Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint File Formats

Unless you keep up with the newest and pricey version of Microsoft Office, you need to install this patch to your existing Microsoft Office software (if you have it on your computer), in order to open Office files created with a newer version.

Jude

Free documentaries for the classroom

SnagFilms.com  is a web site where you can watch full-length documentaries for free. Sort by subject, grade level and channel (PBS, National Geographic, Explorer...). They also have an ipad app. 

from Stan Freeda, NH-DEO

"Security log is full"

It looks like this issue is reappearing. The fix is easy and remains the same:

Teachers:
If this messages appears on your login window and you are still able to log on, use this fix (scroll down to "fix it for me", and restart your computer. You'll be all set. If you cannot logon anymore at all, send a tech support request and call me at ext. 226.

Students:
Same process, but bring your netbook directly to the Media Center instead of using the Tech support form

Jude

Latest Smartboard update requires Windows Installer 4.5 - How to download it

If your latest Smartboard update failed to install, it is most likely because you need the latest version of Windows Installer. You can get it from the Tech Stuff folder in the Staffshare folder, or directly from the Windows website here.

Download the last one on the list: WindowsXP-KB942288-v3-x86.exe

Jude

AVG database is outdated but no new updates are available

If you get into this problem, try deleting the temporary update files:

1. Open the AVG Program.
2. On the Tools menu, click Advanced Settings.
3. On the left menu, expand the Update item, and then click Manage.
4. Click Delete temporary update files, and then click Yes.
5. Update AVG.

Jude

How to create groups in Google Groups

See here how to create groups in Google Docs. Thanks, Jacci!
Jude

How to consolidate your email accounts with gmail

Hi Folks,

Several people asked me today about consolidating email accounts so that you don't have to check multiple places.  I can tell you here how to do it if you have a GMAIL account.  Most web-based email (yahoo, hotmail, msn) will work basically the same. 

By doing this your Profile emails can show up in your GMAIL inbox.  They can be labeled and filed if you don't want personal and professional emails to mix or they can all be in there.  You can also tell GMAIL to respond from whatever address you want.  So, if you get an email from your Profile account and you respond in GMAIL, the person who gets the response will actually see if from Profile and not GMAIL.

Anyway here goes:

1. Log into your GMAIL account. (This will work if you use a personal gmail or if you use your Profile Google docs and should be used if you either want all your emails together or prefer the GMAIL system over IPSWITCH)

2. In MAIL click on the little gear looking thing in the top right of the screen and click Mail Settings.

3. In Settings, click Accounts and Imports.

4. Under Check Mail using POP3 click Add POP3 email account. (For you techno geeks POP means Post Office Protocol which basically means that its the rules that a local email client can grab email from a third party, which in this case is IPSWITCH.

5.  Follow the prompts from there which will ask you for your Ipswitch email address (xxxxx@profile.k12.nh.us), ask you for your password, and then ask you if you want to do various things with the email when Google goes and gets it.  Those are all personal preferences.

6. Once that is done, the only thing you might want to do is go back into Settings and under Accounts and Imports make sure that under Send Mail As you click "reply from the same address the message was sent to."  This will avoid you sending an email from your personal account in response to a professional email.

I would be happy to set this up for anyone.  Just let me know and I can stop by and do it for your or show you.  It takes just a minute.  Also, any Google other questions I would be happy to answer.

Cheer!

Josh

Large Smartboard Update

Dear Profile teachers,
Your smartboard update software is going to ask you to install a series of updates. They add some nice functionality to your smartboard, including upgraded handwriting recognition and appearance. As usual, accept these updates at a convenient time for you: the installation takes up to thirty minutes and will slow down your computer. Also, when you open your upgraded Notebook software the first time, it will automatically open a slide show about the added functionality of the smartboard. You can find it and much more tutorials by clicking here, or copy/paste this link:
 http://www.smarttech.com/us/Resources/Traininghttp://www.smarttech.com/us/Resources/Training

