Path Guidelines
Inservice Education in Disguise

Paperless Home
Why? (Don't miss this!)
Path Guidelines (Just about everything you need to know!)
Memorable Memoranda about Fair Use (What is legal?)
Puckish Peeves (Avoiding things that annoy)
Beguiling Bullets (Neat items and quotes by famous people)
Plug-ins, Players, Readers & All That (You gotta have these!)
And We Thank (Important people and organizations)

Add narration to PowerPoint or iMovie.
Learn how to avoid Gobbedygook when transferring files from home?
Find all those web sites you want to find?
Store information on web addresses?
Download and store information from web sites beyond addresses? (Pages, Images & Text)
Get the computer to help you with organization?
Learn about making the computer a research assistant for your Middle and Upper School students?
Investigate ideas for adding digital pizzazz to book reports?
Tackle ideas for social studies reports?

They need to know lots of this, too.

Want to add your own sound in a PowerPoint presentation or an iMovie?

First, if your computer doesn’t have a microphone, you’ll need to attach one. One of the easiest ways to do this is to use the Califone USB Headphone that is available from Dr. Marsh’s office. Just plug it into a USB port (some are conveniently located on the keyboard) and you’re ready. We have other devices that will record sound, but this one is probably the easiest to use.

If you’d like to add your own sound to slides on a PowerPoint presentation, open the slide where you want the sound, select Insert, Movies and Sound, and then Record Sound. That’s it. The sound will go right onto the page.

In iMovie, select Audio and click on the red button by the word microphone. Click the red button once more to end the recording.

If you have problems, check the level of the sound on your computer, for it may be set too low. If that doesn’t work go to your sound system files and click on the name of the microphone you are using as the input device.

Want to avoid gobbledygook when transferring files from home?

(From Professor Jim Lengel's column on Teaching with Technology on the Power to Learn site, www.powertolearn.com)

A bit of sleuthing and diagnosis by our librarian found a good solution to this problem. Instead of saving your files normally, using the File -- Save command from the menubar, you can use the Save As... command to save in a format that is universally comprehensible. Two formats work best: plain text, and rich text format (RTF).

• In the plain text format, no codes are saved at all, just the characters you typed. This means that any formatting, centering, fonts, or styles that you might have used are forgotten. But it also means that any word processor, on any kind of computer, under any operating system will read the file and display it accurately.
• In rich text format, some of the formatting is saved with special codes, codes readable by any word-processor that can read .rtf files. The newer versions of Word and AppleWorks and OpenOffice can read .rtf files.

To save your work in plain text format, follow these steps:

1. Choose File -- Save As... from the menubar.
2. Look carefully at the dialog box that opens up.
3. Find the button or popup menu labeled Format or Save as Type.
4. From the list of choices, select Text only or Plain Text.
5. Enter a filename for the file, and if your word-processor does not do this automatically for you, add the filename extension .txt to the filename.
6. Save the file to a place where you will be able to find it again.

To save your work in rich text format, follow these steps:

1. Choose File -- Save As... from the menubar.
2. Look carefully at the dialog box that opens up.
3. Find the button or popup menu labeled Format or Save as Type.
4. From the list of choices, select Rich Text Format or RTF.
5. Enter a filename for the file, and if your word-processor does not do this automatically for you, add the filename extension .rtf to the filename.
6. Save the file to a place where you will be able to find it again.

Now when you take that file to another computer, that's running a different word processor, it will in most cases be able to read and display tour writing accurately. Plain text works just about universally; Rich text works on most newer word-processors.
If your file does not open properly by itself, you have one more option to make it work correctly. Instead of double-clicking on the file to open it, leave the file alone and instead open your word-processor. Then follow these steps:

1. Choose Open... or Import... from the File menu.
2. In the dialog box that appears, find the pop-up menu that contains a list of file formats. It might be labeled Format or Type or Enable.
3. Choose Text Only or Text files or Rich Text Format, depending on the kind of file you saved.
4. Open the file, and see how it displays.
5. If you are using Microsoft Word, and display is still gobbledygook, close the window, and go back to step 1.
6. From the menu of file types, choose Recover Text from Any File.
7. Open your file, and see how it displays.

These methods also work to open files that others send you by email or on disk. They are not foolproof, but they go a long way to making your work compatible across platforms and versions. I am indebted to Sharon Bonk, the librarian at the Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology in Boston, whose keen observations and suggestions sparked this week's article.

Find all those web sites you want to find?

When you can't find a site that you want, you've most likely headed to a search engine such as Yahoo, Google, or Hotbot. Search engines attempt to act like librarians as they do their best to locate what you want. Often, however, no matter how hard you try to communicate with them through keywords and phrases, they simply don't understand what you have in mind-especially when you're in a hurry to get your lessons ready for the next day.

Your computer, however, can help you target in on those specific sites you want and find new sites that may be even better than the ones you remember.

What Do You Do if the Web Address Doesn't Work?

