Tech Tip Tuesday ... Google Calendar

You probably don't actually need a calendar to tell you what time of year it is right now (we can just feel it, can't we?) but today's Tuesday Tech Tip is all about Google Calendar .

If you haven't jumped on the Google bandwagon yet, this may be just what you needed to get you on board. There are many fantastic Google applications (Google Docs, Reader, Maps, Google Earth, GMail, etc.) but I think Google Calendar may be my favorite.

Just click the Sign In link in the upper right corner of any google page. Sign in with your Google username/password or click the Create an Account link to create your own Google account.

Why I Use (and Love) Google Calendar

1. Access the Calendar Anywhere - I just log in to Google wherever I happen to be, and I have my entire calendar right there! I can access my calendar from my iPhone too ... super cool!
2. Reminders - If you're like me, you probably have sticky notes all over your desk with little reminders for yourself. Sadly, I usually forget to read the notes! Google Calendar will actually send you SMS reminders to your cell phone, an email reminder, or a pop-up on your computer screen (although you will need to have your Google page open) for your events. Create as many reminders as you need for each event - a week, a day, an hour, 5 minutes ahead of time ... you choose!
3. Share Your Calendar With Others - You can share with your family, your friends, your co-workers; create private calendars, share with just a select few, or create public calendars. You can also send invitations to events with Google Calendar - even to people who don't have Google accounts! 
4. Multiple Calendars - I have several calendars of my own, I subscribe to a couple of public calendars, and I even have my co-workers' calendars too. I can color-code each one, and I can easily hide or show any combination of the calendars. It's also super-easy to copy one event on to other calendars.
5. Adding/Changing Events - This simply couldn't be any easier! Just click into the appropriate date and enter your info. If you enter "meeting at DC @ 2:30", it somehow (perhaps magically) knows that DC is a location and your meeting will likely be from 2:30pm - 3:30pm. If it "guesses" incorrectly, just click it again to edit it. Oops - did the date get changed??? Just click and drag it to the new date (yes, as easy as that!)
6. Multiple Views - Do you prefer to see the whole month at a time, or is that just a little too overwhelming? Easily switch between calendar views - Day, Week, Month, 4 Weeks, or Agenda.
7. Repeating Events - Do you need a reminder to complete your lesson plans each week or change the class helpers? (Or maybe change the filter in your a/c unit at home???) You can create an event and set it to repeat weekly, monthly, or always on the 5th of the month, etc.
8. Tasks - One of the newer features of Google Calendar is the Tasks list. I like to make to-do lists. I like to check off the items I've completed. I am guilty of adding tasks to my to-do list that I've already done, just so I can cross them off! I can use the Task list in Google Calendar to help me keep track of my many, many "to-do's"!
9. Public Calendars - Of course, you can add "US Holidays" to your calendar, but there are lots of other choices too. Are you a sports fan? You can choose from most Professional Sports teams and see their schedules right on your desktop. 
10. It's Pretty! - I know, it's kinda lame for a reason, but Google Calendar has pretty colors, a nice layout, and I like it!
    
    

    

    
    

Tech Tip Tuesday ... The Hat

"I'm first!"

"Pick me, Pick me!"

"I never get picked ... it's not fair!"

"My turn!"

If this sounds like your classroom, then you definitely need to check out The Hat. It's a simple but handy little utility that offers a fun and easy way to automatically determine a random order from a list of any amount of names. You can even use it to pick individual names for raffle and sweepstakes winners, etc. or pick pairs of names for deciding random partnerships, complete with cool animation and sound effects. 

To load on your computer, follow these simple (one-time) directions:

1. Click here to download The Hat!
2. Click Run, Run, Next
3. UNCHECK the option to load the Harmony Hollow toolbar, click Next.
   
   
   
4. Accept the User Agreement (after you've read it, of course), click Next.
5. Click Next, Install.
6. Click Finish and you're all set!

Add your students' names by clicking the green button. You can even import them if you have them saved in a text file or copied to your clipboard.

To select a student, click Shuffle and then Stop. The name at the top of the list is "it!"

You can save your lists to use again later. 

Tech Tip Tuesday ... PDF to Word

PDF documents are fabulous - anyone with (free) Adobe Reader can view PDFs, whether they are on a Mac or a PC. PDFs are often smaller in size and better to upload to websites or send as email attachments. PDFs are typically not editable, which is often a good thing. From time to time though, we may find ourselves needing to edit a PDF. If you've ever been in this situation, you know that it's not the easiest thing in the world ... until now!

You can now easily convert a PDF document into a Word document in just a couple of simple steps.

Save the PDF document somewhere on your computer.

1. Go to BCL Converter
2. Browse to find your PDF document.
3. Click Upload and Convert Button.
4. When the conversion is complete, click the Right-Click Here link (just a regular click works fine!)
5. Click Open to view the Word document now, or Save to save the Word document to access later.
6. Edit away!

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Another great option is PDF to Word Converter. The only difference is that it emails the file to you. It took about 30 minutes for me to get the file, but if you're at a conference or away from your own computer and would prefer to get the documents later, give them a try!

Tech Tip Tuesday ... Jing

Jing is one of my all-time favorite applications that I've found. It also happens to be FREE, which is a wonderful thing!

 

Download it here!

I will confess that once upon a time, not so long ago, I needed a "picture" of something on my computer screen so I dug through my desk and found my trusty digital camera. I snapped a picture (okay, several pictures until I could get one without the flash!), uploaded it to my computer, and finally used Paint (yes, MS Paint) to crop it down. By the time I got the picture I wanted, I had already forgotten what I wanted to do with it! UGH ... Now with Jing, I can quickly and easily take a screenshot of the entire screen or just a portion of it. 

Jing also takes videos of your screen. Just use your handy-dandy "Britney Spears" headset to narrate what you're doing on screen and you can create your own little video tutorials in no time!

Here are some of the things I do and things you may do too:

• "Snag" a picture off a website to use in class
• Use the video to record yourself creating a PowerPoint, PhotoStory, MovieMaker, or anything
• Save graphics from PDF copies of CBAs to create additional activities
• Create instructional videos for class, other teachers, or anyone
• If your computer is "acting weird", JING it and send the video to me and I can help figure out what's going on =)

Warnings:

• Just because Jing gives you the ability to snag images from just about anywhere, you must still follow copyright rules when using images.
• Before you know it, you will start using "jing" as a verb!  Just JING it!

Do you already use Jing? Do you have any questions about it? Leave them in the comments below.