Jude

Amazon Alters Rules for Kindles in School Libraries

Amazon Alters Rules for Kindles in School Libraries

Education 2.0 according to Don Tapscott

After the first two minutes, I found most of what he says relevant to k-12. Very stimulating about what technology integration is about. Other very interesting videos on digital natives by Don on youtube. Jude

Back from ISTE 2011

This conference was chock-full of new products for students, teachers, administrators, with an emphasis on:

- going web-based all across the board (heard from a school principal:” servers are so yesterday”)
- opening the classroom to the global learning world (a simple idea that goes a long way: any wiki, blog, ning, or other social platform can be used to connect learners and teachers from different areas and countries)
- individually customized, connected tools such as tablets, ipads and the like are becoming the new standard for learning, communication and creation.

Here is a short list of products that I found especially interesting. Demos (webcasts, trial periods etc) can be arranged for any of them. Just let me know if you’d be interested.

multimedia: safarimontage.com

Library and reading:
e-library (very comprehensive):www.overdrive.com and www.gale.com/gvrl (for reference books)
Online library resources and references: www.getcicero.com and www.aihe.com
Student resources: igotta addition to nettrekker (See also: nettrekker.com/teach)
Plagiarism prevention: Turnitin.com
Reading evaluator: totalreader.com

SIS (Student information systems):
Renweb.com (modular), oncoursesystems.com (also offers PD)
www.sharpschool.com (pretty comprehensive array of functions)
Edmin.com
Customonline.com
Pinnacle at www.globlscholar.com (with different modules,also includes classroom mamagement.
www.rediker.com: the web-based version of admin plus and gradequick is 100% mac compatible. It can also include a student eportfolio module.
Note:all web-based SIS and curriculum management system are 100% Mac and PC compatible

Curriculum management system:
www.rubicon.com (atlas@rubican uses UBD approach)

Online curriculum:
www.Edoptions.com
aventalearning.com
www.lessonplanet.com

Curriculum planning:
www.lessonplanet.com
Classroom management:
www.Lanschool.com

Online Professional development
www.plpnetwork.com/infosession

As a tech coordinator, I was very interested in this one, which combines automatic inventory and softwaredistribution and management for entire pools of computers like Profile’s one:

www.netsupportdna.com

On the green side, this company offers cash for recycling:
www.fundingfactory.com

A product that baffled me, a foretaste of tomorrow’s web:
www.vushi.com: (second life for education)


…And a potpourri of interesting products:
www.thinkfinity.com
gaggle.net (safe apps)
edugeek.net (good resources for IT people)
www.plascotrack.com (tardy management)
www.csioutfittes.com/ver3 (hosted communication and collaboration tools)

For more, go to ISTE 2011
Jude

Security log is full - How to fix it

Teachers:
If this messages appears on your login window and you are still able to log on, use this fix (scroll down to "fix it for me", and restart your computer. You'll be all set. If you cannot logon anymore at all, send a tech support request and call me at ext. 226.

Students:
Same process, but bring your netbook directly to the Media Center instead of using the Tech support form

Jude

How to defrag your computer and create prezis

follow up on Profile faculty meeting:

go there to learn how to defragment your computer

Go there to create pretzels... Sorry, prezis

Jude

AVG is not enough to protect your computer

Well, as some of us painfully discovered it,AVG is not the totally perfect shield. While waiting for better protection next year, you can (and should) install, in addition to AVG, Malwarebytes, which specializes in the category of malware that can make its way through AVG.
Malwarebytes has a free edition. You can download it here.
However, the free edition needs you to manually update it and manually run the scans. The update usually takes no more than one minute. The scanning takes less than 10 minutes and does not substantially slow down your computer. BUT, you must remember to do this every day for an effective protection. The $25 edition does everything autommatically, like AVG does, and you can install it on several computers.

Jude

Introduction to Smartboard and Notebook - follow up (Profile and Bethlehem)

Profile and Bethlehem teachers and teacher aides, go to this page for quick (2-6 minutes) simple tutorials to unleash the power of your smartboard, or refresh your memory about the basics. Any question,contact me.

Jude

When ideas have Sex (Conference at Oxford U)

Brilliant presentation on the cloud and collaborative culture:


Enjoy! Jude