for the purpose of providing leadership and promoting the application of technology to the educational process. Its span of interest includes all levels and aspects of education.

Google Summit @ Glenwood
June 23-24, 2014

https://sites.google.com/a/ghaea.org/southwest-iowa-summit/
Angela Maiers, Eric Sheninger, and Scott McLeod will provide keynotes at this year's Southwest Iowa Google Summit. The 2014 Southwest Google Summit is being held on June 23 and 24 in Glenwood, Iowa.

By: Jessica Fincel @jfincel32

Monday, November 25, 2013

Assess, Collaborate, Vocab, and Collect Web Tools

Do you need new web tools!! Are you looking to try something new in the classroom? Check out the presentation below. The presentation includes great tutorials for these websites. Happy Learning!!!
Assess

Infuselearning
Google Forms
EduCanon

Collaborate/Present

Prezi
Padlet
Lucidchart

Vocab

Google Spreadsheets - Flippity
Quizlet
StudyBlue

Collect

SweetSearch
InstaGrok
Wolframalpha

By: Jessica Fincel @jfincel32

Sunday, November 3, 2013

Technology ... Always Changing and Updating - Chrome and Google Apps!

Google Apps and Chrome have made some changes in the last month. In my opinion, these four changes will take some time to adjust.

1.) No more black bar in your Google Apps!!! Look for the new icon!!

2.) No more folder icon in Google Drive, but can move a Google document under the file menu.

3.) New icon in Google Drive. No need to hover to find the hidden back arrow. Click on the icon to get back to drive for all Google Drive applications.

4.) Chrome start up page has a new look.

By: Jessica Fincel @jfincel32

Sunday, October 27, 2013

"Where are my Scroll Bars?"

Most of ACSD computers are or soon will be up to an OS X v10.7 Lion or later, and the biggest obstacle is the trackpad on the laptops. Most of our staff love their new computers, but want their scroll bars back. Personally, I can't blame them. It took time for me as well to make the adjustment. We are all are creature of habits, and when something that we are use to being there all the time, it takes time to adjust for ALL of us!! So, I think the tips and tricks below might make your life a little bit easier -- I HOPE!!!

Trackpad

My favorite tip:

Two finger scroll up and down

Special Note: Scroll bars will only appear when you are scrolling. When not scrolling, they disappear to not get in the way of your content. You can change this behavior in the General pane of System Preferences, if desired.