Tech Tuesday for October 23

Hello everyone! It's been a while since my last Tech Tuesday, but I wanted to reach out and share some nice resources with all of you. If you check out the posts below this one, you will see some great posts on Livescribe, Turnitin.com, Evernote and Blogger. They are filled with tutorial videos to show you how to get the most out of each tool. Check them out and let me know if I can help. 

EdcampOU

There is a great conference this Saturday at Oakland University. Edcamp OU is an unconference similar to the one I host in Detroit (edcamp Detroit). It's a great day of teacher led Professional Development where you can learn many great strategies to enhance classroom instruction. This is NOT a technology conference, this is an education conference that might have some technology sessions. I plan to be there and meet some of the great teachers presenting. If you are free this Saturday, checkout EdcampOU.


Google Apps for Education

For those of you interested in learning how to use the different tools available to you on your Google Account, here is a link that will take you to many different resources on how to use them. It is a great resource that will help you figure out Google Docs, Google Search, Google Maps, etc. Take a minute and see what you can add to your classroom using these tools.

Instructional Technology Team

As part of the School-Wide Initiative, our team has been looking for ways to share technology tips with our building to better support the integration of technology into classrooms. Those posts will be tagged with "South Tech Tip" so they can be easily searchable  for everyone in the building. We will also let you know who is offering the tip so you can ask follow up questions. I also want to say that everyone is always welcome to share a cool tech tip that the rest of the school should look at. This site is a great resources for those types of tips and I want everyone to be involved. Email me a tip and I will add it to the blog for the next Tech Tuesday Update.

Thanks for your time,

Nick

Tech Tuesday for February 7

Happy Tuesday everyone! Here are some goodies I want to share with you.

Edcamp Detroit

Last year, I organized an unconference at Wayne State University and it was a huge hit! I'm happy to say that Edcamp Detroit will be back at Wayne State on Saturday May 5th. You can checkout our website at EdCampDetroit.org or click here to be taken directly to registration.

We have worked very hard to get even more sponsors and predict that space will fill up fast, so be sure to lock down your spot as soon as possible. Like last year, this conference will be free for all who attend and we will be looking to live stream many of the sessions for those who cannot make it in person but want to watch at home. I have been to 3 different EdCamps and I have to say it has been one of the best learning experiences I have been part of. There were many GPPSS teachers there sharing and learning with teachers from all over the state. I hope to see them and many new faces at EdCamp Detroit 2012!

Here is a video of my friend Kristen Swanson who explains how EdCamps started in Philly and spread across the country. If you have any questions, send us an email at edcampdetroit@gmail.com or follow us on Twitter at @EdcampDetroit

Mark's Tips

Marc Gamet, a regular reader of the blog, has suggested a few cool things I wanted to share with the rest of you.

First, remember to lock your computer when you walk away from your desk. It's a simple thing to do to ensure the safety of your information. Windows Key + L will do the job. Also, Marc has created a document showing staff how to fix their laptops that loose the wifi connection. Check this out.

Lastly, Marc had a cool site he wanted me to pass along to all of you. The Teacher's Guide

This is a great site filled with cool interactive lessons that would work great on the SMARTBoard. Take a minute to look around and see what you can introduce into your classroom.

Alphabetimals

Here is a great site I found on my friend's site, Free Technology for Teachers. It's a fun site that is dedicated to helping kids learn the alphabet. Each letter provides the sound the animal makes and the pronuciation of the word. This would be fun to have in class and use with your students.

I hope you enjoyed the Tech Tuesday today. Remember, look around and give it a try!

-NP