 | A special shout out to my new wiki warriors!
These ladies have completed training on creating and using wikis in the classroom.
Click on the links to view their work. Don't be afraid! dive in and create a wiki for your classroom. If you have questions please email me and I would be happy to come by your classroom and help
October Tech Workshops Now Available
You may check my message on Staff News or visit www.msdtechwiki.wikispaces.com for October Tech Workshop information and event #'s
Do you wiki???
Why use wikis in education?
Wikis encourage collaborative learning and information sharing
They increase student engagement and participation
Wikis facilitate communication between teachers and parents and guardians
Look for an upcoming workshop detailing creating and using wikis in your classroom!
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Welcome back Faculty and Staff!
We are excited to have you back, or just joining us if you are new to our district. I think you will find the Marion School District a great place to teach and a district that encourages you to incorporate technology in with your great teaching strategies. I look forward to visiting with you and viewing first hand some of the awesome things you are doing in your classroom.
Podcasts, Wikis and Blogs are exciting new ways to incorporate technology in addition to motivating your students. I will be offering workshops this fall for those of you who want to utilize these fantastic new Web2.0 options.
Summer Technology Workshops
I hope you are all enjoying your summer vacation! Our summer technology workshops have been a big success with most sessions being full and with a waiting list! If you are still interested, use the summer catalog posted on Staff News and register in Shoebox using the event #'s provided in the catalog.
One of the most exciting workshops for me was the Basic Podcasting workshop held Wednesday, June 4. Twelve brave teachers attended the workshop not fully knowing what they were getting into. At the end of the day however, not only did they know what a podcast was, where to find them and use them in their classes but they had even created several podcasts. Check them out at the following links and leave them a comment if you like.
New Podcast Site |
| Click here to check out my new Podcast site designed for MSD teachers. These will be another addition to our How do I... page of tips and tricks that help make your classroom life easier. |
If you are a Marion School District teacher and are interested in podcasting with your classroom, please contact me.
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Shoebox! Shoebox! Shoebox!
I really feel like that Head-On commercial sometimes. Hopefully, I'm not quite as annoying.
Beginning June 1, 2007, we began to use the ESC-Works website to register and log all staff development events. Many of you have taken to this like ducks to water, others however...
Hopefully these links will help. Please let me know if you have problems with your Shoebox account. |
1. If you are completely new to Shoebox, click here for instructions for creating your account |
2. If you think you have a Shoebox account but are not sure, please call, or email Janice Cook |
3. If you are new to our district, and you had an active Shoebox account at your former district, simply change your email address then update your user account information. There is no need to create a new account. |
4. Your principal sent you an event # and you don't know what to do! Click here for instructions. |
| Are you having trouble logging in to FirstClass? |
Are you having problems connecting to FirstClass? Are you receiving a message saying "a server with this name cannot be located"? If so, the FirstClass server address needs to be updated on your computer.
To update the FirstClass server address:
1. Start FirstClass. Don't try to login at this point.
2. On the FirstClass Login screen, click the Setup button.
3. Change the address on the Server line to fc.msd3.org . It should now look like the window displayed below.
4. Click the Apply button at the bottom of the window.
5. Login to FirstClass.
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Google Conversion Tool
We use Google as a Search Engine almost everyday but did you know that you can also use it as a Calculator or a Conversion Tool?
Google as a Calculator |
Google as a Conversion Tool |
| 1. Go to www.google.com |
1. In the google search window type what you need to convert. Be sure to use the word "in". |
| 2. Type a math problem in the search window |
Example: 5 feet in inches, 550 dollars in euros |
| 3. Click the Google Search button |
2. Click the Google Search Button |
| 4. The answer will appear in the next screen |
3. The answer will appear in the next screen |
Create Your Own Personalized Labels
Printing your own gift tags, envelopes or labels is fun and easy using MSWord. Hopefully these instructions will help make this wonderful season less stressful.
