Smart Notebook's Ink Layer

If you are used to working with Smart Notebook, you either love or hate the ink layer. For some, it was a great way to write on top anything on your computer. For others, it was the annoying thing that popped up at the worst possible time. But as you might gather from my verb tense, the ink layer is no more!

This issue has been one of the biggest questions we've fielded so far this year. As you can imagine, we only hear from those who really like it. So per popular request, our man Ken put together an awesome resource to guide you through several ways you can write on all your documents, get all your teaching done, and not miss the ink layer ever again. Check it out:

Four options for writing on documents using the Smart Board

Installing popular software

There's an easy way to install your favorite software on your CPS computers. It's called the Microsoft System Center 2012 and it's located in your "Start Menu". Go to the "Start Menu" and scroll for the folder called "Microsoft System Center 2012". Click on "Configuration Manager" and then "Software Center". A new window will open up and show you what software is available to download

Currently, there is Inkscape, Scratch, Google Earth, Sketchup, and Smart Response available for download. New programs are on the list to be added. And the best news is that you can request for software to be added to the software center. Just email your friendly instructional technology specialist or talk to your media specialist about your request. It's a great way to add large software to a lab of computers. 

Easy web-browsing for students: Symbaloo

I was informed about this great web 2.0 tool from a kindergarten teacher (let's call her Ms. R) this week and I have share it with you. It's called Symbaloo and it's something you have to check out. 

The premise is simple but awesome: users create "web mixes" of sites they want students to access. But wait! My Diigo account does the same thing. Why change? Because Symbaloo lets you assemble boards of sites that include icons and allow you to color-code them. Check out my example: 

Ms. R uses it so effectively. She codes all her sites by category and color. So when her kindergarten students get to the board, they know exactly what sites to visit because they can either find the icon or go to the color that Ms. R instructed them to visit. Simple. And you can make your boards public and link them to your teacher site so students and parents can access  it from anywhere.

What a great alternative to the traditional "helpful links" page! Have fun creating your boards! 

Get your CPS email on your mobile device

It's finally here!! All last year, everyone wanted to get their school email on their mobile device. And why not? We need to be connected. With the switch to Outlook this summer, all CPS teachers and staff are now able to install email through the mail client on any mobile device. Here are links to some great directions written up by our Applications Specialists:

Device instructions:
iPhone
iPad
Android

Let me Google that for you...

This is a great example of Google's sense of humor. I stumbled upon this through a post by Tony Vincent. A word of caution. You might want to make sure you have a nice relationship with the recipient before you send them this message. But here's how it works. Ever get a question from someone that easily could have been answered with a quick Google search? I haven't, but I'm sure some of you have. Well, here's a way to send a message, so to speak. 

Go to letmegooglethatforyou.com. Once you are there, type in the search that the questioner could have done. Then press "Google Search". You will be given a URL to copy and send. Here's what it could look like for you:

Sample LMGTFY

That's about it. Have fun!

Keeping up with Google

Google is a fabulous place for educators to access free, useful tools for teaching. From Docs to Earth, Blogger to Picassa, there are a ton of applications that I encourage teachers to use. I think that Google has been one of our most popular training topics from this past school year. However, one thing about Google can be a bit frustrating: they make great improvements, but don't always announce them. So here are some ways that you can keep up with Google.

Follow these blogs:
Google Apps Update Alerts
Google LatLong
Google Today

The best way to get good timely content is to follow blogs. Use an app like Google Reader to subscribe to your favorite blogs. That way, they'll send you information when it's released instead of causing you to go out and look.

Follow these Twitter feeds:
@googlenews - breaking news from Google
@google - news and updates
@googlechrome - all about Chrome
@googleatwork - info on how people are using Google

Wait, you haven't created a Twitter account yet? Then you need to. Twitter is one of the best ways to get current, relevant information about your teaching profession. It's not just for the Kardashians anymore!

Ken's QR Codes

I've found the upside to being officeless this summer. I have the opportunity to see trainings from my colleagues. So while I was blogging about our iPad Whitelisting this morning, I listened in to Ken's training on how to use QR Codes in the classroom. I have just started to use QR codes to easily send teachers to links during presentations. The more I use them, the more I wish I could use them in my classroom.

Ken does a great job of giving teachers concrete ideas to use in their classrooms. I love the idea of using QR codes to "hide" tips for answering questions, for links to informational videos, or posting messages around the school building. And because it's free and SO easy to use, there's just no excuse for not getting started with QR codes.

If you are new to QR, check out Ken's presentation here:
QR Codes in the Classroom