1. Check to make sure that you typed the url correctly.

Whenever you find a url you want to save, copy it digitally, if possible, and paste it into a word processing document, your computer's scrapbook or notepad, or wherever you'll remember to find it again. Of course, if you're copying from a magazine or newspaper, you'll need to do it by hand, but if the url is on the computer, never ever pick up that pencil or pen to copy it! If you just have to have it on paper, copy it to a word processing document and print the document. It's more likely to be right that way.

2. Try another web site to make sure your Internet connections are working. It could be that our network or our T1 line are experiencing problems or that the problem is with your computer, not the web site. Check to make sure all your cables are connected securely to your computer, restart the computer, and see if that cures the problem. If it doesn't, work, call in our ace trouble-shooting team, Kathy and Tina to check your connection and set-up.

3. Wait a while and try again. Even try the next day. Sites go down for upgrading from time to time. Some leave you a message that they'll be back, but many don't.

4. Try eliminating the last parts of a web address or going to the main address of the site. From there, if the site is still online, you may be able to find what you want. For example if you are attempting to get to: http://www.worcesterprep.org/academics/College/freshso.cfm, try deleting everything after the last slash or everything after the org.

Web managers, as they add new content, often change pages around on their sites. The page you want is probably still there, but it's simply not at the same address.

5. Go to a search engine such as Hotbot (www.hotbot.com) that lets you search by "exact phrase." Type in part of the url, and see what you get. If that doesn't work, in the keyword area, type the name of the site or a phrase you remember from the site.

6. If you can't find the site, don't worry over it. Move on. There's so much on the web that you are sure to find another site that will work for you.

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Store Information on Web Addresses?

It's always a good idea to save those site address you've found valuable. You can do this by using Internet Explorer's Favorites. All you have to do is to go to Favorites on your menu and select "Add (Page) to Favorites".

Keep in mind that while you may want to save a page deep within a web site, it's probably best to save the main page of the site instead. While the site will most likely retain its address, a page within the site, as we mentioned earlier, may not.

Internet Explorer's Favorites, like Netscape's Bookmarks, offer ways to assist you in organizing the site addresses you save. Because we have IE on our school computers, look under Favorites for these valuable tools. Select "Organize Favorites." Once selected, a window will open that allows you to organize as you wish. You can create folders, add divider or separator lines, move sites around on your list, or throw unwanted or non-working sites into the trash. It's a good idea to experiment with organization of sites so that when you need to grab and file quickly, you'll know what to do. After working with your organization, check your Favorites list to see if what you did works for you. If not, revise it as necessary.

Download and store information from web sites beyond addresses?

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Capturing Web Pages, Text, and Images?

If you're looking for more than site addresses, you should consider capturing content and loading it to onto your computer. This way if you can't get online or if a site is no longer available, you have the content you need. Don't forget to include the source of the content-url and author, if available-and the date you visited the site.

Web Page Capture

Go to Save As (under the File menu) in IE and you'll be greeted with a window that contains areas to tell your browser where you want to save the page, what you want to call it, and how (what format) you want to save it.

First, before trying to save anything, tell the computer where you want to put the captured material. Saving to a specific folder that is named so that you'll easily be able to find the information again is a good idea.

Next you'll want to name the page. A name for the page will appear in the window, and you can save with that name if you wish. You may, however, want to change the name to one that might be easier for you to recognize.

The final area you need to address is the one that asks you about format. You'll need to decide which way you want to save a web page or parts of it to your computer. If all you need is the text, saving as text (Plain Text) is a great idea, for you can open text files in your word processor. This option won't give you the color, images and formatting of a web page, but you'll have the text content.

Generally, the first option given is the one that will allow you to save the page as it looks on your computer. This is called Web Archive. If you want more than text, this option will probably be your choice. Often there will be other options besides these in the Save As window that give you other choices for saving. If you have time, you might want to try each to determine the best possible option for what you want to capture. If you decide to download several of the alternatives to see the results, make sure to name them so that you'll recognize which format is which.

Limiting what is downloaded can be done through selection of format. While text doesn't take much memory, if there's video, for example, on a page, the page can be a memory hog. Your hard drive only has so much memory available. Therefore, if you want more than a text download, investigate the formatting option or options that are listed between Text and Archive/Complete.

Those using IE on the Mac can limit downloads by clicking on Options (will be in the window with Save As) and checking whether they want to download images, movies, and other items that are on the page.

Do take time to look over the other tools for capture offered by your browser. Internet Explorer for the Mac, for example, offers a very useful feature called "Scrapbook" (link on left side of browser window). This unique option lets you "take a picture" of the web page you are visiting. Whenever you open your Scrapbook, all your "pictures," or clippings as they are called, are ready to open. You can, in addition, organize your Scrapbook just like your Bookmarks and Favorites. The Scrapbook is a terrific place not only for saving pages for your schoolwork, but pages that contain information you want to remember such as passwords, usernames, clip art, teaching tools, receipts, etc.

Keep in mind that when you go back to use the pages captured, the links will work if you are connected to the Internet. If you are offline, the page will be static, but you will have the information on that page to use.

