This edition of the pod features our interview with Caroline Dwyer about her efforts to use Teams and Class Notebook with students. Check it out above and check out the resources we discussed on the episode below.
Resources and Links from This Episode
Announcements
No announcements this fortnight
Bell Ringer
Tech Talk – Integrating New Tools – Caroline Dwyer Talks Teams and Class Notebook
Bits & Pieces Feature on Caroline Dwyer
Classroom Hacks – Use Desktop Shortcuts to Get Students Places Faster
If you have websites and/or tools that you want your students to access regularly, it’s totally worth it to get desktop shortcuts up and going on your machines.
How to go about this is going to depend on the devices your students are using, your district’s IT policies and ultimately on how you use the tech.
Let’s establish a couple of things.
1.) Shortcuts – If you don’t know what a short cut is, in the Windows and Mac environments, you can essentially put links to websites, files and tools on the desktop. Usually you can name them and can usually control what the icon looks like.
2.) Benefit – Shortcuts save you time in having to click into menus to find a website, file or tool.
Okay, how are you going to do it? If the devices are yours and managed in your building, create your list of shortcuts and go talk to your building tech specialist about getting them added to your devices. Make it clear you want them available to all profiles.
If you don’t have easy access to building tech specialist you can have your students add the shortcuts. I’ll post a link on adding shortcuts. In Windows 10 in the app list if you right click, the context menu will give you the option of pinning a shortcut to the desktop. If, as Stephanie suggested in the last pod, you have students getting on the same device, it is totally worth it to take time to walk the students through the process.
Want to listen to it on your phone or tablet? Click on the buttons below to open it in your favorite podcast app.
We’d also love for you to check out the band Clipping. and Sub Pop Records who have generously allowed us to use the song A Better Place in our show. You can also find Clipping.’s music on the TV show The Mayor.
