Microsoft Helps Out!

I so often hear people tell me that they would love to use more technology with students if they only knew how to use offline applications themselves! Others might want to advance along the state's Tech Ladder, but they need easy access to segments that they could learn in 20 minutes. There are many resources available for the rescue. Following are a few.

• http://www.microsoft.com/education/howto.mspx  - Learn how to use Microsoft software in the classroom with tips and tricks presented in these how-to articles. You can use the search tool below to find lesson plans and how-to articles for your relevant subjects, grade levels, and products, or find articles on this page.

• http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/training/default.aspx - Select from dozens of self-paced training courses and segments in Office 2003 or 2007, all free, and many with sound and follow up quizzes right from your computer. Use these for yourself. Assign them to your students!

• http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/getstarted/default.aspx - Get started with video support!

• http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/training/cr061832721033.aspx - Outlook 2003.

• http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/training/cr100654581033.aspx - Outlook 2007.

• http://www.fgcu.edu/support/office2007/Word/index.asp - Easy and supported by nice images.

• http://www.edzone.net/~mwestern/tutorials.html - How To's with lots of projects.

• If you want dozens of project ideas, you can, of course, access them on your wiki, http://chiresources.pbworks.com/ . Take your pick!

Windows 7

All reports I've received so far on this new operating system, Windows 7, indicate that moving to it is a good bet. Following are three sites that might provide some insight on whether or now your lab might be ready for the move.

• http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/ - From the Microsoft mouth.

• http://www.pcworld.com/article/172602/windows_7_review.html  - Windows 7 Review: Windows 7 gets the basics right. Here's what you need to know about the new OS.

• http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2354552,00.asp - Take a video tour.

Lunch and Learn

Our next Lunch and Learn session will be held on Wednesday, April 29th, Noon to 1 PM. We will examine free and easy Websites that allow your students to cartoon for their pleasure and learning.

Register to attend the session at http://coloradoeducation.wufoo.com/forms/lunch-and-learn-sign-up/. Virtual seating is limited to nine people. You will be sent instructions on joining the session through your email after you sign up. Once I receive your registration, I will send you a link with which to join us.

Feel free to have students attend the session if you have a lab where you can project the session thorough LCD or any other computer projector. Sign up for one seat, and let others attend at your site. You will need speaker to allow everyone to hear the instructions being given.

All materials and links used during Lunch and Learn session are posted on your state wiki: http://chiresources.pbworks.com/, along with a number of other links and ideas. Resources are linked with the most recent at the bottom. Feel free to contact your Resource Center if you need help with any of the computer skills listed.

Citation Machine
http://www.citationmachine.net/

"Citation machine helps students and professional researchers to properly credit the information that they use. Its primary goal is to make it so easy for student researchers to cite their information sources."

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Click the citation format you need and then the type of resource you wish to cite.
2. Complete the Web form that appears with information from your source.
3. Click [Make Citations] to generate standard bibliographic and in-text citations.
4. Copy the citation and paste it into your work.

Wufoo No Phooey
http://www.wufoo.com

There are times when you might want to survey your students or staff. Why not use a nifty site, the one used by this Center to register you for Lunch and Learn sessions?

You may have up to five surveys posted for free, and you may take one survey down and enter another in its places at no charge.

The options are many and allow for a large variety of text entries that you find in many surveys.

Simply enter your email contact to receive the responses entered, and you may compile your responses offline.

Who says good things aren't free?

Think Again

What do the images below represent?

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CLICK FOR ANSWER