DISD Ed Tech News
January 15, 2016
Student Resources in Context Available to All DISD Teachers and Students
You can view a short introductory video at http://solutions.cengage.com/gale-training/video/student-in-context/ and you will also find other short tutorials on using the resource on this same page. Access to Student Resources in Context is gained through the TexQuest website at texquest.net. Users can click on the white Gale Cengage Learning icon to enter the databases home page where you will find this and many other resources. User name for all DISD teachers and students is J171901 and the password is Learn.
Check Out Kids InfoBits for Elementary Students!
As with all resources in the TexQuest Databases, there are are short tutorial videos on how to use the resource and they can be found at Http://solutions.cengage.com/gale-training/video/kid-infobits/.
Kids InfoBits can be accessed by visiting the TexQuest website at texquest.net and then clicking on the white Gale Cengage Learning icon to log in. Log in and password are the same for all TexQuest resources. User name is J171901 and password is Learn.
Google Is Making It Easier to Find Your Files in Google Drive
When you store important files in Google Drive they’re not only safe, they’re accessible from any device. And finding them again from any device should be super easy so Google is rolling out a new search experience to get you better results — even faster.
Drive lets you search across all your files, regardless of the device they came from. To make that easier, you can use these new ways to find your files:
Narrow your search to a file type from the search box on Android, iOS, and the web.
Open advanced search instantly from the search box.
Access recent files or search Drive from the home screen using 3D Touch on iOS.
Search Drive using the iOS search bar without opening the Drive app.
Search for shared files by file owner using their name or email address.
Use advanced search options like the date a file was modified, words it contains, or who it was shared with.
This is all part of an ongoing effort to make Drive the easiest place to find your files. Look for these features as they roll out in the coming weeks.
Top 50 Sites/Apps of 2015
http://cyber-kap.blogspot.co.il/2015/12/top-50-sitesapps-of-2015.html
New in Classroom: saving time while grading
If you use Google Classroom, be sure to read this quick blog post by the Google for Education folks to learn about new (and newly tweaked) features within Google Classroom that can make grading easier.
http://googleforeducation.blogspot.com/2015/12/new-in-Classroom-saving-time-while-grading.html
DOGOnews - Current Events Website Tailored for Kids
From MakeUseOf.com
It’s good to help kids stay informed about the goings-on in their world but regular newspapers may not be the ideal way to do that. Child-safe news websites are much better, and DOGOnews is one of them.
DOGOnews brings news and other non-fictional content for kids. You can filter stories based on categories (Science, Sports, Entertainment, etc.) or grades that the material is suitable for.
The follow-up section at the end of each article is a nice touch. It tests the reader’s comprehension of the content and urges the student to think critically about it. This section also highlights certain words and places discussed in the article, linking them to an interactive popup dictionary/map feature.
DOGOnews also has some companion websites, like:
- DOGObooks – Features book reviews by and for kids
- DOGOmovies – Gives kids a platform to discover movies (G, PG, and PG-13) and share their opinions about them
Create a Template in Google Docs to Save Time Creating Similar Documents
To view a short tutorial on how to make your own customized template and store it head on over to the short video tutorial (2.5 minutes) at https://goo.gl/7f6gvj.
Favorite Google Chrome Extensions
For a super easy way to do a "split screen" on a computer or Chromebook you need look no further than Tab Scissors and Tab Glue. Once you install these two extensions you will see their icons appear beside the omnibox at the top of your Chrome browser window. If you have multiple tabs open, clicking on the icon for Tab Scissors will split your screen between the tab you are currently on and the one next to it. Want to put it back like it was? Simply click the Tab Glue icon. You can add these extensions to your Chrome browser by clicking on the links below:
Tab Scissors and Tab Glue
Upcoming Trainings for January and February 2016
January 2016 -
01/14/16 - Google Classroom Training
01/19/16 - Read & Write for Google Chrome - Amazing student support tool!
01/21/16 - Fostering Student Collaboration with Google Tools
01/25/16 - Mobi - How Do I Use This Thing??
February 2016 -
02/09/16 - Make-a-Map Tool - An online Mind Mapping tool on steroids!
02/16/16 - EDPuzzle - Using YouTube videos in the classroom made EASY
DISD Instructional Technology
Email: rhonda.artho@dumasisd.org
Phone: 806-930-6831 1029