Vol. 2, Issue 10 April 8, 2014
Tech News Tuesday online eNewsletter IN THIS ISSUE The month of April features a jam-packed list of resources and tips to share! Have fun learning and have a terrific Spring Break! Focus On – Read to Feed Heifer International Reading Incentive Security Now – Keep Windows XP Secure after April 8th For the Rookie – One Stop Shop for Beginners Cool Tool –No More Ads in YouTube Fun Tech – SimCity for Education Google Apps for Education Tip – 3 great tools for video presentations, audio feedback in comments, and interactive, collaborative wipeboards Mobile App – Know how every student is doing at every moment Tech Tip – 10 Amazing Google Search Tips Microsoft Tip – Take Word, Excel, PowerPoint mobile Updates – New features in Remind101 and ClassDojo Trending Topic – Common Core Aligned Exercises in Khan Academy
TECH NEWS TUESDAY | Vol. 2, Issue 10 – APRIL 8, 2014 3
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Table of Contents
Focus On page 1
Security Now page 2
For the Rookie page 3
Cool Tool page 4
ONLINE ENEWSLETTER PROVIDING INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY STAFF RESOURCES
Fun Tech page 4
Focus On
Google Apps for Education page 5
Read to Feed is Heifer International’s unique reading incentive program for schoolchildren from prekindergarten through grade 6. Students enlist sponsors to pledge a donation for each book or hour students read. The children choose animals that will provide a poor family with a sustainable source of food and the income needed to pay for school fees, books and uniforms and achieve the dignity of self-reliance. Read to Feed includes free downloadable Common Core–aligned lessons for prekindergarten through grade 6 as well as videos and other tools for the classroom. If your students raise $600 through Read to Feed between April 1 and June 15, 2014, your class will receive 30 copies of a grade-appropriate book. Deadline: June 15, 2014, for completion of fundraising
Mobile App page 6
Tech Tip page 7
Microsoft Tip page 7
Updates page 8
Trending Topic page 9
Visit the Tech News Tuesday feedback page Current and Past Editions
www.heifer.org/readtofeed
How to use TNT Issuu
Modesto City Schools | Office of Instructional Technology www.mcs4kids.com/it
TECH NEWS TUESDAY | Vol. 2, Issue 10 – APRIL 8, 2014
Security Now
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FOR HOME USE ONLY NOT RELATED TO DISTRICT WORKSTATION SETUP
Keep Windows XP Secure After April 8 Support Deadline April 8 marks the end of Microsoft's support for Windows XP; an operating system that's still very popular and widely used. After that deadline, Windows XP will no longer be patched, but that doesn't mean it can't be used safely. Here are some things you can do to keep Windows XP secure:
1. Install Windows XP's final update. > click here 2. Use Windows XP as a "limited user." > click here By default, user accounts in Windows are "administrator," meaning the user can install programs and make system changes. Downgrading the account will prevent programs that may be malicious from getting access to the system. 3. Use the Google Chrome browser instead of Internet Explorer. > click here Chrome is free, and far more secure since it's being kept up to date by Google. 4. Make sure all programs are patched and up to date. If you're using an older version of Microsoft Office, make sure the security settings are set high. > click here 5. Only download software from original vendors. Don't download programs from a third party download site; make sure it's from the actual source. 6. Don't click on links in email. These links may be deceiving, and malicious links could appear to be coming from someone you know. 7. Keep antivirus software up to date. 8. Connect to the internet through a router. This will act as a hardware firewall, which will protect against attacks. 9. Disconnect Windows XP from the internet. If you don't need to be online with your Windows XP computer, then cutting it off from the outside world is highly recommended. From The Tech Guy with Leo Laporte radio show on the Premiere Networks http://premiereradio.com/shows/view/leo_laporte.html Modesto City Schools | Office of Instructional Technology www.mcs4kids.com/it
TECH NEWS TUESDAY | Vol. 2, Issue 10 – APRIL 8, 2014
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Click on the tile of your choice to start a lesson
For the Rookie
Free! Self-Paced! User Friendly! Online! Lessons!
Using a Mouse
How to Type
Computer Basics
Email Basics
Internet Basics
How to Use Chrome Web Browser
Being Safe on the Internet
How to use Apple Mac OS X Mavericks
How to use Windows 7
How to use Windows 8
How to use Google Drive and Docs
Microsoft Office
Training resources on this page brought to you by the fine folks at GCFLearnFree.org featuring over 1,082 lessons in more than 90 tutorials free online. Focus of their tutorials are on technology, work and career, math skills, reading skills, and everyday life skills. Modesto City Schools | Office of Instructional Technology www.mcs4kids.com/it
TECH NEWS TUESDAY | Vol. 2, Issue 10 – APRIL 8, 2014
Cool Tool
NO MORE ADS WITH
YOUTUBE OPTIONS FREE CHROME WEB BROWSER EXTENSION
MAKE YOUTUBE BETTER > click here for extension
Fun Tech www.simcityedu.org
SimCityEDU: Pollution Challenge! is a game-based learning and assessment tool for middle school students covering the Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards. In the game, students play the role of a mayor, who is doing the challenging work of addressing environmental impact while balancing the employment needs and happiness of the city’s citizens. Designed in partnership with assessment experts from ETS and Pearson, SimCityEDU: Pollution Challenge! not only teaches students about the factors affecting the environment in a modern city but also provides formative assessment information about students’ ability to solve problems, explain relationships in complex systems and read informational texts and diagrams. Lesson plans, teacher and student dashboards along with student data reporting— complete the SimCityEDU experience, delivering personalized learning to every student.
