| Teacher Tech |
|
The
City of St. Charles School District is proud to offer a high level of
instructional technology resources for our educators. All of our classrooms
and computer labs are equipped with internet access, and many are fitted
with interactive whiteboards, document cameras, multimedia equipment,
and other instructional tools.
In offering these resources, we are aware that
such tools, without proper orientation and training, are a poor investment
and offer limited returns. With that in mind, the District has created
Teacher Tech, our own collection of technology reference and
training tools. Teacher Tech is designed to provide quick answers
to your classroom technology questions, as well as training - both online
and live - to familiarize you with your tech tools and help you use them
effectively. Our convenient online training works on your schedule,
at school or at home, to provide you with the knowledge you'll need to
make the most of your classroom equipment; and our live training can be
offered at your location, as well as in our technology classroom at Benton.
So welcome to Teacher Tech! Use the links and menus below to
access our services. If you have any questions, simply use the How
Do I Do That? link below, or
send us an e-mail.
Gryf Ketcherside
Training Specialist, Webmaster, and Interactive Whiteboard Resource
636-443-4025 |
 |
|
SMART Notebook Users -
Did
you know
you can use Notebook lessons even though you don't have Notebook
installed? For a quick solution, just use Notebook Express, SMART's free web-based presentation
tool!
Bookmark this link,
and you'll be able to open, create, customize, and save Notebook lessons.
Another option is the Notebook Interactive Viewer application, which will
allow you to view and edit Notebook lessons with all the regular tools, but
without the ability to save files. A mixed blessing, but it's free... If
you're interested, let me know and I can install it on your PC. |
| |
| Discovery
Education |
|
Discovery Education |
Created
by the Discovery Channel, Discovery Education
engages students through dynamic curricular resources like
Discovery Education Streaming Plus and Discovery
Education Science, supports teachers through customized professional
development and assessment services, and ultimately improves student achievement. |
| |
|
| General
Information |
| How
Do I Do That? |
Sometimes you just need a quick answer to a question about classroom technology,
and that's what How Do I Do That? provides. Simply
click the link at left, fill in the form, and submit. I'll get back to you
as soon as I can via phone or e-mail. |
|
Introduction
to CSCSD Classroom Technology |
This presentation was prepared for new teachers, but it contains information
that's essential for all of our educators and staff. |
|
Instructional
Technology Resources |
Free resources abound on the web, and the link at left will take you to
a page with links to several of them. Among the links are free, open source
alternatives to Windows, Office, and Photoshop, along with a very good web
authoring app. In addition, there are links to several free web-based productivity
and communication tools such as Google Docs, Google Sites, Delicious, etc. |
|
|
|
| Microsoft
Office 2007 |
|
Office
2007 Quick-Start Guide |
We prepared a Microsoft Office 2007 guide for an in-service in 2009, and
it's proven to be a popular reference manual. This illustrated guide steps you through
the basics of the Office 2007 applications, and contains some tips and tricks
to make your job easier. |
Office
2007 Cheat Sheets
Office -
Word -
Outlook
PowerPoint -
Excel -
Publisher
Access |
These links provide handy, printable reference sheets for each of the applications
in Office 2007. |
|
Intro Video for Office 2007 |
This short video provides a quick walkthrough of the Office 2007 Word user
tools. |
|
|
|
| Interwrite Workspace |
| Interwrite
Workspace Tutorials
(For use with Dell Interactive Whiteboard systems)
Getting
Started with Workspace:
Using
Basic Tools -
Video
|
Guide
Interactive Modes -
Video
|
Guide
Creating
Interactive Content:
Advanced
Toolbar - Video
| Guide
Math Tools - Video
|
Guide
Create/Modify Pages - Video
|
Guide
Add Gallery Content - Video
|
Guide
Engaging
Content with Learners:
Using
Tools to Engage Students - Video
|
Guide
Integrating
Multimedia Resources:
Add
Multimedia - Video
|
Guide
Create/Manage Multimedia - Video
|
Guide
Using
Workspace with Other Applications:
Hyperlinks
- Video
|
Guide
Office Mode - Video
|
Guide
Customizing
Workspace:
Customize
Workspace - Video
|
Guide
Download Workspace Lessons - Video
|
Guide
|
Interwrite Workspace is the
presentation program provided with our new Dell Interactive projectors.
