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SAUSD Education Technology Newsletter | January, 2012 |
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Technology in Support of Teaching and Learning
The goal of this e-newsletter is to bring you information and resources to support you in your use of technology in the classroom and school.
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Technology Integration - What's Happening in Orange County | |
The new year has begun, and with the new year are two technology opportunities that are taking place in January and February for teachers in Orange County:
The Orange County Department of Education offers Orange County educators an opportunity to apply for a CTAP grant to enhance student learning. The goal of the CTAP grant is to support the enhancement and extension of teaching and learning in Orange County public schools through curricular integration of technology.
This CTAP grant gave me my first technology resources for my classroom at Saddleback High School. I did not receive the grant the first time I applied, but I received it the second year that I submitted a grant proposal. What was different between my first and second grant submission? In the second application I followed all of the directions and addressed all grant criteria.
Grant submissions are due on February 17, 2012, and winners will be announced on March 21, 2012
If you are interested in applying and would like support, a "grant writing" workshop will be held at the District Office in training room 106 on xx from 3-5PM.
For more information, go to
http://www.ocde.us/EdTech/Pages/CTAP-Educational-Technology-Grant.aspx
The Orange County CUE (OCCUE) - is our Computer-Using Educators' local affiliate. OCCUE is holding it's annual Tech Fest 2012 at Mater Dei High School on Saturday, January 21, 2012.
Mater Dei High School is located at 1202 West Edinger Ave. Santa Ana, CA 92707
The
For registration information for the OCCUE Tech Fest, click here.
Alexandra Ito
Director, Education Technology
Alexandra.ito@sausd.us
714-480-4771 |
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Nook eReaders | |
SAUSD High School Students Read Using Nook eReaders
In December, 2011, the six SAUSD comprehensive high school libraries will begin a pilot program to check out Barnes & Noble's Nook Simple Touch eReader to students. Each high school library has received 12 Nooks to be loaded with 25-30 ebooks at various reading and interest levels. The Nooks will be circulated in the same way that library books are - students will be allowed to take them home for a defined period.
The goal of this project is to provide students with the opportunity to read using an electronic, portable, and engaging device to promote love of reading and to assess the impact of checking out electronic readers directly to students. "Our students are thrilled about taking the Nooks home to read", says Angelita Wright, Teacher Librarian at Century High School. "One student told me she had already read over 100 pages in two days!"
Staff from Barnes & Noble store at South Coast Metro is providing implementation support and the district and site librarians will gather data to assess the effectiveness of the pilot. It's exciting to see engaging, 21st century reading technology in the hands of our students since we know the more they read, the more they achieve.
Maggie Barnes
District Librarian
maggie.barnes@sausd.us
714-480-4784 |
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Avermedias & Elmos
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Getting More from your Document Camera
Document cameras (Elmo, AverMedia) have become a familiar sight in classrooms across the district. They have opened up colorful worlds that captivate students in a way an overhead projector couldn't possibly begin to do.
One fun activity to engage students with the camera is to take a textbook, place it under the document camera, and with the help of a LCD projector, project to a white board.
Using different colored dry erase markers, have students come up to the whiteboard and mark up the text, answer a test question, circle vocabulary words, solve a math equation, or map the course of a famous explorer.
David Lofink
Curriculum Specialist
david.lofink@sausd.us
714-480-4775
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IMC | |
The Instructional Media Center (IMC) at the District Office
Open Monday - Thursday from 9am-5pm, Fridays from 2-5PM
(closed from 1pm-2pm for lunch)
Winter has come to the IMC! Please stop by to make your winter bulletins and/or decorations for your classroom. Reminder: There's a wealth of supplies and equipment for your use - laminating, color copies, button maker, Ellison die cuts, binding machine, poster board, butcher paper, construction paper, and paper cutters.
Check with your Office Manager to be sure your school has an account to pay for laminating, buttons, or color copies. Remember that all other services and materials are free to district employees as long as they are used to create projects for your classroom.
Martha Perez
IMC Department Specialist
martha.perez@sausd.us
714-480-4783 |
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SAUSD Webpages | |
Website and Webpage One-on-One Assistance
Are you having any issues with editing your webpage? Do you need a one-on-one assistance specific to you? Feel free to contact me to schedule a meeting.
Webpage Editor Contacts
I would like to have a contact person for each school/department for webpage editing. Please send the name of the person in charge of webpage editing for your school/office.
(Thanks to all of you have already provided me with this information)
Compatibility Issues
Some portions of the website with not show if you are using Internet Explorer Compatibility Mode. To turn off Compatibility Mode simply click the broken page on the website address bar.
Fernando Juarez
Department Specialist
fernando.juarez@sausd.us
714-480-4744 |
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SmartBoards |
SMART Board Tips and Tricks
Here are some of the most popular ideas for using your interactive whiteboard. Note that some of these tips work differently depending upon your computer's operating system (Windows vs. Mac).
Quick right-click: hold down your finger on the whiteboard surface until your right-click menu appears. You won't have to use the mouse at your computer or use the right-click button on the SMART tray.
Double tap to move an object: instead of dragging an object while in your SMART Notebook, place one finger on the object you want to move, then place another finger on your object's destination. Finally, release your first finger from the object. Your object will snap to the location of your second finger.
