Summertime, And theLivin' is Easy

If you're like me, you have a mile-long list of things to do over the summer because you think you'll have time to do it. At least that is what you tell yourself and everyone you talk to. Realistically you know you won't get much of this list done, if anything at all (I know I won't).


Well, I'll try not to add too much to your list, although I know that I have already for some of you. If you don't have anything to do, browse through the blog posts on the right of this page and you'll be sure to find something that piques your interest. There are many things worth investing your time in.


Now, I'd actually like to show you something that could save you time this summer. Many teachers are in the midst of transferring their lessons into SMART Notebook to make them easier to use with their SMARTboards. Is this a necessary step for everyone? No, its not. Is it more convenient to have your lessons in Notebook rather than Word or PDF? I would argue yes.


So, how can you get your lessons into Notebook from another program? There are 3 different methods that I'd recommend, depending on the situation.


#1. Copy and Paste. As simple as it gets. Highlight your work. Select copy. Paste into Notebook. This method is the best method due to the fact that you can still edit text in Notebook by double-clicking on it. It allows for more customization than the next two methods because of this. However, it isn't the fastest method.


#2. Screen Capture. Certainly the slowest method, screen capture will allow you to copy your lessons into Notebook by selecting an area using the screen capture tool. This method is one to consider if you cannot copy and paste your material. However, with screen capture, you will not be able to edit text because you are capturing images. If you can't remember how to use screen capture, watch the video in this blog post.


#3. Notebook Print Capture. This method is the fastest out of the three and is like a one-click screen capture method. It will take a picture of each page and insert them into a Notebook file. Like screen capture, each page is an image so you are unable to edit them. Occasionally, the quality of the images are suspect. If this happens, you should use option #2 - screen capture. Watch the quick video below to see how Print Capture works.

May the 4th be with You.

In my last blog post, It's all about Efficiency, I commented on Notebook being, in my opinion, the most efficient program for delivering content to students and sharing with colleagues. One thing I left out, maybe subconsciously on purpose, was that there is great effort needed on the part of teachers to embrace this program and what it can offer.

One comment I've heard many times over my short teaching career is "This is great, but where am I going to find the time to do it?" Time is always an issue and there is no simple answer as to where you can find time to try new things. As educators we are busy enough, so busy that we can easily neglect the rest of our lives and prioritize our careers. It is tough with what limited time you have left to take a risk and try something new, if there is the possibility you may have been wasting your time. We need to choose carefully, I know that all too well.

Notebook can make your lessons and collaboration more effective. It does take time and effort to get comfortable and proficient with this program. That is when you will reap the rewards that Notebook can provide. Many of the skills I have showcased in my blog videos will help you see how something is done. To really get proficient at these skills, however, you'll need to use those skills when developing content. This is why Alberta Ed promotes cross-curricular ICT projects over specific skill teaching. The skills will come through during the process of creation and will be more meaningful.

Below is another quick video on using the Group feature in Notebook.

Efficiency is What it's All About

"Efficiency is doing better what is already being done."

- Peter F. Drucker

Efficiency is what technology is all about. It is a tool that can make our teaching and, more importantly, student learning more effective. If it's not going to do that, why should we use it?

Notebook is an extremely efficient tool to use for lessons in your classroom. I would argue that it is currently the most effective tool for organizing and presenting resources. It is so much more than just another presentation tool, an alternative to Powerpoint.

To begin with, the Link feature, see "Technology, Turkeys and Touchscreens," can help you make quick transitions to websites, other pages in your presentation or attached files. You no longer need to waste time navigating through the numerous folders and files that consume your My Documents folder. Just one click takes you there.

Speaking of attachments, you can include a digital copy of any file you need for quick access. I always recommend attaching anything you could possibly use, not just what you are planning to use. For instance, if a lesson goes faster than you expected or changes in focus depending on student interests, you can have materials attached that you don't have to search for.

Finally, the "My Content" section of Notebook can also have an effect on your efficiency. This area, located in your Gallery is a place where you can store internet and gallery pictures, interactives and videos. The idea is to store items that you use regularly in your room, so that you can have quick access to them. For instance, timers and base 10 blocks were mainstays in my own My Content. One thing to consider here is that you want to make it easy to find the things you use all the time, so you must be very critical about which items you place there. The more items in, the longer it takes you to find what you're looking for.

Watch the video below to see how to add, organize and save your My Content section in Notebook.

Reflections from Bow Island

     Once again the Teacher 2 Teacher Conference in Bow Island was fantastic. The greatest benefit is getting to see so many classroom teachers showing you how they integrate technology into their lessons. Not only that, but in a lot of cases you are getting new ideas for teaching the same material in your classroom. 

     I really enjoyed getting to hear and meet so many of the educational technologists whose blogs I've been reading and websites I've been visiting over the course of this school year. It was interesting to note that one of the speakers, Richard Byrne, still manages to teach a classroom full-time while traveling frequently to present at conferences.

     Between Richard Byrne's session and a session with James Hollis I reached a simple conclusion. I need to blog more. And, I need to blog regularly. But what will I blog about? That remains to be seen. 

     Below is the first of what I hope will be many quick tip videos. I created this one with a handy free website called Screenr and a microphone. This one is about creating your own custom attendance page for your class using Smart Notebook. Sound clips can be found copyright-free from either Soundboard or Free Sound.

Animated Attendance (be patient, it needs to load)

Let me know what you think!