Tech Tip Tuesday ... Dropbox

If you've ever been at home and needed a document that was safely stored on your computer at school, OR you've been at school and needing a document from your home computer, Dropbox is for you!

Dropbox allows you to sync designated files online, allows you to share files with others, gives you access to your files virtually anywhere, and is even available on your smart phone!

The first thing you need to do is go to Dropbox and watch the little introductory video and then download Dropbox to your desktop.

In the interest of full disclosure, we do have something like this in district. iFolder is a similar tool that is available in district with your Novell username and password. Here are the reasons I've converted to Dropbox instead of iFolder:

• Dropbox is easier to install and run on your computer. 
• You get 2 gb of free space just for signing up - get friends, co-workers, or PARENTS to sign up, and you get additional space.
• I can get to dropbox on my iPhone (or other smart phones and mobile devices!)
• I can share documents, pictures, fonts, etc. with anyone - not just district employees. 

I'm a classroom teacher. Why do I need Dropbox?

• Easily share documents with other teachers on your team, campus, across the district, or anywhere in the world.
• Share class newsletters, class pictures, video or audio recordings of your class (with permission, of course). The only people that see it are the ones you have invited - no fear of internet predators.
• We all know it ... teachers work from home! Instead of emailing yourself that huge document or saving all those pictures to your flash drive that's in the bottom of your purse right now, just save them into Dropbox. You've got access to them from home, from your classroom, from the public library, from the Development Center ... anywhere!

If you have any questions, concerns, or comments about how we can use Dropbox, please leave a comment. (It's EASY ... give it a try!)