When using the “full screen” feature on SMART boards, you may lose your cursor, both on your SMART board and on your computer. Frustrating! If this happens, exit the full screen feature. Now, on your SMART board, use your finger to tap the lower right corner of your desktop. Your cursor will reappear there, both on your SMART board and on your computer.
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25 Websites for Teaching and Learning
The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) has announced the 2011 Top 25 Websites for Teaching and Learning. The list of websites honors the top 25 Internet sites for enhancing learning and curriculum development for school librarians and their teacher collaborators. The list is considered the “best of the best” by AASL. The Top 25 are free, web-based sites that are user-friendly and encourage a community of learners to explore and discover. The websites honored this year include: Aviary, CK-12 Flexbooks, Conduit, Digital Vaults, Dipity, Edistorm, Edmodo, Exploratorium, Geocube, iCyte, i-Earn, i-nigma QR codes, Kerpoof, Khan Academy, Lingt Language, Microsoft Tag Codes, Myths and Legends, Nota, PicLits, SpicyNodes, Symbaloo, Tagxedo, Yolink Education, You Are What You Read and ZooBurst.
Backup2GO
Backup2Go is our new back-up tool for teachers. It’s already loaded onto your laptop, and already backing up items to the district server.
Unlike students, you will not see the 2 houses on your menu bar, or the notice that your computer is syncing when you log in. Student accounts are backed up using mobile syncing, just like last year.
Backup2GO operates in the background, backing up every hour while you are on the district network. When you are outside the district, the backup does not take place. If you have important files created while you are outside the district, your computer will automatically back them up during the next school day or if you opted for admin rights on your computer, you can manually start the backup as soon as you connect to the District network.
Backup2GO also gives you the ability to restore your own files if you accidentally deleted something or need to use a previous version (without waiting for the tech department to help). If your computer malfunctions, the technology department can restore your files to a loaner or replacement computer.
You need to be aware that your backup files now exist on your laptops, not in a mobile account. Therefore, you cannot log into your district account on another computer and have access to your files. Don’t leave your laptop at home! Like last year’s mobile syncing, Backup2GO does not back up your pictures and movies.
To access Backup2go, go to:
- System Preferences >> PreSTORE >> Open “Backup2Go in Browser”
- Login = same as computer login
- On the left side of your screen is a backup button and a restore button
- When you open it up, should have notes in middle of screen with time of latest backup started and completed, and the next backup. You can click on backup now (if you opted for admin rights).
- If you accidentally delete something you can get it back while in district; click on “Restore” and recover old versions of documents.
Please open Backup2GO soon to make sure it is running on your computer. If you have questions, please submit a ticket to the helpdesk.
Screen Zoom
When you are projecting your computer screen, you may want to zoom in and enlarge a portion of the screen so your audience can clearly see it. To zoom in, hold down the Control key and move two fingers up on the trackpad. Wow!
To set up or adjust this function, go to System Preferences and choose Trackpad. Under “Two Fingers” there is an item called “Screen Zoom” that you can check to enable. Under “Options” you can refine it–start with “continuously with pointer” and then experiment to see what works for you.