If you saved the web address of a site that is no longer online, you can bring it alive again on your computer if you go to the Internet Archive site (http://www.archive.org/). Just enter the URL and the site should come up.

Copying Text

When you find text you want to copy, instead of printing or saving entire pages, highlight the text, copy, open a word processing document in another window, and paste the text into the document. Be sure to copy and paste the url for the page along with the text. It's wise also to add the date you visited the site and other necessary information for source citing. This will come in useful, of course, if you want to go back and get more information from the site.

Sometimes you'll see an option on web pages that asks you if you want to email the content to a friend. You can always email to yourself, and you'll have the content ready to use.

Copying images

All you have to do to copy an image from a web site is to:
--On a PC place the pointer/cursor over the image and do a right click
--On a Mac place the pointer/cursor over the image and hold the mouse button down.

Up will come a box that asks you what you want to do. In IE, select Download the Image to Disk. You'll need to tell your computer where you want to save and what you want to name the image. Include source information after you do your copying.

Although you can copy information from most sites, some will not allow you this option. When you try to highlight and copy, it simply won't work. For the information you can copy, keep in mind that sources need to be cited and that fair use of the material is extended for classroom use only. Teachers and students, for example, cannot use material copied for contests, beyond school projects, commercial endeavors, etc. Copyright material downloaded from the Internet cannot be used on your school or other web site without the permission of the author or company who holds the copyright.

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Get the Computer to Help You with Organization?

Right now, before you do anything else and definitely before you go online again, take a few moments to think about getting your computer or browser organized for saving treasures you find on the web. Then do it. It won't take long, but it will save you tons of time and frustration later.

You'll want to consider creating:

--Folders in your Bookmarks or Favorites for quick saves of site addresses

--Folders on your desktop (or someplace else you can easily find) for filing web addresses, web archives/sites, selected information copied from sites, images, etc. These folders should be named so that you will be able to file the resources quickly.

--A document ready for saving usernames and passwords. Some sites require that you enter a username and password. While it might be nice if all allowed you to use the same information, they don't. Some require an email address for a user name, some require numbers and letters in passwords, and so on. It's easy to forget what password and username you made up for all the sites that asked for them. Therefore, keeping a list of site names along with your user names and passwords will come in handy.

--A document ready for you to add the names and addresses of sites that are perfect for your teaching area. This might be your Hot Sites list. Perhaps you'll want to keep your Hot Sites list folder in your Favorites or Bookmarks, but if you want to add notes about the sites in your Hot Sites list, you'll need to put them into a word processing document or even a data base or spreadsheet-depending upon your preference. At the end of this brochure, you'll see our Hot List of Educational Sites. For the most part, these include all subject areas and grade levels. You may want to use some of these for your list, but yours will probably be more specific to your teaching area.

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Learn about making the computer a research assistant for your Middle and Upper School students?

You have received the brochure Writing a Paperless Paper: A Student Guide to Electronic Writing Skills by Dr. James G. Lengel, Boston University. If you follow the guidelines in the brochure, you'll be sure to help your students learn to use their computers as electronic workspaces, electronic filing cabinets, and electronic publishers.

We are used to what might be called, as Dr. Lengel says, "The Paperful Process," but lots of times this process leads to dead ends online and wasting of time and paper. Use the brochure together with the online course to get your students started using their computers as research assistants. Remember that the password for the online course is csp.

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Investigate Ideas for Adding Digital Pizzazz to Book Reports?

Check the student and teacher brochures called Book Reports: I Did It on the Computer. You'll find ideas for both print-based (Yes, we aren't allowing printed reports! They've got to know how to do them, too.) and digital reports. You'll find suggestions for creative ways to present the material such as through slide shows, posters, video, booklets, crafts projects, and more.

Those Lower School and Middle School teachers who assign book reports will want to take the online course on writing a book report. Students will benefit from this interactive course also. You'll find it on the Children's Software Press site (www.childsoftpress.com).

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Tackle Ideas for Social Studies Reports?

When students are introduced to exciting ways to complete reports using their computers as tools, you won't face the "Mom, My Report IS Due Tomorrow" syndrome. Parents will know you didn't assign the report yesterday, and your students will probably be involved in it well ahead of time anyway. It won't be the "Old Read and Show Yawn," the type of report read or copied out of an encyclopedia with students holding up pictures that are too small for anyone to see or care about seeing.

Your students' assistants will the computer and the Internet, not their parents. The computer can help them get an overview of their assigned topic; locate text, photos, maps, charts, and graphs; create their own drawings, charts, and graphs; take notes, pop notes into an outline or report; organize their ideas;streamline editing; check spelling; delete what they don't want; make teacher-suggested corrections; add what they want; enhance with pictures, maps, charts, and graphs; find better words using the thesaurus; and present their report in style. Maybe it will be a travelogue, a movie, a play, a virtual tour, an oral presentation, or a traditional report. But of course, for them to do all this, they'll need your help. Whether the report is to be paperless or paper-based, they'll need to learn how to use their computer as a tool that will help them in their work.

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