Modesto City Schools | Office of Instructional Technology www.mcs4kids.com/it
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TECH NEWS TUESDAY | Vol. 2, Issue 10 – APRIL 8, 2014
Google Apps for Education Tip Google Apps for Education (GAFE)
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Movenote Present your Google documents and slideshows with video! Check out the video below how to use the free app Movenote (the video itself is made with Movenote) www.movenote.com
To request GAFE Accounts for Modesto City Schools Teachers, Staff, and Students > click here
For MCS Google Apps Training > click here
Best Online Wipeboard
Kaizena
Give great feedback with Kaizena free website tool. Add audio feedback to Google Doc comments. Also allows you to share and store web resources to use in your comment feedback for future use. Students do not need Kaizena account to listen to feedback. Check it out at https://kaizena.com
Realtimeboard is a fantastic interactive wipeboard website. You can save, share, and collaborate with others in your board. Use it as a storyboard, mind map, project ideas. Best of all it works with Google Drive too! Check it out at www.realtimeboard.com Modesto City Schools | Office of Instructional Technology www.mcs4kids.com/it
TECH NEWS TUESDAY | Vol. 2, Issue 10 – APRIL 8, 2014
Mobile App
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www.letsgeddit.com Free app works with any device connected to the Internet, computer, laptop, Chromebook, iPad, or smartphone. You can sign in with your Google Account.
Know how every student is doing at any moment Teacher Resources to use Geddit Presentation Instructions for students Check-in Poster Geddit Flyer Click here
Modesto City Schools | Office of Instructional Technology www.mcs4kids.com/it
TECH NEWS TUESDAY | Vol. 2, Issue 10 – APRIL 8, 2014
Tech Tip 10 Google Search Tips 1. Timer 2. Reading Level 3. Image Usage Rights 4. Click the video to the right to see the rest of the tips…
Microsoft Tip
Office Apps for your mobile device: iPad App iPhone App Android Phone App
Microsoft Office on mobile devices Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint are now available as apps on the iPad. You can view any document, presentation, or spreadsheet you have saved on Microsoft OneDrive cloudstorage service for free with the touch-friendly apps. For free you can upload a PowerPoint to your OneDrive account and with the built-in AirPlay feature on the iPad and the AirServer on your computer App (no need for an AppleTV) you can cast your PowerPoint up on the projector. The PowerPoint iPad app allows you to control your presentation, use touch on the iPad screen for a laser pointer and you can annotate in real time. The iPhone, Android, and Windows Phone app allows you to view, create, and edit your Office documents. * Microsoft OneDrive cloud storage for Office www.onedrive.com * How to use OneDrive www.gcflearnfree.org/skydrive
Windows Phone App
* AirServer App for the computer www.airserver.com * How to AirPlay on iPad http://support.apple.com/kb/ht5209 Modesto City Schools | Office of Instructional Technology www.mcs4kids.com/it
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TECH NEWS TUESDAY | Vol. 2, Issue 10 – APRIL 8, 2014
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Updates
With Remind101 teachers can instantly send a message to a class of students or their parents. Secure: teachers never see student or parent’s real phone numbers.
NOW you can send photos, homework, and presentations to student’s and parent’s phones with remind101! Check out the 30 second video below:
Video – How to use Remind101 Handout – What is Remind101 Handout – Is Remind101 safe Website – Remind101 features
ClassDojo is a classroom tool that helps teachers improve behavior in their classrooms quickly and easily. Better learning behaviors, smoother lessons and hassle-free data – and its free!
Video – Watch teacher use ClassDojo
NOW you can send messages to parents with ClassDojo. Visit this website to learn more:
Apple iOS iPhone iPad App
www.classdojo.com/messaging
How-To – Use ClassDojo
Android App
Modesto City Schools | Office of Instructional Technology www.mcs4kids.com/it
TECH NEWS TUESDAY | Vol. 2, Issue 10 – APRIL 8, 2014
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Trending Topic with
and
Presents Common Core Aligned Exercises
www.khanacademy.org/commoncore Khan Academy announces All-new standards-aligned exercises These new exercises cover conceptual understanding, procedural fluency and real-world application— the three components of rigor emphasized by the Common Core. Every problem for every standard is accompanied by a step-by-step solution created specifically for that problem. To ensure materials are rigorous and fully aligned to the Common Core, Khan Academy has also received guidance and training from several organizations involved in the design and assessment of the new standards, including Illustrative Mathematics and Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium. Students can work through these exercises at their own pace through Khan Academy’s new gradelevel “missions,” which help students master all the concepts required by the Common Core math standards. The missions then personalize for each student, using state-of-the-art, adaptive software to identify gaps, recommend new skills and show progress. To help teachers ensure their students are prepared for the Common Core, Khan Academy offers several teacher resources. For example, teachers can use Khan Academy’s new Common Core Map to quickly find math exercises by standard and assign them to students. Teachers can also use real-time reports to track each student’s progress, at any time throughout the year, against the Common Core standards for each grade level and identify which students may need more attention.
> I'm a teacher, coach or parent: How do I start using the site?
Modesto City Schools | Office of Instructional Technology www.mcs4kids.com/it