• Open firefox.
• Click on ‘Edit,’ ‘Preferences,’ Content.’
• Uncheck “Block pop-up Windows.”

Or if you more control over pop-ups see this video.

For more information on Digital Story telling, be sure to check out these sites.

• Center for Digital Storytelling
• Digital Storytelling Cookbook (.pdf)
• Downtown Aurora Visual Arts (DAVA) 

Disclosure: The author is my delightful daughter.

By the way, the story above was created on a netbook powered by ubuntu. We scanned the images from a scanner using Xsane.  The images were cropped and scaled using GIMP (image editor) . Her voice was recorded and edited using Audacity (audio editor) . Then we pulled everything into Kdenlive (video editor) to create the video file.

If you don’t have Kdenlive installed on your netbook, but would like it, follow the tutorial below that was captured using Screen Toaster. Be warned: The netbooks don’t have the processing power needed to fully edit video. For example when I’ve imported video to cut, splice and render, the preview works in slow motion. This makes it nearly impossible to make fine cuts. So… I would only use Kdenlive on the netbooks to pull in audio and images that are already ordered numerically. This way you can line up the audio and stretch the images to match. Render to .avi or .mp4 (to upload to youtube) and you’re done.

At the completion of this project you will have a flipchart that you will use to present to your students and/or colleagues. When we’re done, you’ll have these items on your desktop, .xmind, .png, .doc, .aup, .mp3,  .jpg, and a .flipchart.

First create a folder on your desktop titled EETT. This will be where you’ll put everything when you’re done creating.

To start with, let’s use Xmind to organize our thinking. Here’s an example of how your graphic organizer may take shape.

Use Screenshot to capture your graphic organizer if xmind is not exporting as an image. Save the file to the desktop.

Next, open Open Office.org to compose your ideas. Remember to use your ideas gathered from the graphic organizer. We’re going to record your voice next so be sure to write fluent sentences.

Now open Audacity. Using your most sincere voice. Record your writing. Export it as an .mp3 to the desktop.

Use Cheese to take a picture of yourself for your project. Drag it to the desktop.

Open ActivInspire and whip your media into a presentation.

The combination of a clean  desktop, an inspired purpose and Google Forms can make collecting information fun and useful.

1. Give your desktop a makeover.
2. Get inspired by necessity.
3. Create a survey with Google Docs.
4. Place directions, survey and resources on desktop
5. Give students time to get to it.
6. Evaluate the data.
7. Share the results

An issue that keeps coming up - enough to warrant the production of the following 1min video - is that of files not opening in our preferred program. Many times this is due to upgrading software like Microsoft’s Word ‘03 to Word ‘07 and Promethean’s ActivStudio to ActivInspire. For example, the issue is that when you click on a .doc file, it doesn’t automatically open in Word ‘07 (because .docx files do that initially). The idea is that you want to customize what app your files open in - typically the upgraded software or your preferred program. The following movie will show you how to make your files automatically do this all the time and the process can be applied to any kind of files and their associated prgrams (for instance all audio filetypes .mp3, .aiff, .wav with iTunes).

Why create a virtual presence on the Internet? Here are two resources to shed some light on why. Check out Tom Fox’s presentation on how dynamic educators at Rangeview Highschool are using the Internet to increase communication and collaboration among students. Or better yet, watch the video below to see student’s opinions on using netbooks in conjunction with a web presence.

There are so many possibilities for getting started… epals, ning, moodle & wordpress to name a few. Contact the technology coach nearest you to get started!

WARNING!: Before inviting students to your site, work with them to develop rules, boundaries, procedures and consequences for appropriate and inappropriate behaviour.

Here are some of the differences between epals, ning, moodle and wordpress.

Internet Solution / functions	blog	chat	email or internal email	safety protocols	student authoring	wiki
epals
ning
moodle
wordpress

To get started with epals, send your tech coach this information:

1. What level of lockdown you want to start with? Can students email within the classroom, school, district or world?
2. Students email will be filtered at level 2. You will only have to approve email that may be inappropriate. Specify if you want more or less restriction.
3. What grade are students in?
4. Send students last name and first name. Can be a text file or spreadsheet.
5. Note: You will be sent a username and password as a teacher and an administrator. As a teacher you will be able to communicate with students. As an administrator, you’ll be able to add/remove students and reset passwords.