The links at left
will take you to a library of short instructional videos that should be
very useful in getting you started with Workspace.
In addition, each
Quick Step Guide link will open a convenient guide sheet that
you can print and keep on hand as a reference. |
| |
|
| 3M Annotation Software |
| 3M
Whiteboard Annotation User's Manual |
This
manual is intended for all teachers equipped with 3M Interactive Whiteboard
systems. It's an excellent guide to the use of the 3M Annotation software
that comes with the 3M equipment, and which can be used as an alternative
to SMART Notebook or Interwrite Workspace. (Note: this manual is pretty
comprehensive - you'll probably want to go straight to the "Getting
Started" section on Page 26.) |
| |
| SMART Notebook Resources |
SMART
Notebook
Video Helps
Notebook Intro, Part 1
Notebook Intro, Part 2
Notebook Intro, Part 3
Notebook Intro, Part 4
Importing Word Documents
Using Downloaded Lessons
Building a Pull-Tab Quiz
Using the Compass
Using the Protractor
Finding the Center of a Circle
Adding Page Navigation Buttons
Multiple-Choice Questions
Keyword Match
|
We've prepared these video tutorials to provide short walkthroughs for many
of the tools and features available in SMART Notebook.
Please note - SMART Notebook is not supported on our 3M and Dell whiteboard installations.
But you can still run and edit Notebook lessons on your various systems through the use of the
Notebook Interactive Viewer program, although you'll be unable to save or export such lessons. Let me know via phone (4025) or
e-mail if you'd like to have
Notebook Interactive Viewer installed on your whiteboard computer.
You may also wish to consider Notebook Express, SMART's free online lesson
viewer/editor. Just
click here to open Notebook Express.
If you'd like to read about Notebook Express,
click here. Note that the
SMART Notebook Video Helps listed at left are largely applicable to Notebook Interactive Viewer as well.) |
|
SMART Exchange |
For SMART Notebook users, SMART Exchange is a fine resource for lesson plans
and courseware covering a wide range of curriculum areas. |
SMART Board Lessons
Based on Missouri GLEs |
The link at left will open a menu in SMART Exchange that will allow you
to search for lesson materials built around the Grade Level Expectations
of many states. Each lesson includes documentation linking it with the appropriate
GLE. |
Whiteboard
Resources
Center School District
Action Donation Services
Notebook Activity Guide
Mo. GLE-based Lessons
General Resources
Elko, NV School Dist.
Lee's Summit School Dist.
Scholastic.com
Reedy Technologies
Gates Chili School Dist.
Greenwich Public Schools
Longwood Central Dist.
Jean Thorpe's Wiki |
The menu at left contains links to a sizeable collection of SMART Board
lessons and other materials created by educators worldwide. |
|
|
|
| Teacher
Tech Online Tutorials |
Building Your Class Website
Using our District Templates |
A website for your classroom can be a great means of communication with
students and parents. You can build your own site easily in Microsoft Word,
using this simple step-by-step tutorial. |
|
Audio Recording and Podcasting |
How would you like to put your students "on the air?" Many schools
have taken advantage of "Audacity," a free recording application,
to create podcasts - basically, online radio shows. Engage your students
in collaborative audio projects based on your curriculum, and then share
your creations with the world! |
|
|
|
| Building Your Class Website in Google Sites |
Introduction to Google Sites
Google Sites Tutorials |
Google offers some excellent - and FREE - online tools you can use to build
professional-looking classroom websites, working from any internet-enabled
computer. And with the District's planned transition to Google Apps for
Education in Fall 2012, studying these tutorials will let you hit the ground
running.
With Google Sites, you can include Calendars, Maps, Picasa Web Slideshows,
and "File Cabinet" pages where students and parents can download documents
such as assignments, newsletters, permission slips, etc.
You can choose from a wide range of themes to customize your site's
appearance.
Documents created in Google Docs; presentations, spreadsheets, etc.; can be
imported into your websites as well as multimedia files. Users can subscribe
to your site to stay on top of the latest news, and you can collaborate on a
website with other teachers or with students.
