All Things Technology

Google Apps: Google Sites 101

2011-03-22T13:05:00.002-04:00

This video covers inserting text, pictures and videos from You Tube to your Google Site.

Google Apps: Setting Viewers and Editors on Google Sites

2011-03-17T10:47:00.001-04:00

Market Study Analysis

2011-03-17T10:21:00.000-04:00

Work One Vice President Gary Gatman presents on a a market study analysis for the Region 3 workforce adult education consortium. Check out his emphasis and points on the importance of technology in our classrooms as we prepare students.

Video Creation in Progress

2011-03-17T10:17:00.000-04:00

Over the next two weeks Kelly and I will be working on creating a video that highlights what FCAVC students and staff are doing with technology. We are looking for subject matter you or your students could demonstrate that is completely unique. Think about this. Each one of your classrooms is a unique environment. Each one of your students are unique. We want to show off what they can do. Part of this video will emphasize a demand for 1:1 computing in our programs and classrooms. Consider being a part of this video. We need teachers and students to interview on camera, give demonstrations of technology and speak about what would make a difference in our future.

There are many questions to ask as we prepare to move towards a 1:1 environment.

1. Could my curriculum, lesson plans and classroom resources be digitized or transfered into a more interactive approach?

2. What device would be best utilized in a 1:1 environment? (e.g. tablet pc, notebook computer, mobile device)

3. Am I willing to be flexible when errors, malfunctions or network outages occur or will life in my classroom come to an end?

4. Continuing my education in technology; am I willing to 'keep up' with what my students will demand and need to learn from me?

5. Am I familiar enough with instructing students on how to appropriate use the web? (Web presence reputation).

6. Do I have a good support mechanism (administration, technology staff, other teachers) to make 1:1 a realistic success in my program/classroom?

7. What administrators or technology staff members should I be sharing ideas with? What ideas should I be discussing?

Bottom line......these questions should be thought about in depth. I'm happy to discuss any and all thoughts and feedback. This is such a great opportunity for our students we can't afford to miss out on.

TABE Online Extensive Training

2011-02-25T11:47:00.002-05:00

Reporting service areas dropping calls with ATT Mobility

2011-02-23T13:50:00.000-05:00

What's really frustrating? Driving...trying to have a conference call and all of a sudden the call just drops. Not lower quality and then re-establishment of quality, but plain old dropping calls. Feels like I'm in 1992 where we had to go park by the cell tower for the best service! We are customers of ATT Mobility here. When we originally signed a contract with them we were told, ANY areas that did not have satisfactory service or areas showing a decrease in service quality could be reported to ATT and engineers would fix the issue. Problem is, I would have to have a valid address and sit down and call them. Well, we all know that making calls to conduct business takes more time than doing it electronically. So, where's the better method?

If you carry an iPhone 3/3gs/4 you can do this electronically. Visit the App Store on your iPhone. Search for an App called Mark the Spot. Download this app, it is free. The amazing part of this app is it uses the GPS chip in the iPhone to report outages or troubled service areas. So, this app will always work, even if the phone function on your iPhone isn't. The great news is, the more of us that do this, the better the coverage will get! Please take a moment to consider downloading and beginning to use this app. Check out the video below if you need some help getting it done.

iResQ Saves the Day

2011-02-23T11:46:00.000-05:00

Most of our users that have "company" cell phones are carrying iPhones these days. So if you have an iPhone 3/3gs/4 or an iPod (any generation), or even an iPad this is a great resource for you. We had an iPhone 3gs that was accidentally dropped, shattering the glass on the front. Wow it looked nasty! The bad news was that our Apple Care protection plan had run out on this device. Even if we had Apple Care, it wasn't an equipment malfunction, so it wouldn't have been covered. So, what to do? Recycle the damaged phone and buy a new one on Craig's List? Just deal with the shattered screen and wait until our contract was up? The cheapest answer was to use www.iresq.com. It cost us under $70 (with shipping). We shipped it in, they fixed the glass and sent it back. I do need to say, if you send it to this company and still have Apple Care certain repairs iResQ will make will potentially void your Apple Care protection plan. On this particular device it didn't really matter we just needed it fixed. They are very quick.

www.iresq.com

PDF Editor

2011-02-19T14:46:00.000-05:00

Ever wish you could just scan something in a PDF and then be able to easily type on it without using a typewrite or actually writing it out? If you are a Mac User, check this tool out! It works well and it is easy! Oh, and it's free.

http://www.anypdftools.com/pdf-editor-for-mac.html

Evernote

2011-02-19T14:44:00.000-05:00

Another application well worth your time to check out. If you have an iPhone, iPad and a laptop this is perfect to help keep notes and much more synchronized wirelessly!
Check it out www.evernote.com

Crap Detection 101 - Howard Rheingold

2011-02-19T14:40:00.003-05:00

This is a video well worth watching. Howard Rheingold discusses the concept of Internet safety and how to appropriately detect legitimate from "crap."

Rosetta Stone Resource Site

2011-02-19T14:36:00.002-05:00

Please visit the link to check out resources and supplemental materials for Rosetta Stone online.

TABE Online: Setting up Test Sessions

2011-02-19T14:35:00.000-05:00

TABE Online: Reporting Functions

2011-02-19T14:34:00.002-05:00

TABE Online: Adding Students

2011-02-19T14:33:00.005-05:00

TABE Online: How to Log In

2011-02-19T14:33:00.002-05:00

Google Apps: Creating Forms

2011-02-19T14:32:00.004-05:00

Google Apps: Forms and Sites

2011-02-19T14:32:00.002-05:00

Google Apps: Using and Understanding Spam Email and Postini Filter

2011-02-19T14:30:00.002-05:00

Google Apps: How to Login

2011-02-19T10:37:00.002-05:00

Video on how to access and log-in to Google Apps at FCAVC.

January 2011 In-Service

2011-02-19T10:29:00.000-05:00

We recently held an all day technology in-service at Four County Area Vocational Cooperative. I've attached some follow-up notes and resources I emailed to our staff.

Follow-Up Notes and Resources