To get started with Ning, send your tech coach this information:

1. Students will need an email address. Get started with epals (above).
2. Go to www.ning.com and register for a site and get started customizing it.
3. Send students to your site to register and get started

To get started with moodle, send your tech coach this information:

1. Email your technology coach and ask to be set up as a Course Creator in moodle.
2. As a course creator you will be able to add and remove students from your course as needed.

Here’s how to get your class started.

1. Make sure that epals’ “access level” is set to Internet. (Contact tech coach if students don’t have epals accounts.)
2. Students go to http://apslearning.net/
3. Create new account with…
   • epals username
   • epals password
4. epals email address a registration link is sent to the students’ epals account
5. Students go to epals and click on the Moodle registration link.
6. Students go back to apslearning.net to log in

To get started with wordpress, send your tech coach this information:

1. Register here.

Useful tools to use in conjunction with your website.

• Drop Box (www.getdropbox.com)
• Google Docs (https://docs.google.com)
  • Google forms

Below is a lesson using GIMP. The lesson assumes a basic knowledge in using a search engine, downloading files, organizing files within folders and understanding and using technology systems. The lesson also assumes a well-articulated project. The lesson works best in tandem with written work such as a research paper, report, scientific hypothesis, etc. Through the process of developing this image, students should be reflecting on their written words. The process may help clarify some ideas, causing students to further revise their written work.

TOPIC: Creating nonlinguistic representation of a thesis statement.

AUDIENCE: High School English students

PURPOSE: Students will be able to clarify their thesis into a single nonlinguistic representation.

OBJECTIVES:
APS Secondary writing continuum: Relies on self-reflection and critical evaluation of own writing to ensure effective communication of ideas.
ISTE NETS: 2b. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats.

GOAL: Create a stamp that represents your opinion. For example, “Linux offers students a way to research, create and communicate.”

ASSESSMENT: Using google forms, peers report what they believe their peer’s thesis statement is. If the student’s peer is able to successfully able to predict the thesis statement, the student has passed.

STEPS

Create a non-linguistic representation of your thesis statement.
1. Decide which images you need to express your idea.
2. Choose the sources finding the right images.
3. Locate the images, download them to a folder. Record the location of the image for your bibliography.
4. Consider your images. Choose the images you’ll need and decide how they’ll fit together.
5. Combine the images using GIMP to compose a single image that expresses your main idea.
6. Consider your image. Does it successfully represent your idea? If not, go back to step 1.

EXAMPLES:

VOCABULARY:
toolbox, tool options, image window, layers, brushes, patterns, crop

RESOURCES:

• http://www.atomiclearning.com/k12/en/gimp24pc
  
  • (log in to oneplace and then atomic learning prior to clicking on this link)
• http://docs.gimp.org/2.6/en/

SOURCES:

• Represent Yourself with the GIMP (presentation)
• http://www.aps.k12.co.us/instruct/resources/literacy/secondary.html
• http://www.big6.com/
• http://www.gimp.org
• http://www.iste.org
• http://www.iste.org

Netbooks — small notebook computers with a 10-inch screen or smaller — are turning into the preferred method for school districts around Aurora to get more computers in more students’ hands.

Cherry Creek recently purchased more than 250 of the personal computers, bringing their total up to 500 netbook computers this year.

Chief Information Officer Ben Startzer said the district would purchase even more of the low-cost netbooks over the next year, eventually bumping that number up to around 1,000.

“Really we see them as affordable and reliable options,” said Startzer.

Similarly, Aurora Public Schools uses 1,100 of the computers at its schools and plans to purchase 600 more this year, according to Ivan Duran, director of APS technology.

That push started a year ago when the district tested about 100 of the small computers at one of its schools to see if the computers would be effective tools in the classroom, Duran said.

