Vol. 2, Issue 2 August 27, 2013
Tech News Tuesday weekly eNewsletter IN THIS ISSUE
Cool Tool of the Week – Smore.com Student Tech Mentors Wanted Online Resource of the Week – Polleverywhere.com Mobile App of the Week – Operation Math Trending Topic – Design Thinking in Class Office Tip of the Week – Cleaning Your Computer Presentation Tip of the Week – Skype in the Classroom Bonus Tip! – How to setup MCS email on a Smartphone
TECH NEWS TUESDAY
| Vol. 2, Issue 2 – AUGUST 27, 2013
How to use the TNT eNewsletter guided tour
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Table of Contents Page 1
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Page 2 WEEKLY ENEWSLETTER PROVIDING INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY STAFF RESOURCES
Cool Tool of the Week
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www.smore.com Smore.com makes it easy to create great flyers.
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Visit the Tech News Tuesday feedback page Current and Past Editions Modesto City Schools | Office of Instructional Technology www.mcs4kids.com/mcsit
TECH NEWS TUESDAY
| Vol. 2, Issue 2 – AUGUST 27, 2013
2 ISTE NETS-S
ISTE NETS S for Students
(weekly words of weekly wisdom)
Student Tech Mentors of the Week
MAKE
by You
Your School will be listed here Your Job Title will go here
SOLVE
Looking for outstanding student stories for our Student Tech Mentors of the Week section of the TNT eNewsletter. Please nominate a student from your class that you feel excels at technology and is helping out in the classroom, assisting fellow students, or using technology in a creative way. Please use the Tech News Tuesday online feedback form to nominate your Student Tech Mentor of the Week! > click here See examples of last year’s stories in our TNT eNewsletter archive > click here
Edmodo is a socia learning platform for teachers, students, and parents. It has the look of Facebook but with educational applications. On Edmodo, teachers are at the center of a powerful network that connects them to students, administrators, and parents. In Edmodo’s secure environment, teachers and students can collaborate, share content, and use educational apps to augment inclassroom learning. These powerful capabilities enable teachers to personalize learning for every student. Edmodo is free.
USE
Click Here to Nominate a Student
FIND
Modesto City Schools has a districtwide deployment of Edmodo. TO LEARN MORE VISIT:
We would enjoy hearing about technology being used in the classroom and any support we can provide. Looking for Teachers to share classroom lessons using technology to feature in upcoming issues of TNT eNewsletter. Please complete this form to share or ask for assistance using technology for a classroom project. > click here
You and your students wanted! Online Resource of the Week
www.polleverywhere.com Poll Everywhere lets you engage your audience or class anywhere in real time. Free for up to 40 students for each poll. How it works: 1. Ask your audience a question with the Poll Everywhere app 2. Audience answers in real time using a web browser, mobile phone, or Twitter 3. See your response live on the web or in a PowerPoint or Keynote presentation Watch the 1 min video how it works: > Using Poll Everywhere
Modesto City Schools | Office of Instructional Technology www.mcs4kids.com/mcsit
TECH NEWS TUESDAY
| Vol. 2, Issue 2 – AUGUST 27, 2013
Mobile App of the Week
Won 2013 American Association of School Librarians Best App for Teaching and Learning Won 2012 Parents’ Choice Award
Trending Topic of the week
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Operation Math www.spinlight.com/apps/operationmath.html In Operation Math, an app for the iPad and Android devices, students must stop Dr. Odd from his quest to eliminate the world’s even numbers by finding his secret bases and destroying his computer mainframes. To complete a mission and unlock rewards, students must answer a certain number of math questions in 60 seconds. Training rooms help students prepare for their timed mission. The app is available for $2.99 in the iTunes and Google Play App Stores. iPad & Android devices $2.99 Ages 6-12+ Subjects: Math
Click here for iPad App Click here for Android App
Design Thinking in Class Adding elements of design thinking to the classroom doesn’t necessarily require a huge classroom redesign or an expensive 3D printer. There are plenty of ways to bring the creativity and energy of designing thinking into class, helping to inspire students and teachers alike. Here are some ideas for integrating different components of a design learning experience into familiar, preexisting scenarios that play out in every school. > Step by Step Guide from Mind Shift for Design Thinking in Class Modesto City Schools | Office of Instructional Technology www.mcs4kids.com/mcsit
TECH NEWS TUESDAY
| Vol. 2, Issue 2 – AUGUST 27, 2013
Office Tip of the week
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Cleaning Your Computer Quick Tips for Keeping your Computer Sparkly Clean and Shiny
What a better way to get the School Year started then to update your skills in Microsoft Office! Sign up today for the free online training for MCS Employees to take self-paced lessons on courses you choose in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and more. Your account is good for the full calendar year.
You will need: Distilled Water White Vinegar Spray bottle Rubbing Alcohol
Cotton Pad Paperclip Microfiber cloth Compressed gas
> Click here for a flyer and how to sign up NEW MCS IT Self-Help Desk Website Website focusing on the FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS with technology that we thought would be helpful. Please let us know any topics you think should be added. www.mcs4kids.com/helpdesk
Presentation Tip Skype has launched the Skype in of the Week the Classroom platform, which
BONUS TIP!
connects teachers and classrooms with guest speakers, online lessons, and other classrooms. With over 107 guest speakers and 33 partner organizations provides for an array of guest-speaker options for teachers.
ADDING YOUR MCS EMAIL TO YOUR SMART PHONE If you ever wanted to add your MCS email to your Android, iPhone, iPad, or iPod follow these directions:
https://education.skype.com
> Smartphone MCS Email Setup Link
Modesto City Schools | Office of Instructional Technology www.mcs4kids.com/mcsit