Vol. 2, Issue 8 December 17, 2013
Tech News Tuesday weekly eNewsletter IN THIS ISSUE The Best of 2013 Tech News Tuesday issues featuring the best in: Cool Tools of the Week Online Resources of the Week Mobile App of the Week Office Tip of the Week Video Link of the Week Presentation Tip of the Week Trending Topic of the Week iPad Tip of the Week And surprise gifts for the Android and Apple iOS users to keep you busy during the winter break
TECH NEWS TUESDAY
| Vol. 2, Issue 8 – DECEMBER 17, 2013
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Best of
2013
WEEKLY ENEWSLETTER PROVIDING INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY STAFF RESOURCES
Cool Tool of the Week Internet Essentials from Comcast InternetEssentials.com is the nation’s largest and most comprehensive broadband adoption program. It provides low-cost broadband service for $9.95 a month plus tax; the option to purchase an Internet-ready computer for under $150; and multiple options to access free digital literacy training in print, online, and in-person. Become a partner school Partner.InternetEssentials.com Learning and Training Center Learning.InternetEssentials.com
How to qualify To qualify for $9.95 a month Internet service and low-cost computer, the household must meet all these criteria: Have at least one child eligible to participate in the National School Lunch Program Have not subscribed to Comcast Internet service within the last 90 days Not have an overdue Comcast bill or unreturned equipment
How to apply Call 1-855-8-INTERNET (1-855-846-8376) to request an application An application will be mailed to you. Complete and return it, along with lunch program documents from the child’s school You will be notified by mail about your status of your application. Allow 7-10 days for a response
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Best of Cool Tools Online Resources Mobile Apps Office Tips Video Links Presentation Tips Trending Topics iPad Tips and at the end
To Keep you busy during the winter break! Visit the Tech News Tuesday feedback page Current and Past Editions How to use TNT Issuu
Modesto City Schools | Office of Instructional Technology www.mcs4kids.com/mcsit
TECH NEWS TUESDAY
| Vol. 2, Issue 8 – DECEMBER 17, 2013
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Cool Tool of the Week
www.mcs4kids.com/edmodo Edmodo is a social learning platform for teachers, students, and parents. It has the look of Facebook but with educational applications. On Edmodo, teachers are at the center of a powerful network that connects them to students, administrators, and parents. In Edmodo’s secure environment, teachers and students can collaborate, share content, and use educational apps to augment in-classroom learning. These powerful capabilities enable teachers to personalize learning for every student. Edmodo is free and has won the 2013 Best Product award from EdTech Digest. MODESTO CITY SCHOOLS HAS A DISTRICT-WIDE DEPLOYMENT OF EDMODO. > CLICK HERE TO GET STARTED
Online Resource of the Week
www.remind101.com
A safe way for teachers to text message students and stay in touch with parents. Free. Easy to use. Students and parents sign up by sending a text message or email. They never have to visit remind101.com Instantly send a message to a class of students or their parents. Secure: teachers never see student or parent’s real phone numbers. Add up to 10 classes. Schedule messages for delivery for later. > Screencast how to use Remind101 > PDF Handouts: What is Remind101? and What makes Remind101 safe? > Learning more about Remind101 Features
Modesto City Schools | Office of Instructional Technology www.mcs4kids.com/mcsit
TECH NEWS TUESDAY
| Vol. 2, Issue 8 – DECEMBER 17, 2013
Mobile App of the Week
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Google Keep
http://goo.gl/SpjvU Quickly capture what’s on your mind and recall it easily wherever you are. Google Keep is a mobile app for Android, a Web App on Chrome, and can be accessed from your Google Drive Account.
Learn more about Keep in this video link
Chrome Web App link
ClassDojo
Mobile App of the Week
www.classdojo.com ClassDojo is a classroom tool that helps teachers improve behavior in their classrooms quickly and easily. It also captures and generates data on behavior that teachers can share with parents and administrators. Better learning behaviors, smoother lessons and hassle-free data – and its free! Additional tutorials and tips for using ClassDojo in the classroom can be found > here
> iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad app > Android app
Watch Gregg Eilers teacher at El Vista Elementary School use ClassDojo in his classroom.
Modesto City Schools | Office of Instructional Technology www.mcs4kids.com/mcsit
TECH NEWS TUESDAY
| Vol. 2, Issue 8 – DECEMBER 17, 2013
Mobile App of the Week Reading meets 21st century technology in this teacher favorite app that allows student collaboration and engagement. It allows a teacher to make student groups, interact collaboratively with reading, ask comprehensive questions, all while addressing different learning styles.
www.subtext.com With the Subtext App you can: Tablet - iPad App – Free
Click here for iPad App Web - Edmodo App – Free
Click here for Edmodo App
How-To and Support Resources
Subtext Getting Started Guides
Add a web link or video to enhance further comprehension with the concept taught with visuals Students can easily look up word definitions for understanding, take notes, annotate, and discuss with fellow students and teacher within the app Highlight text and commenting for guiding students through difficult passages Ask connection and prediction questions while students can only see other student replies after they have replied first Add notes, polls, and share quizzes with your classroom
Subtext Video Tutorials
Subtext Blog with creative ideas how to use the app
Book retailers compatible with Subtext
Getting Documents into Subtext from Email, Dropbox, or Google Drive
Subtext in the Classroom, Case Studies
Within the app add free books that are pulled from Google Books and Feedbook.com, or upload your own documents into the reader
Modesto City Schools | Office of Instructional Technology www.mcs4kids.com/mcsit
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TECH NEWS TUESDAY
| Vol. 2, Issue 8 – DECEMBER 17, 2013
Office Tip of the week
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High Five for Outlook Email
What a better way to get the School Year started then to update your skills in Microsoft Office! Sign up today for the free online training for MCS Employees to take self-paced lessons on courses you choose in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and more. Your account is good for the full calendar year.