Rub and reveal: Using a pen with ink that is the same color as the background of the page (e.g., white ink on white paper) means that you can cover typed text easily, like using a whiteout product on paper. Use the board eraser to rub off the ink, thus revealing your text. This is especially useful for revealing answers to questions.
Record it: You can access the SMART Recorder in the SMART Board tools and use it to record teacher and student work (math problems, hand writing practice, etc), then replay it again for review.
Prepare away from school: SMART Board teachers are allowed to use the software on 1 computer at home for lesson planning. This allows you to create lessons and bring them to school for use in the classroom. You may download it from www.smarttech.com. Navigate to "resources" and then choose "downloads" for your copy of the software.
James Fowler
Curriculum Specialist
James.fowler@sausd.us
714.480.4773 |
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Outlook Email Tips |
The Outlook Navigation Pane (The column on the left side of the Outlook window that includes Mail, Calendar, Contacts, and Tasks.) appears in all views by default. The contents of the Navigation Pane change depending on what you are working in, such as Mail view or Calendar view. Each view offers access to Microsoft Outlook information pertaining to that view, different view choices within the main view and, options for accomplishing tasks within that view.
You can change the number and size of the view buttons, but you cannot rearrange the individual panes within the Navigation Pane. For example, you cannot rearrange the All Mail Folders pane and the Favorite Folders pane, which are displayed in the Mail pane.
To Customize your Outlook Navigation Pane:
- Resize the Navigation Pane: Point to the right border of the Navigation Pane and when the pointer becomes a double-headed arrow, drag the border to the left or right.
- Hide or show the minimized Navigation Pane: In the upper-right corner of the Navigation Pane there are double arrows (<<). Select the double arrows to hide the Navigation Pane, select the arrows again to show the Navigation Pane.
- Add or remove buttons: Select the Configure dropdown button at the bottom right side of the Navigation Pane. Hover over Add or Remove Buttons and then click the button that you want to add or remove.
- Change number of Navigation Pane Icons: Select the Configure dropdown button at the bottom right side of the Navigation Pane and then select Show More Buttons or Show Fewer Buttons.
- Change the display order of the buttons: Select the Configure dropdown button at the bottom right side of the Navigation Pane and then select Navigation Pane Options. To rearrange the button order, select the button that you want in the Display buttons in this order list and then select Move Up or Move Down.
- Note To restore the default button arrangement, select Reset.
Juanita Fast
Curriculum Specialist
juanita.fast@sausd.us
714-480-4776 |
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ABI Teacher Portal Tips and Tricks | |
ABI Portal Tips for Teachers
You can set ABI to open directly to your Attendance window when logging in by changing your Default Page.
In OPTIONS click USER OPTIONS. Change the DEFAULT PAGE to ATTENDANCE. Now every time you log in it will open directly to your Attendance page.
Laura Moore (Melgar)
Technology Training Specialist
laura.melgar@sausd.us
714-480-4781 |
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Atomic Learning | |
Atomic Learning provides web-based software training for more than 100 applications - including the ones that we all use every day - whether you work in the schools, district office, department or whether you are a teacher, staff member or administrator. The short, easy-to-view and understand tutorials are an anytime/anywhere resource for you to brush up on technology skills or to find out how to use a program. Atomic Learning is an integral part of our professional development program, a valuable curriculum supplement and extends learning beyond the classroom or training center. The link for Atomic Learning is www.atomiclearning.com. Please call EBS at 75657 for username and password.
Patty.arriola@sausd.us
Broadcast Specialist
714-558-5657 Patty Arriola |
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Discovery Education Streaming | |
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Discovery Education Streaming provides hundreds of thousands of standards-correlated videos, teacher resources and materials to use in the classroom. Did you know that all SAUSD teachers have a subscription to Discovery Education Streaming? Log on to www.discoveryeducation.com for access to videos, video clips, images, clipart, and much more! Call EBS at x75657 for your school's eight-digit passcode.
Patty Arriola
Patty.arriola@sausd.us
Broadcast Specialist
714-558-5657 |
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iPad Apps | |
It's Time to Update...
On October 12th, Apple released two software updates for the iPad 1 or 2, iPhone 3GS, 4 or 4S or iPod Touch 3rd or 4th generation.
- Start by updating your computer to iTunes 10.5. Generally when you open iTunes the program will automatically prompt you to update the software. If it does not, in the menu bar under Help, chose Check for Updates. If new to iTunes, download iTunes at www.apple.com/itunes/
- Once iTunes is updated, sync your mobile device by connecting your iPad or iPhone to your computer. When iTunes detects your device, it may prompt you to download and install IOS 5. If it does not prompt you to update, go to your iTunes account (with your iPad connected) and select your iPad.
iPad Update
With the update to IOS 5 you will now have access to iMessage (texting without a phone,) Reminders, Newstand, additional camera features, enhancement of photos, new features in Safari, Wi-Fi Sync, AirPlay Mirroring using Apple TV, and PC Free (the ability to sync and update your IOS system without the need for a computer!)
David Lofink
Curriculum Specialist
david.lofink@sausd.us
714-480-4775 |
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