Technology: Namby-Pambies Not Allowed!

Media Integration with the iMovie App

2013-03-25T12:18:00.003-07:00

"iMovie helps you turn the HD video you shoot on your iOS device into a thrilling trailer or masterpiece worthy of the red carpet (even if it’s just the one in your living room). And since iMovie is designed for Multi-Touch, all you have to do is tap, swipe, and drag to make some movie magic." This introduction is taken directly from the Apple web site, and it couldn't have been said better.

With social media being used on a daily and often minute-by-minute basis, the iMovie app let's you add alittle glitz to those personal videos showing up literally everywhere! And of course, its educational value is endless with such classroom projects that range from creating book or movie trailers to science demonstrations to public service announcements to a roving reporter and everything inbetween.

The app provides a selection of eight unique themes, each with its own set of titles, transitions, and music. Users are able to add videos and photos from their library, or shoot directly into the timeline right from the iPad or iPhone. In addition, you can craft a soundtrack using the included music and sound effects, songs from your own music library, or audio that you record right into your project.

Sharing your video is user-friendly too. Share your HD movie on the web and at home by publishing directly from iMovie to YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo, or CNN iReport. You can also send the video to the Camera Roll and share in an email or via iMessage.

There are many free tutorials and resources online to get you started. So begin recording that special moment (or someone else's NOT so special moment) and let your creative juices start flowing!

Check out these links: iMovie for iPad in 5 Minutes and iMovie Tutorial - Hidden Features. You might also find some helpful tips in this training handout.

The iMovie app costs $4.99 individually or $2.49 with VPP (volume purchase pricing).

Another Tool in the Parent Communication Toolbelt: SUBSCRIBE!

2013-02-15T11:30:00.002-08:00

According to the Parent-Teacher Association, parent-teacher communication is paramount to student success. Parents and teachers who work together have the best interest of the child in mind.

There are various methods in place to keep that communication line open including phone calls, emails, and text messages. With social media being such an integral part of everyone's day, teachers should also consider "linking up" with parents through such tools as Facebook and Twitter. However, the reality is that many school districts, unfortunately, have yet to unrestrict such tools at school.

One tool most districts find acceptable, and encourage teachers to use, is their teacher webpage. With that being said, have you considered setting your page up so that your parents can subscribe to it? Depending upon your webpage's platform, subscribing processes will vary. It is worth looking into; check with your technology department if you're not sure.

If your district uses the SchoolCenter product, SUBSCRIBE is a very simple process. Check out the information at this link, and let's give parents yet another means of communication.

Do You Voki?

2013-02-15T09:15:00.001-08:00

Well if you don't, you may well want to! You might ask, "What is it?" Well . . . a Voki is a speaking avatar - a talking character, a computer-generated digital representation of a person or being.

Educators and students are discovering some of the unique roles these speaking avatars can play in education. Instructors can use a Voki avatar to introduce a course or topics. It can also be used to aid in instructing those who are more audio/visual learners. Through Voki, a Web 2.0 tool, teachers and students can create customizable avatars for various purposes, such as presenting biographical information, expressing an opinion, reading a poem, or simply using it to check writing, spelling, and punctuation. The possibilities are endless!

Listen to my Voki example below. Simply click on the player arrow to hear the message.

For more information on Vokis, visit http://www.voki.com/ and also refer to my training handout and website.

Do I Need a Credit Card or Gift Card to Create an iTunes App Store Account? Well . . . of course NOT!

2011-09-07T10:12:00.000-07:00

With the infusion of iPads into the classroom, as well as the age-old problem of budget cuts, many teachers are asking how to create an iTunes App Store account without a credit card!

Well . . . thanks to the people at Apple there is a very easy process to secure an iTunes App Store Account where you need no credit card or iTunes gift card and can still install free apps. Teachers are interested in doing just that in order to keep their personal Apple accounts separate from their school Apple accounts.

Follow these easy steps from Apple and start installing those free apps!

View instructions now.
View a second resource at this link!

Don't Like to Paint? You'll Like this Kind of Painting . . . Format Painter!

2011-04-18T11:49:00.000-07:00

MicroSoft Office programs offer a quick way to copy formatting from one item to the next. This feature might be the most helpful toolbar button you've NEVER used, and it is called the Format Painter.

