We're Going Google

Today we are officially announcing our plans to move to Google Apps.  This includes

Gmail:  You will have over 7 gigabytes of email storage, built in instant messaging, and powerful search.  Your email address will NOT change
Google Calendar:  allows easy coordination of work or class schedules, meetings and events online
Google Docs:  allows teachers and students to create and collaborate on documents, spreadsheets, and presentations in real-time
Google Sites: allows teachers and students to create and collaborate on a websites.  Google sites can remain private or be turned for the world to see.

Access

You can access your new account three different ways.
1. There is now a gmail icon in the NAL box
2. There is a link on the McDowell County Schools Homepage
3. or just visit http://gmail.mcdowell.k12.nc.us

Your username is “firstname.lastname”

You will be prompted to change your password when you first login.

Staff Development
We plan to have extensive staff development for all of the Google Apps after the start of school next year.  We are also offering staff development on June 14th and 15th to anyone who would like to get a jump start.

June 14th
9 - 11 AM - Technology Departement’s Tech Training Lab - by Aaron Slutsky
9 - 11 AM  EMJH Flex Lab - by Eric Cole  
1 - 3 PM EMJH Flex Lab - by Eric Cole
9 -11 AM WMJH Keith Ledford’s Lab - by Keith Ledford

Tuesday June 15th
9 - 11 AM West Marion Elementary Instructional Technology Lab -  by Alyssa Kanipe
9 - 11 AM - Technology Departement’s Tech Training Lab - by Aaron Slutsky

Please use the following form to register
https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dEw4M2pMQVhxQ3Y2ZkhPQWg0MV9mU3c6MQ

Google Guru
Each School also has a Google Guru, a teacher that has volunteered to assist others with the transition.

AEC: To Be Determined
EFE: Kristie Arrowood
EMJH: Nikki Holland
GWE: Natalie Morgan and Heather Anderson
MES: Patricia Arthur
MHS: Angie Allison, Holly Goforth, Sumer Inman, Joy Hall, Daniel Smith, Miranda Ferguson
MEC: To Be Determined
NES: Holly Sills
NCE: Caitlin Hunter
OFE: Stephanie Lytle
PGE: To Be Determined and Scott Mitchell
WME: Emily Elkins
WMJH: Wendy Young

In order to use Gmail exclusively, you will need to setup a rule in Groupwise. Please talk to your Google Guru or Technology Facilitator and they will help you set this up.

Exporting Contacts from Groupwise to Gmail

Exporting Contacts from Groupwise and Importing to Gmail.


Open the desktop version of Groupwise, web access will not work.

Select Address Book

Select the desired Address Book in the left pane

Right Click and click Export Book

Give the file and name and change the Save as Type to vCard Addresses .VCF, note where you are saving the file and click save.

Open your Google Apps Gmail Account.

Click Contacts, on the left hand side of the screen

Click Import, on the top right hand side of the screen.

Click Browse and locate the .VCF file you saved and click Import

You should see the results of the import and the names should now appear in your contact list.

Making it easier to video chat, voice chat, and group chat in Gmail

Making it easier to video chat, voice chat, and group chat in Gmail: "Posted by Josh Teague, User Experience Designer

Video chat, voice chat, and group chat have all been available for some time within Gmail, but they've been curiously tucked away. Getting them up and running required fidgeting with a little menu at the bottom of each chat window. Starting today, all of these features will be just a single click away.


One of the more subtle benefits to surfacing these chat options is that it's easier for people to get started who don't yet have the voice and video chat plugin.
If your chat buddy doesn't have the plugin, clicking on this icon in the chat window will invite them to install it. As soon as they're done, you can carry on with a face-to-face video chat. Since we launched a similar feature on iGoogle and orkut a little while ago, we've seen a dramatic uptick in people using video chat.


Finally, you'll find oldie but goodie features such as 'Go off the record,' 'Block', and 'Send SMS' in a more aptly named 'Actions' menu of each chat window.

"

Testing

Touch Movies On The Go With Seat Buddy

Could have used this last weekend on our trip to MD

Read Full Post on unplugged

Photoshoot

IMAG0003.jpg
Originally uploaded by saltybagel

We had a photographer come out and take shoot some photos of the kids.

Tips & Tricks: Comments in Google documents

From the Google Docs Blog


Tips & Tricks: Comments in Google documents: "In April, we launched a new version of Google documents. One feature that makes collaboration easier is improved commenting.

Connecting text to note
Comments let you make suggestions about the text in your document without modifying the document itself. When you click on a comment, the text it’s referring to is highlighted. And vice-versa -- when you select highlighted text in your document, we identify the associated comment.

Additionally, when you move highlighted text around within the document, the comments will follow the text and re-arrange to keep your annotations in order.

Comment on the sidelines
Comments live outside the margins of the editing space -- but are linked to text in the document. This means you can leave notes for others without cluttering the document.

We’ve also made it easier to hide comments in your document. You can show or hide all comments by checking or un-checking the Show comments menu item.

A detailed view of the comment box
Finally, we think the comment feature will give you flexibility to work with your notes in an intuitive and user-friendly way.

You can delete a comment by pressing the trash can icon above a comment. Or, you can respond to a comment by pressing the reply arrow, and it will show up just below the comment you’re responding to. You can hide a comment by marking the “X” button at the top of the comment.

Collaboration at the next level
The new version of Google documents is a built around collaboration, allowing you to work in real-time and to see what others are typing character by character. The new comment features makes it much easier to keep track of your ideas and notes while you work closely with others.

To try out improved commenting and other features, you’ll need to take the new preview version of Google documents for a test drive. You can opt-in by visiting the Editing tab in the Google Docs settings.

Posted by: Edgard Lindner, Software Engineer