5 Quick Tips and Tricks using Outlook 2010 Email
Finding a Contact Quick Access Toolbar Email Signature and Theme Out of Office Assistant Quick Parts Email Message Builder
> Click here for a flyer and how to sign up MCS IT Self-Help Desk Website Website focusing on the FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS with technology that we thought would be helpful. Please let us know any topics you think should be added. www.mcs4kids.com/helpdesk
Video Link of the Week
Blended Learning Energizes High School Math Students
About This Video: Educator Peter McIntosh helps his students to take ownership of their learning by using interactive subjectmastery tools like Khan Academy. Links: Unity High School Khan Academy Blended Learning Program McIntosh Khan Effects on Homework Scores Chart
video from
Freshman Algebra Test Results at Oakland Unity Modesto City Schools | Office of Instructional Technology www.mcs4kids.com/mcsit
TECH NEWS TUESDAY
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Presentation Tip of the Week Great for group presentations and the classroom. Create online quizzes and surveys for your classroom. Students respond with any device that has a web browser like iPad, Android device, Chromebook, laptop, or PC. As students answer questions they are awarded points for correct answers. Teachers can control the pace with setting time limits for each question.
Kahoot! www.getkahoot.com Game-based Response System using the web and mobile devices
How to use Kahoot! Video:
Kahoot! is a fun game-based response system that is a great way to conduct review session in your classroom. Also a good way to gather Click here to informal watch videos feedback of classrooms from your using Kahoot! students.
Presentation Tip of the Week
> click here How to use Skype
Skype has launched the Skype in the Classroom platform, which connects teachers and classrooms with guest speakers, online lessons, and other classrooms. With over 107 guest speakers and 33 partner organizations provides for an array of guest-speaker options for teachers. https://education.skype.com
Modesto City Schools | Office of Instructional Technology www.mcs4kids.com/mcsit
TECH NEWS TUESDAY
| Vol. 2, Issue 8 – DECEMBER 17, 2013
Trending Topic
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Embracing Social Media and Mobile Learning How teachers are turning to social media to extend learning Education Week includes examples of how teachers are using Twitter and Facebook to publicly share students’ work, using sites like Pinterest to share lesson plans and ideas with fellow educators, and creating blogs to connect with students and parents. > Education Week Learning Without Limits article > Mobile Learning: Transforming Education, Engaging Students, and Improving Outcomes > 10 Ways to use Instagram in your classroom
> How to use Pinterest
Trending Topic of the week
> How to use Twitter
> How to use Facebook
Blended Learning Blended learning is not about replacing teachers with technology, but rather empowering them with new opportunities. Resources: > Knewton’s Blended Learning: A Disruptive Innovation > Smart Infographic: Blended Learning & The Teaching Profession from Digital Learning Now! > Blended Learning Implementation Guide from Digital Learning Now!
Modesto City Schools | Office of Instructional Technology www.mcs4kids.com/mcsit
TECH NEWS TUESDAY
| Vol. 2, Issue 8 – DECEMBER 17, 2013
iPad Tip of the Week
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Guided Access What is Guided Access?
How to Use Guided Access Use Guided Access: Go to Settings > General > Accessibility > Guided Access, where you can: • Turn Guided Access on or off • Set a passcode that controls the use of Guided Access and prevents someone from leaving an active session • Set whether iPad can go to sleep during a session Start a Guided Access session: Open the app you want to run, then triple-click the Home button. Adjust settings for the session, then click Start. • Disable app controls and areas of the app screen: Circle any part of the screen you want to disable. You can use the handles to adjust the area. • Ignore all screen touches: Turn off Touch. • Keep iPad from switching from portrait to landscape or from responding to any other motions: Turn off Motion. End a Guided Access session: Triple-click the Home button and enter the Guided Access passcode
Guided Access helps someone using iPad to stay focused on a particular task. Guided Access limits iPad to a single app, and lets you control which app features are available. Use Guided Access to: • Temporarily restrict iPad to a particular app • Disable areas of the screen that aren’t relevant to a task, or areas where an accidental gesture might cause a distraction • Disable the iPad hardware buttons
> Free iPad Basics online tutorial and videos
> MCS Getting Started with using the iPad
Modesto City Schools | Office of Instructional Technology www.mcs4kids.com/mcsit
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| Vol. 2, Issue 8 – DECEMBER 17, 2013
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Modesto City Schools | Office of Instructional Technology www.mcs4kids.com/mcsit