The Introduction to Google Sites link at left will
take you to a Google Sites primer where you can get an idea of what Sites
can offer. The Google Sites Tutorials will step
you through the simple process of creating your own class website. |
| |
|
| The
Teacher Tech News |
|
The Teacher Tech News is our official District technology newsletter.
The News has covered a wide range of topics dealing with various
areas related to classroom technology. Just click the links below to select
from the Teacher Tech News archive. (Note: Technology can be a
moving target, and as such, some of the topics below are no longer relevant;
cases in point being GameTap, Gradebook, and a few others. Just so you know!) |
| Volume
and Issue |
Topics
Discussed |
Volume 1, Issue 1
|
So What's Teacher Tech, Anyway? - The Teacher Tech Approach - Teacher Tech
Online - Teacher Web - Your "Z Folder" - Tips 'n' Tricks - Classroom
Computer Security - Contacting Teacher Tech |
|
Volume
1, Issue 2 |
Click Here to Claim Your Free iPod! - Send This E-mail to Ten of Your Friends
- E-mail Hoaxes, Urban Legends, and Snopes.com - Can I Bring In a Computer
From Home? - Tips 'n' Tricks; Screen Resolution - Just a Reminder; Our District
Computer Usage Policy - Contacting Teacher Tech |
|
Volume
1, Issue 3 |
The "Other" Mouse Button - The "Right" Stuff - Contacting
Teacher Tech |
|
Volume 1, Issue 4 |
Teacher Tech Now Available on CD - Tech Services Moves to Benton - Gradebook
Help on Teacher Tech - On Second Thought... - Class Objectives in Gradebook
- Tips 'n' Tricks; Monitor Settings for Better Readability - Contacting
Teacher Tech |
|
Volume 1, Issue 5 |
Educational Games at Home, via GameTap - Tips 'n' Tricks - The Teacher Tech
CD; Heading for Platinum! - A Seussian Look at E-mail Spam - Contacting
Teacher Tech |
|
Volume 1, Issue 6 |
Getting into Podcasting Via Teacher Tech - Podcasting; the Basics - What
One School is Doing With Podcasting - With the Tutorials in Mind... - Contacting
Teacher Tech |
|
Volume 2, Issue 1 |
Interactive Whiteboards, SMART and Otherwise - Introducing SchoolDude -
Classroom Podcasting Revisited - Accessing Teacher Tech from Home - (White)boards
of Education, and Other Treats - For Your Information; Dell PC CD Drives
- Contacting Teacher Tech - New Options on the District Website - Just a
Reminder |
|
Volume 2, Issue 2 |
So What's Happened Since Our Last Issue? - Contacting Teacher Tech - The
Benton Technology Lab - Learning SMART Notebook From Home |
|
Volume 2, Issue 3 |
New Additions to Teacher Tech - Keeping Our Whiteboard Projectors Healthy
- Custom Training on Demand - Using a Document Camera With Your Whiteboard |
|
Volume 2, Issue 4 |
An Afternoon With a Microscope |
|
Volume 2, Issue 5 |
Using Technology to Reach the Reluctant |
|
Volume 2, Issue 6 |
Inserting Documents Into Microsoft Word 2007 |
|
Volume 2, Issue 7 |
Inclusion; Bringing Homebound Students Into Your Classroom - And the Survey
Says - Top Issues Highlighted in the SCSD Classroom Technology Survey -
Working on Microsoft Office Documents at Home |
|
Volume 3, Issue 1 |
For New Teachers; An Introduction to Your Classroom Technology and our Teacher
Tech Products |
|
Volume 3, Issue 2 |
The SCSD Forum - A Long Time Coming! |
|
Volume 3, Issue 3 |
Outlook Mailbox Cleanup Made Easier - www.freetech4teachers.com - So How
About That District Forum? - ABCya! |
|
Volume
3, Issue 4 |
SMART Notebook Express - The New District Website |
|
Volume
4, Issue 1 |
A Look at the Future; Google Apps for Education at SCSD - Helpful Links to Google Apps Resources - Google Apps Odds and Ends - A Plethora of Projectors; and a Request |