Google Picasa Web Albums - Allows Users to Post to Drop Box

Allowing staff to directly email your Picasa Web Album with photos of activities.

In your Picasa Web Album administrative area:

• When logged into Google and navigate to picasaweb.google.com
• Click on the gear icon/settings icon in the upper right hand corner 
• Under the General tab 
• Go to the Upload photos by email
• Check off the "Allow me to upload photos by email" 
• Enter a secret word in the space provided
• You will be provided with an email address to email
• The photos will be sent to this address and placed in a Drop Box
• The owner of the picasa web album can then move the photos to specific albums

This feature is a great way for teachers or contributors to email photos of activities.  Then you can embed a picasa web album on a website where you can continually update photos on a frequent basis.



Making it happen..... love it!

Blogger direct posts through Email

Allowing staff to directly email our Intersession blog to post intersession activities and photos immediately to the blog.   In your Blogger administrative area:

• Click on Settings 
• Click Mobile and Email
• In area designated "secretWord".  Enter a keyword here.  
• Check off "Publish email immediately"
• A special email address with the keyword is provided.
• Give this to those users you wish to have the ability to post to a blog directly.
• All posts will show IMMEDIATELY on your blog

Love this feature when working with staff and teachers to share ideas, activities and photos during school events!  

Google Apps Used for Hybrid/Online Course(s)

Over the past year, we have implemented a twist to offering some courses at BHS.  Last summer we offered hybrid/online courses utilizing various Web 2.0 applications in conjunction with Google Apps. The summer courses were a success.  We learned that there were some aspects we needed to change by finding alternate tools to use.

Our second attempt at the hybrid/online courses as yielded successful results!  We are utilizing all Google Apps for Education (GAFE) tools.  The ease of use and seamlessness of all the tools has been very successful.

Some of the Google tools we are using are:
Google Drive
Google+
Google Hangout
Gmail
Google Groups
Google Sites
Google Communities

The select teachers we are working with have embraced these tools and provide valuable feedback.
The students are very comfortable with the tools used as well.  

We are currently running two hybrid/online courses during our 2nd semester here at BHS.  So far so good.  I will post our pros and cons after the semester is over but looking pretty promising thus far.

Intersession 2013

BHS Intersession 2013 is gearing up to begin in two weeks.  There are many cool intersessions on tap for this year.  All blogging, tweeting and pictures will be posted to our Intersession 2013 site which can be found here:  BHS Intersession 2013