Taylor ISD DuckLink #13
empowering student success and school improvement
Instructional Technology Website Updates
If you haven't been to the Taylor ISD Instructional Technology site for awhile, you should check it out. (Click the CIA button on the left side of the Taylor ISD website to find it anytime.)
Here are some of the updated items that may assist you.
- Software Support Site- includes a list of instructional software with links to the program, handouts, and video tutorials
- iPad Resources- includes app recommendations, lesson ideas, video tutorials, etc
- Web 2.0 Tools- includes a good list of awesome tools for collaboration, photos, presentations, screencasting, video, and word clouds
Moving to Mac
Have you made a smooth transition to using a Mac? Are you still struggling to figure out how the thing works? Over the last two school years we purchased over 1200 Macbooks, 110 iMacs and 400 iPads for teachers and students.
That means that many of you have moved from primarily using a PC with a Windows XP operating system to using a Mac with the Mac OS X operating system. This can be quite a challenge especially if that is what you have been use to for many years. Change brings about growing pains, but once you get through them you may find great rewards.
In our latest district technology survey, teachers were asked what device they would most support students using on a daily basis even if it required changing instructional strategies. The top two responses were iPad and Macbook laptop. In light of this need, we will continue to do our best to support this transition. Be sure to check out these resources to help.
OwnCloud Beta Testers?
Over the last few months, a few of us have been testing out a service called OwnCloud. This is essentially our own in-district version of some of the services like Dropbox. It's certainly not as robust but it has some simple features that may be useful to you.
If you would like to "TEST" out the service you may. Please keep in mind this is in the testing phase so you will not want to only save your files in this location.
These videos will help you get started.
Apps Gone Free!
Things You May Have Missed
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Contact Information
Instructional Technology Coordinator
Taylor ISD
Email: jphale@taylorisd.org
Website: http://it.taylorisd.schoolfusion.us
Location: 3101 North Main Street, Taylor, TX
Phone: 512-352-6361
Twitter: @edtechminute