Jing - Set-Up and Customize iGoogle

This is the first in a training series of Google tools being presented to the Upper School during assemblies. As students do not have tablets with them, I am using Jing (www.jingproject.com) to create videos to reinforce the instruction. Jing videos are limited to five minutes in length. iGoogle has been pretty universally embraced by those who have tried it, as a superior organizational tool.

click to view Video

Wireless Projector Tips

To project on the screen while simultaneously going elsewhere on your tablet, say entering grades or googling, simply go to the icon on the lower right, the tiny projector, and hit STOP SENDING. This keeps the original image on the projector while you are free to browse. Alternatively, use the FREEZE button on the lower left corner of the NEC projector's remote to do the same thing.

If the screen being projected freezes and the LCD does not respond to the Off button from the remote, if it was being used in wireless (LAN) mode, switch to Computer 1 and then power down the LCD.

In case another teacher's screen is appearing in your classroom, an easy way to find out whose it is, is to open ATTENDANT (you must close PRESENTER first) and check the list. You should see the culprit listed next to your room number.

And finally, when projecting multimedia files such as movies, do not use the LAN wireless mode. Rather, hardwire (attach your laptop to the wall plug using a monitor cable) and then hit Computer 1 on your remote to make the connection.

Installing Printers

Start > Printers and Faxes > Add a printer > A network printer > Find a printer in the directory. Click the Find Now button and navigate to the proper campus to locate your printer.

Tablet Resources

Check out the Microsoft Experience Pack installed on our tablets (Start > Programs) which offers numerous free programs that can be explored from their website: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/tabletpc/experiencepack/default.mspx

Initial Reactions through mid-May

Please take a few moments to share your initial expectations and reactions. Use the following questions to guide your responses and create a common format for weekly postings:

• # of class periods per week that the tablets were used?

• Frequency of personal tablet usage?

• Any problems with LCD projectors?

• How is learning changing?

• Any challenges and/or frustrations

• Positive experiences
  

• Impact on teacher organization

If applicable, share:

• Student feedback

• Parent feedback

• Other teacher feedback

List any notable resources you have discoverd and, please, ask questions.

The above questions, as well as a summary of the posted resources and answers to questions you pose, can be found by clicking on the Tablet Resources link on the side bar.

To make accessing this blog easier, create a link in your browser to TabletTalk by simply dragging the icon in front of the address to your link bar.

CCD by Katie

CCD was wonderful and very inspiring! The tablets took teaching and learning to a higher level. Some of my favorite things were:

• dart and dash (teachers gave a 5 minute presentation of a lesson) This was great because we saw the teacher's enthusiasm along with the lesson from start to finish
• very impressed with how the primary teachers were using windows journal for evaluating their students, along with the digital cameras
• LCDs and digital cameras a must with the tablet

April Adventures

April 2005 saw the first Toshiba tablets arrive for the initial Tableteers. Karolyne and Clare attended a Tablet Workshop at the Bolles School where faculty demonstrated how their instruction had changed in less than a year of implementing tablets for faculty only.

Katie, Quen, Karolyne, Joanie, Kris, and Susan attended the CCDS workshop at the end of the month where we were treated to three days of exemplary teaching ideas.

Seventh grade classrooms had overhead projectors and sound equipment installed in anticipation of a fall 7th grade tablet iniative trial.