For example, you may have applied a few format choices such as font face, font size, bold, and color to selected text in Word for emphasis. Later in the document, you decide you want to apply the same formatting to additional text. You don't have to go back and check to see what you used previously nor do you have to select each format choice individually to apply it. Simply go to the originally formatted text and select a portion of it by clicking and highlighting the text and then "load" the format painter's paintbrush by clicking on the format painter toolbar button (see below). Then apply the formatting to the new text as desired by clicking and dragging over the text or if you will, by "painting" the text with the format painter.

If you want to "paint" text at various locations throughout the document, simply load the format painter and lock the tool in place by double clicking on it. It will then be available for you to paint in multiple locations without having to reload the brush.

You can use the painter in Word, Excel, Publisher, Access, etc. for a variety of formatting choices.

Well, let's get busy and let's get painting!

UnitedStreaming - Where to Save Videos and How . . .

2011-04-06T07:17:00.000-07:00

UnitedStreaming has been around for awhile now, but still periodically I receive questions about saving the videos for use in class.

It is best to save your UnitedSteaming videos to the computer from which you will project the video rather than your network account. It will stream better from the computer versus over the network or over the Internet.

Once you have searched and determined what video (full or segment) that you want to use, simply right click on the DOWNLOAD FILMSTRIP icon to start the saving process. You will want to choose SAVE TARGET AS. In the SAVE IN entry area, browse to locate where you want this video to be saved. (I would recommend setting up a folder that you use repeatedly so you remember where you've saved the video. I would also recommend purging this folder as needed - these files are often large and take up considerable space.) I would also check the file name to be sure it is something meaningful to you; rename as needed. Click on SAVE.

If you are NOT ready to save a video to use, but want to save it for further review without searching for it again, then just ADD it to YOUR CONTENT within your UnitedStreaming account by selecting the video with a check in the square in front of its name and then by clicking the ADD button to MY CONTENT. The video will be in your content to save or delete at a later time.

Well if you haven't been utilizing this wonderful resource, now is the time to start!

Keyboard Shortcut to Increase/Decrease Font Sizes - See It for Yourself

2011-02-21T11:42:00.000-08:00

One of my all-time favorite word processing keyboard shortcuts is using Ctrl+Shift+> or Ctrl+Shift+< to increase or decrease font sizes. Just type your text, highlight it, and use either shortcut to increase or decrease your font size. You can continually change the font size by holding down the Ctrl+Shift keys and repeatedly striking the increase (greater than) or decrease (less than) key.

The text will change right before your eyes - see for yourself! No guessing what size you need; no having to go back and forth to the format menu.

These shortcuts work with many other applications too! Not just Word.

How to Hide Recipient Email Addresses in Outlook

2011-02-18T09:00:00.000-08:00

I was recently asked by a colleague how to send a mass email without showing the recipients' email addresses. After a quick 'Google' on the topic, one very easy solution was found as follows:

For a mass email, you would normally put all of your recipients' email addresses in the "To" section, or if you want some to be just copied you would put their addresses in the "Cc" section. However, all of the email addresses that are put in these two sections will be visible to everyone who receives the email.

Many of us have used the "Bcc" (Blind Carbon Copy) entry to send a copy to someone that you want included in on the communication, but that you don't want the original recipient or copied recipients to know they received an email as well. We're use to using this feature with one or two email addresses, but possibly haven't thought of using it with multiple addresses - particularly for a mass email. So . . . to hide the addresses for a mass email from the other recipients, place the email addresses for all recipients in the "Bcc" section. Anyone listed in this section will receive the email, but their addresses will not be visible to anyone else!

As far as the "To" entry, just put your email address there.

Don't Let Technology Roll Over You . . . Be a Part of the Steamroller, not the Road!

2011-02-16T08:47:00.000-08:00

I have been working in technology education for more than 25 years, and I have "seen it all" as they say. It is amazing how much joy and pain it can bring those who use it!

It is my goal to use this blog to provide a resource for those who might need a little encouragement where technology is concerned. So . . . there will be a variety of topics covered, as well as ability levels - though I will be catering to those of us who need just a little push!

Please feel free to comment; I would love to have feedback. Also if there is a particular topic of interest you'd like more information on, just let me know.