Technology: Info for Staff
In an effort to support staff learning goals and productivity, we will provide a variety of resources such as tutorial videos, 'how to' documents and general job assistance information. Resources will be updated frequently. If you have a technical question, this page may have the information you need. We encourage the submission of specific requests and/or general ideas and input. As time and opportunity permits, we will revise, create, or find content in order to provide ongoing technology-related staff development.
When signing into your ESC email account, be sure to select "This is a Private computer" if you want access to all the features and the longer sign in time of the web app. You do not need to select the "light version" option.
Technical Support
Technology Survey
Superintendent Newsletter: Technology Tips & Info
May 2012
Outlook News and Tips
Vicki Snyder, ESC of LEW special education consultant, is having the Student Services supervisors use their Outlook Calendar to communicate, organize and share. These supervisors are going through professional development to learn more about the features and benefits. Contact Chad if you are interested in group trainings on Outlook and/or Outlook Web App.
Do you check your Junk E-mail folder often? It is recommended that you do since there might be important e-mails in that folder. This can happen for several reasons and most of them might be unknown. Outlook has its own Junk E-mail settings that determine what is considered 'junk'. As a user, you can modify these settings in a few different ways. In Outlook, you can go to Tools>Options>Junk E-mail Options. You can also right-click on an e-mail in your Junk E-mail and mark it as Not Junk. When you right-click you can also tell Outlook to add that person/place to the Safe Sender's list, etc.
Notes:
View the results from last year's technology department survey in the Technology section of our website. Stay tuned for the 2012 survey! Thanks for all the feedback.
Please notify Chad Rex of any technology equipment that is not being used in your department or classroom!
Training screencasts (online video tutorials) will be coming soon via our Moodle site. Staff will be able to log in and learn various tasks, tips, tricks and techniques about technology by using technology.
Resources for educators and more. . . Passwords and more passwords! Go to this page to learn more about passwords, how to protect yourself with stronger passwords and use some interesting online tools. http://soft4you.com/psw.asp
For today’s students, internet literacy—knowing how to find and understand information on the web—is as essential as traditional literacy, and now web-search giant Google Inc. has launched a new site to help teach this critical skill. “Web search can be a remarkable tool for students, and a bit of instruction in how to search
for academic sources will help your students become critical thinkers and independent learners,” Google says. “With the materials on this site, you can help your students become skilled searchers—whether they’re just starting out with search, or ready for more advanced training.” http://www.google.com/insidesearch/searcheducation/
Technology support is always ready to serve you:
• use the online helpdesk
• contact technology support via email: tech@esclakeeriewest.org
• contact Chad Rex, Coordinator of Technology, via email at crex@esclakeeriewest.org or phone 419-246-3139
April 2012
Instructional Integration: ESC educators have been receiving staff development that is needs-based, just-in-time and job-embedded. Various staff are integrating Moodle, an online learning management system, into their work empowering them to collaborate and share content with students, colleagues and parents. A recent training focused on the basics of iPads in order to improve the level of confidence that staff have in using iPads that students are beginning to bring into the classroom. Some of the educators involved were preschool teachers and aides, occupational therapists and speech language pathologists. The educators at Alternate Learning Center have received staff development on interactive whiteboards, InfOhio and Discovery Education accounts to enhance their standards-based instruction and student learning!
When using the "web app," be sure to select "This is a private computer" if you want access to all the features and the longer sign-in time of the web app. You do not need to select the "light version" option. The web app also allows you to "right-click" on items to get a contextual menu. This enables you to mark emails as unread, move them to folders or request several other actions.
Store your data files on your network drive. As we have stated in previous communications, employees have access to a network drive and should be storing their files there in order to have that information backed up. Pretend it is a large flash drive! Data stored elsewhere could be lost and unable to be recovered. Keeping data off your computer helps its performance. Contact us for more information.
Use our website for information . . . .
Our website has improved more than just its appearance. There are several new sections and updated information. You can find the link to our email sign-in page there as well as archives of tech department articles from previous newsletters. Go to www.esclakeeriewest.org/technology to explore and find additional information. Feel free to send us suggestions:)
Resources for educators and more . . . .
TeachersFirst is a one-stop comprehensive library of educator resources in an easy-to-navigate format -- start exploring! Go to: http://www.teachersfirst.com
Teach geography in a whole new way! Free customizable maps from the National Atlas of the U.S. engage students as they track different criteria. Go to: http://www.nationalatlas.gov
Technology support is always ready to serve you:
- use the online helpdesk
- contact technology support via email: tech@esclakeeriewest.org
- contact Chad Rex, Coordinator of Technology, via email at crex@esclakeeriewest.org or phone 419.246.3139.