Tech Talk
Laptops
There has been a significant increase in number of viruses that are being downloaded onto teacher machines, most likely due to the fact that they travel home and back regularly.
Some tips to keep the viruses away:
- Be extremely careful when downloading and/or installing applications on your computer.
- Watch for added toolbars, additional software that bundles with the intended application, and “fake” downloads.
If you suspect you have a virus, please contact Jeff Allen (our repair tech) right away.
And if you do have a virus, reimaging is the best (and sometimes only) solution for computers with viruses. This is another reason to keep documents, pictures, files, etc. saved to OneDrive rather than on the computer itself. Please let me know if you have questions about OneDrive.
Websites/Schoolwires
Please make sure you are not posting any copyrighted materials onto your Website. The instructional tech department regularly gets emails from publishing companies about copyrighted materials being placed online.
If you notice something “wonky” with a Website that you visit, remember to switch to a different browser to see if it works better. (I cannot do anything on the school’s Website unless I’m in Chrome. All the buttons don’t show up in other browsers. And for the Website I'm using for this newsletter, I have to use Chrome because Internet Explorer wasn't allowing all the functions to work.)
Lync (soon to be called Skype for Business)
If you haven’t begun using Lync, you should! I love it! Lync is a messaging program through Microsoft. (You can find it in your ‘all programs'-->Microsoft folder. Log in with your email login info.)
Things you can do with it:
- Instant Message. You can see who is online and send them a quick message if you have a question or need to quickly talk with them.
- Call someone’s computer. Basically you are talking to them through your computer. (If you have your computer docked AND the projector speakers plugged into the docking station, either unplug the speaker cable, or undock your computer. Otherwise you won’t have any sound. Be sure your wireless is turned on, though, if you undock.)
- Video chat with someone. I had a question for someone in instructional tech earlier this week. After an IM, then a call through the computer, we set up the video chat so we could talk and see each other.
- Present something to someone else by letting them view your computer.
- Give control of your computer to another. (This comes in handy if you need help with a minor technical issue. You can give control to the other person and they can show you where to click (or whatever) so you can actually see it. Or if something weird is going on with your computer, the other person can quickly see it and find out what might be going on.
Let me know if you would like help getting this going.
Microsoft PERK!
Great news! Microsoft is providing Office 365 at all EMS-ISD schools free of charge!
- You will have access to the latest Microsoft products.
- You can install it on up to 5 compatible PCs and Macs, PLUS 5 tablets (including iPads)
- Download the apps from your Office 365 account or from your app store for mobile devices. Be sure to sign in with your school email account.
- The subscription continues as long as you’re working in EMS-ISD and the program continues.
More detailed instructions will be coming soon!
Smore
S'more ideas for the classroom:
- Create a classroom, library, or principal newsletter.
- Create invitations to parents or the public to your school or classroom events.
- Share celebration/spotlights about student work or great teachers.
- Share upcoming units of study.
- Create a syllabus for a class.
- Use Smore as a way to give information on a lesson (embed links, videos, to explain concepts and include web links where students can go for more information).
- Students create character profile pages for their book report.
- It's a great way for students to prove that they have learned something and to flex their creative muscles.
- Create a Smore with instructions, tasks, videos, web links, etc. for a flipped learning assignment (either for homework or for a classroom flipped learning workstation).
- Student assignments that involve marketing and advertising principles, self-expression, and targeting writing to a specific audience.