Google Support & Help Page

Click the link for a Great Google Help page:  http://support.google.com/?hl=en

Hover over the google tool/icon you are interested in getting help on and click Help Center.

It will bring you to their library of tips, tricks, FAQs, etc.  Great resource.

Google Forms - Newer Features

Google Forms: Some New Features for Customizing Google Forms

1) Adding a progress bar to guide your users on longer forms being filled out - add

    from Form settings section at top of your Form.

2) Data validation to ensure info entered correctly on form.  Can be used to validate 

    email addresses websites entered, zip codes, etc.

3) Easily embed YouTube videos now

4) Custom messages for closed Forms

Shift to A Paperless Classroom 

By using Google Docs with your students in addition to utilizing Google Forms for student assignment submission is a step in the right direction to the paperless classroom.  When the assignment is due, the students fill out the teacher provided form, entering their Name, and provide a link to their google doc.  The Google Form will automatically enter this into a spreadsheet and timestamp their submission on your form.  When the time comes for the teacher to read & grade these papers, the teacher opens the Google Form Spreadsheet that is created and just clicks on the leach student's link in the spreadsheet to view & comment on the papers. One-stop reading. No carrying bags of papers to & from school. No printing necessary.  Comments can be made on the students google doc.  How cool is that!  

Gmail - Label & Archive

Keep your Inbox nice and tidy by labeling and/or archiving your emails once you've dealt with them.  You can label emails, archive them or use the Move To icon to do these simultaneously.  

What is "All Mail"?  This is your archived mail.  This is a storage place for everything you received or sent but never deleted.   Archiving lets you tidy up your inbox by moving message from your inbox into your All Mail label, so you don't have to delete anything.  It's like moving something into a filing cabinet for safekeeping, rather than putting it in the trash can.

9-11 Reflection

12 Years Later.......9-11-01
   Everybody has their own reflections of that day 12 years ago on September 11th.   As we all do, I remember the day like it was yesterday. Remembering the feelings of sadness, helplessness and disbelief.  Watching television that entire night into the wee hours of the morning witnessing the senseless destruction and loss of life.   As I continued to watch the coverage, with wonderment and awe, knowing & have worked with firefighters for so many years, I saw the heroic acts and unselfishness of our emergency workers.   While we were all trying to deal with the ache in our hearts, these men & women were running toward the danger, toward those that needed them and for some toward a certain death.  Can you even imagine?  Knowing if you enter that building to help others, you are probably not going to return to your family & friends.  That type of dedication and call to service takes special people.  Those that survived saw things that bring grown men to tears when reliving it.  It is tough to watch over again but sometimes we must so we never forget that these public servants gave their lives to save others.  It is with pure gratitude that I say thank you to those that serve us daily in these roles.  We take them for granted far to often.  The loss and heartache some of them still deal with today is felt each time I hear them speak.   So, from me to you, THANK YOU for your selfless acts of kindness and heroics!
 

Google Calendar tips & tricks

There are so many resources available regarding Google tips & tricks. Many of these are right at your fingertips while logged into your Schoogle account by clicking the Help button or just Googling your question. Here is a link to a Google Apps calendar tips & tricks page: Challenge yourself to learn one new thing each week and before you know it, you will be a Schoogle Pro! Have fun!!!!

9 Components of Digital Citizenship

I was researching exactly what the phrase "Digital Citizenship" has been defined to mean. Digital citizenship is defined as appropriate, responsible behavior with respect to technology use. This has even been broken down into nine elements that help to outline its definition.
 1. Digital Access - electronic participation in society
 2. Digital Commerce - buying and selling of electronic goods
 3. Digital Communication - exchange of info electronically
 4. Digital Literacy - process of teaching & learning about technology and also using technology
 5. Digital Etiquette - standards of electronic conduct/procedures
 6. Digital Law - responsibility for actions & deeds
 7. Digital Rights & Responsibility - freedoms extended to everyone in the digital world
 8. Digital Health & Wellness - physical & psychological well-being in the tech world
 9. Digital Security - precautions that guarantee safety

Ready.....Set.....Go

As I started my normal summer work in Bedford, the list of things to do looked daunting. But as the beginning of August was upon me I realized we were in great shape for the start of the school year. Or at least I thought so.... then staff started to come back into the building and before you know it that list just got longer. The following weeks before the start of school are completely frenzied. Trying to take care of that one thing that is a show-stopper for them, yet the other 75+ teachers feel the same way. To tell you the truth, I love it! I love the craziness and being able to help those around me. I still felt this way today even when the exhaustion finally set in. After a week of being open, the list is dwindling down and we are making progress. Hang in there everyone....your item on the list is in progress! Here's to a great year!