Creating Personalized Return Address Labels - Using purchased labels
1. Open a new Microsoft Word document
2. Go to Tools > Letters and Mailings > Envelopes and Labels > Labels > Options > Select the size labels you have purchased > click OK > check to see that "Entire page of Same Label" is selected > New Document
3. If you want clip art, go to Insert > ClipArt and search for your favorite seasonal graphic.
- Click Insert for your selected graphic.
- Once the graphic is inserted into the first label, click the graphic and change the layout to Square (Use the Picture toolbar)
4. Click immediately to the right of the graphic and type your address information.
5. Go to Tools > Letters and Mailings > Envelopes and Labels > your should see your address information in the text area. Click New Document and it's magic, you now have a full sheet of personalized holiday labels.
6. Be sure your purchased labels are inserted in your printer before clicking print.
Cyberbullying is emerging as one of the more challenging issues facing educators and parents as young people embrace the Internet and other mobile communication technologies.
Center for Safe and Responsible Internet Use
"Effective strategies to assist young people in acquiring knowledge, decision-making skills, motivation, and self-control to behave in a safe, responsible, and legal manner when using the Internet and other information technologies."
i-SAFE America, Inc.
i-SAFE America, Inc. is a non-profit foundation whose mission is to educate and empower youth to safely and responsibly take control of their Internet experiences. Congress has designated i-SAFE America, Inc. a non-profit Internet safety educatio0n foundation, to bring Internet safety education and awareness to the youth of the nation. iSAFE is devoted to empowering students to take control of their Internet experiences by giving them vital knowledge that will enable them to act safely and responsibly.
NetSmartzKids
NetSmartzKids (R) is an interactive, educational safety resource from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (R) (NCMEC) and Boys & Girls Clubs of America fro children aged 5 to 17, parents, guardians, educators, and law enforcement that uses age-appropriate, 3-D activities to teach children how to stay safer on the Internet.
Kidsmart
Childnet's Kidsmart Project-Kidsmart is an award winning practical Internet safety advice website for schools, agencies and young people, produced by the children's Internet charity Childnet. To access resources such as lesson plans, leaflets, posters, activity days and interactive games.
Disney's Surfswell Island
This is an excellent site for younger children with online, interactive safety games that reinforce safety issues of online behavior. Fun!!! and educational!
Live Wire's Internet Safety
This site is more appropriate for middle school and older. Games are realistic and scary!! The Missing kit (which must be purchased) helps children recognize the dangers posed by predators who they meet on-line.
 Network Security Measures
The beginning of a new school year is a great time to reset your network password and to resolve to become a more secure user. I don't want to be an alarmist but our passwords can be "stolen". I know we all would like to think that our passwords are secure but let's face it...they can become corrupted.
Windows users, please make an effort to reset your network password before the students return on the 21st. It is simple to do! Press CTRL+ALT+Delete, then simply click Change Password and follow the prompts.
Another security "word of warning" is not to Save your Password at your login. I know, when you do that you don't have to remember your password... but neither does anyone else who might gain access to your computer! Think about it. They now have access to all of your files, tests, etc. and can access sites via your IP address.
Have a great year!
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Using your FirstClass email from home
Did you know that you can download FirstClass at home? This is a great option that will allow your desktop to look and function just like it does at school. The instructions for downloading FirstClass are located on the How Do I...? page in this web site, or in FirstClass > TechTalk or by opening the link provided here for you.
Installing FirstClass at home.pdf
If you prefer not to download, the web version of FirstClass is another option. To access this, use the following URL: http://msd3.org/login. You will be directed to login. Use the same user name and password that you use to log in to FirstClass at school. The web version looks different and takes some getting used to.
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Email Password
I suggest that you change your email password at least once a year. I know we have trouble remembering them but our students are very observant and could figure out your log in information.
To change your FirstClass password, log-in and click on Collaborate. You will see the Change Password option. Click on it, enter your old password and then enter a new password. You will need to enter the new password again to confirm it.
The most secure passwords consist of both upper case and lower case letters in addition to numbers.
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E-mail Janice Cook, MSD Technology Trainer
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