Using SMART Notebook without a SMART board--and posting your slides to Google Sites!

I had a technology breakthrough today. Just a creative spark that is saving me and my students lots of headaches. Here's the story:

****I do NOT have a SMART board in my room, but my district owns many SMART boards, so we have a site license for the software. I am a SMART board trainer, so I use the software all the time with my tablet.

1. Next week is the Midterm Performance Assessment for 8th Grade in my school, so today was the day where we reviewed the principles of experimental design in class.

2. My students offered their input on what makes a "fair test" and I served as a scribe. I wrote all of these notes in Notebook 10 on my tablet PC.

3. Many students were absent today, so I posted the notes to my class blog:
http://sites.google.com/site/mrskaplanssciencepages/home/dashboard

4. Then, I emailed the notes as a PDF to all of the special education teachers that work with my students.

Here is how I did it:
1. Make slides in Notebook.
2. Save the file.
3. Click File>>Export>>Powerpoint
4. Save the powerpoint file to your computer.
5. Upload the powerpoint file to your Google Docs account.
6. Open the Presentation in Google Docs.
7. Click Share (upper right)>>Publish/embed
8. Go to your Google Sites Dashboard page
9. Open the page editor (sign in to Google Sites first)
10. Click Edit>>Insert>>Presentation
11. Select the presentation that you just uploaded to Google Docs.
12. Click "Save"

Voila! Anyone can now view the slideshow of the notes from your class!

DIRECTIONS on how to email pdf's of your slides to a colleague without opening any other program:

1. Keep the Notebook file open and save it.

2. Click File>>Send to>>Mail Recipient (as PDF)

3. Give it a few seconds to convert the Notebook file to an Adobe PDF.

4. An email message, with the PDF as an attachment should open up.

5. Enter any addresses you wish to send it to.

6. Click SEND.

Tada! No copies, no papers...

Using SMART Notebook without a SMART board--and posting your slides to Google Sites!

Video Demonstration: Uploading Files to Google Docs

Look! ANOTHER video demonstration for Google Docs! This episode shows how to upload files to Google Docs.

If you have a specific question about Google Docs, please let me know and perhaps I can create a video demonstration specific to your question, if you wish!

Video Demonstration: Uploading Files to Google Docs

Video Demonstration: Creating a Google Docs Account

Hey folks!

I finally got around to beginning the creation of my Google Docs podcast. I can't actually call it a podcast yet, though, because as of this moment there is only one episode: Creating a Google Docs Account

I will add more though, and if you email me questions I can add video demos that will specifically address your needs!

Video Demonstration: Creating a Google Docs Account

GoogleDocs continues to Rock My World!

Okay, okay...you've probably heard enough about it from me, but Google Docs continues to be my favorite computerthing ever. Why again?

You know how there's all sorts of cool stuff on the web that you can download to your computer? As an educator and staff developer, I am constantly downloading the latest curriculum standard document, CT State Embedded Task or whatever other .doc, .ppt, .pdf or .xls file that I need to demonstrate, use, copy, project, etc. So I have copies on my laptop, desktop, jump drive, iPod, even paper copies neatly tabbed and organized in a binder on a shelf...top.

When I am on a new computer off site or at home, I always have done things the old fashioned way: first I save the file to the computer that I'm using, and then I upload it to my blog or attach it to an email or whatever. With GD, all you have to do is go to File>Upload>URL and enter the URL of the document.

Voila! File is uploaded to GD with one click. Easiest way to do it is right click on the link to the document, choose 'save location' and then paste it into the Upload URL box. Yay! Several minutes saved.

This is key during a presentation when you quickly want to show a document, but don't want the lag time in your lesson to allow Adobe Acrobat Reader to open the document if it's a pdf (or Word, Excel, Powerpoint, blah blah blah you get the idea).

To Do List: for my next post I challenge myself to use CamStudio to record me doing all of said (above) steps and publish a tutorial video for you visual learners. For the auditory learners in my audience, read this post aloud to yourself.

GoogleDocs continues to Rock My World!

Googledocs in Plain English on TeacherTube!

Still haven't downloaded CamStudio yet, but you want to show your colleagues or students that terrific video produced for Google by common craft, here it is!

Googledocs in Plain English on TeacherTube!