January 8, 2010, Issue 1
T4: Tech Tools, Tips and Tricks is the brand new weekly technology publication for PHASD educators. We’ll offer weekly tools, tips and tricks that you can really use right away. For questions, comments, or to make a training appointment, E-mail Mark Repp, PHASD Technology Trainer.
Time-Saving Tips for Busy Educators GroupWise E-mail Search: Search your District E-mail easily through GroupWise. This way you can find that important message someone sent a few weeks or months ago. It is done differently depending on what version of GroupWise you are using. In GroupWise 7, all you have to do is type the person’s name into the Search filter box in the top right corner of the GroupWise window. GroupWise will then automatically find the person’s name and all of the email they have sent.
In earlier versions of GroupWise, such as version 6 or 6.5, you can just press the Ctrl + F keys on the keyboard. This brings up the “Find” box. Then, click on the “Find” tab and type the key word you’re looking for into the “Full Text” box or “Subject” box. Click on the button to switch back and forth between the Full Text or Subject boxes. Under the “From/Author” box, type in the person’s name you’re looking for, and then check the check-boxes below for “Mail” if it’s an E-mail message, and “Received” or “Sent” if you want to find messages that were received by you or sent by you. Then, click OK and your results will pop up. As long as you did not delete the message, it will come up.
Color Code Your Important GroupWise Messages: You can prioritize and categorize your messages by color and by importance. Just right-click on any e-mail message in GroupWise, and choose “Categories.” Then, pick from the categories of “Personal,” “Follow-Up,” “Low Priority,” and “Urgent.” GroupWise will then assign that E-mail a color. You can change these colors by clicking “More.” Click on the category and then click the “Edit Color” button. You can also re-name the categories by clicking the “Rename” button.
Notice how I have changed the names of the categories to Blue, Brick Red, Green, Purple, Red, etc. instead of their default names. Add a Customized Signature to the Bottom of your GroupWise E-mails: This is very handy when you want support people and parents to know where your classroom is located or how to reach you by phone, E-mail, or on the Web. You can include your credentials at the bottom of your E-mails automatically or by prompt. Just go to Tools>>Options and double-click on “Environment.” Then click on the “Signature” tab at the far right. Check the check-box that says “Signature” and type in your name, school, room number, phone number, Web site (if applicable), and anything else you want people to know about you (see figure below for an example).
Microsoft Word Keyboard Shortcuts: Ctrl+Z=Undo Ctrl+X=Cut Ctrl+V=Paste Ctrl+A=Select All Ctrl+E=Center Ctrl+B=Bold Ctrl+I=Italics Ctrl+U=Underline Ctrl+N=New Document Ctrl+P=Print To Highlight a Word=double-click on the word To Highlight Paragraph=double-click just to the left of the paragraph. To go to the Next/Previous Word: Ctrl To go to Beginning of a Sentence: Use the Home key To go to End of a Sentence: Use the End key.
Use Presentations from Others: Google Advanced Search, Pete’s PowerPoint Station, Blackwell’s Templates, SlideShare.com: Teachers are so busy, but are always willing to share their work with colleagues. But how do you find a PowerPoint presentation that another teacher created? Use Google’s Advanced Search option to search with the file type: Microsoft PowerPoint (.ppt), or use Web sites where educators’ PowerPoints have been organized and linked. For Google’s Advanced Search, just click on the “Advanced Search” link just to the right of the big Google Search box. Then, select Microsoft PowerPoint next to “File Type.”
Other PowerPoint Resources can be found here: • • • • •
Pete’s PowerPoint Station: www.pppst.com (check out templates and clipart). Blackwell’s Teacher Templates: www.vickiblackwell.com/ppttemplates.html World of Teaching PowerPoints: www.worldofteaching.com SlideShare.com: www.slideshare.com (search by category, such as Education) Microsoft Templates and ClipArt: http://office.microsoft.com
Jan 13 Jan 20 Jan 21 Jan 27
January 2010
Using Foxbright to Create a Free Classroom Web Site , 4:15 PM (Roosevelt) The Best of Google Part 1: Web Search Tools & Tricks , 4:15 PM (Garfield) The Best of Google Part 2: Google Apps , 4:15 PM (Garfield) Using Foxbright to Create a Free Classroom Web Site , 4:15 PM (McKinley)
*Class start times can be changed by request. Just notify Mark Repp a minimum of one week prior to the class. For more class dates, a class sign-up form, and many other tech resources, go to our site: www.phasd.us/tech and click below the “Training” button. See you next week!