Based on that initial success, Duran and the district purchased more, and he says he plans on hitting the 2,000 to 3,000 mark sometime this year.

The local increase is mirrored nationwide. Industry researcher IDC reported in June that the netbook market is projected to grow 60 percent each year from 2008 to 2013.

A Dell spokeswoman said while sales numbers aren’t made public at the company, sales of the netbooks to school districts have risen significantly since the start of the year. The computermaker currently supplies more than 1,000 districts across the country with the netbooks.

Duran said studying the use at other districts prompted APS to purchase the computers last year.

“We did see them as a lower-cost option for teachers to get this technology in the hands of students and really have a direct impact,” he said.

Netbooks have taken off in recent years mainly because of the small price attached to the computers. Most netbooks fall within a $400 to $500 price range, with several models under the $400 threshold.

Comparatively, laptops average around $800, making the netbook purchases ideal for most within the district.

Although underpowered compared to many notebooks and desktops, netbooks are suited mainly for word processing and light Internet duty.

Duran said APS students use the machines for word processing; however, web-based applications allow for the small books to venture into different applications such as photography and video applications. Many of the netbooks are equipped with built-in cameras for students to videoconference.

Netbooks at APS run on Linux Ubuntu, which is a free, open-source operating system distributed on the Internet. That helps keep costs down, Duran said, and the district mainly uses web applications that are freely distributed and require no licensing fees.

>>>>> READ MORE >>>>>

ActivInspire is the newest version of software for Promethean Boards.  This combination in-person and online course will teach you the basics of this updated program and how to integrate it into your daily instruction.  Participants will learn the basics of migrating to ActivInspire, how to create basic flipcharts, use actions and containers, create assessments using ActiVotes, and more.  There will be 2 required face-to-face meetings on October 9 and December 4.  The rest of the class will be held online to better fit busy schedules.

Week 1 – Downloading ActivInspire, Introduction to ActivInspire, Migrating to ActivInspire
Week 2 – Resource Packs and Working with Images
Week 3 – Magic Ink, Spotlight, Revealer, and other Cool Tools
Week 4 – Working with Sound and Video
Week 5 – Layers and Groups
Week 6 – Containers and Actions
Week 7 – Activotes

In Person Meeting Dates: October 9, 2009 and December 4, 2009
Times:  5:00-5:30pm

Location:  6th Avenue Elementary School – Computer Lab

(New assignments will be posted online every Friday. Participants will have one week to complete and post each 2 hour assignment.)

Interested in attending?  Email your questions to Shannon Wentworth scwentworth@aps.k12.co.us at 6th Avenue.

Course registration is available on Avatar.

Hello all,

Are you interested in using Moodle, the online learning management system, to engage your students or collaborate with your colleagues? If so, join us for a Teacher Moodle Boot Camp offered on Monday, September 21st and 28th from 4:30PM to 6:00PM. During these sessions you will learn how to set up and manage a class, set up an area for grade/subject/interest group collaboration or other projects to excite your students and amaze your colleagues.

Here are the particulars:

Instructor: Tom Fox (Rangeview High School Technology Manager)

When: Monday, September 21st and 28th from 4:30PM to 6:00PM (plan on attending both sessions)

Where: ESC #1, 15701 E. 1st Ave, Suite 110, Lab 1

Who: Anyone interested in learning about how to use Moodle in an Educational Environment

To register please go to the APS Avatar page and login (http://auroraps.avatarlms.com ). Your user name is your email name (i.e. rjwood) and your password is aurora. If you have problems with logging in please contact Andrea Payne in professional development. Once you have logged in, register for the Moodle Boot Camp by clicking on the link under the course catalog heading called “next 7 days”. Registration is limited to the first 20 participants!

Feel free to forward to others interested at your site. Contact me [Randy Wood] if you have any questions.

professional.pdf

• 2009-2010
  • Options for Grant
  • Grant Project Evaluation
  • 21st Century Classroom Cover (.docx)
  • 2009-2010 DoIT Grant Application (.docx)
  • Budget Sample (.xls)