Did You Know...?

Each month we will add a new "Did You Know" group of questions to help you use technology in the classroom or in your daily preparations for classes. If you have any "Did You Knows," send them to the NW LINCS and they will appear here.

Next month’s "Did You Know" -- Microsoft Word 2000 & Templates

Please select a month for a "Did You Know" .

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March's Did you Knows...

You can use keystrokes to get around Windows?

Keyboard Shortcuts - Angela Lillystone's Windows 98 Tricks & Tips 

Windows 98 has an audio Introduction tutorial?

Select:

Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Welcome to Windows

This audio programs presents Discover Windows. An interactive tutorial to walk students through the Windows Environment. 

Window's 2000 has a voice program called Narrator?

November's Did you know...

1. You can Increase and decrease text size with a keyboard combination?

2. You can send a document via email without opening your email program?

3. You can copy and paste up to 12 different objects at a time?

4. Repeat your most recent action with a keystroke? 

Click here to find the answers and more!!!!!

October's Did you Know...

1. Creating a Shortcut for your Desktop is just a right click away?

2. You can create a Links Page for Email without  re-typing an Internet address?

3. That Windows ME has a Restore Function?

4. You can create an electronic classroom with eboard.com?? FREE! 

September's Did you Know...

1. You could use Google as your site's Search Engine?

June’s Did You Know...

1. Did you know Microsoft’s Office 2000 has many lesson plans already developed?

May’s Did You Know...

1. That you could create a web page from your existing instructional material as you create the material using Microsoft Word in Apple or Microsoft?
2. That most of you have the ability to web conference right now?
3. That most of you can use the Internet to make phone calls and cut costs?
4. That you can have new breaking literacy information emailed to you?
5. That you can create a web classroom with the software you already have?

That Windows ME has a Restore Function?

If you are using Windows ME at work or at home and your system becomes infected with a virus or becomes corrupt, you can restore the system to its old self again. Use the System Restore feature found in Accessories, Systems Tools, System Restore. This handy feature allows you to take you system back to a time when all was well with your system. The Restore keeps all data files intact and only changes system files that have been corrupted or changed. Please read about this function before using it. If you have a Network or IT person available talk with them about this feature.

You can create a Links Page for Email without any re-typing?

How many times have you wanted to send an email address to a colleague? Looked at the address in the Browser Address Box and decided it just was not worth the effort. You can highlight this address and copy it to an email to send.

1. Highlight the address.

2. Right click and select copy

3. Go to your email and paste this address in place.

You can also use this method to create a list of addresses to send or use in a presentation. Instead of pasting into an email ,create a Word document and paste the address there. 

Creating a Shortcut for your Desktop is just a right click away?

Many times when on a web page you would just like to keep it close at hand. But if you put  it into Favorites you forget it is there. You can simply right click when on the page and select Create Shortcut. This will put an Icon on your desktop for this page. Try it with the NW LINCS Page! Then when you need references help is just a click away!

Did you know Microsoft’s Office 2000 has many lesson plans already developed?

One of the many tasks facing an instructor is not only the creation of new material but also the task of integrating the new material with technology into the classroom. Microsoft has developed a very nice education page for instructors. The following links will take you to locations within that page to help you find easy ways to use technology in the classroom.

Office XP for the Classroom

Tips on How to use the new Office Suite in the classroom.

Online, ready-to-use Tutorials on how to use Office 2000

Lesson plans using Microsoft Office 2000

Microsoft Teacher Network

Encarta Home Page

Has quizzes, lesson plans and various materials that could be incorporated into the classroom.

More Encarta with online version

Tips for Lesson Plans

Collaboration on the web from Pennsylvania

Accessibilty Tips for Students who have Physical Impairments

Another great source of data for the classroom that is free.

Education Page at USA Today

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Creating a Web Page with existing instructional material using Microsoft Word

You do not have to be a Web Guru to create web pages for your Instruction material. You have the tools and talent in you and on your computer right now.

There are some ground rules that one must remember when using Microsoft Word as a web page creator. Once you understand these, it is a piece of cake to create your own web ready lesson material.

Ground rules:

1. Do not use long file names. Keep your names for the document to under 8 characters i.e. lesson1.doc. The eight characters do not include the characters after the period. This allows for most web site file managers to be read your files.
2. Do not use tabs in your lesson plans. Instead use tables or the ruler bar at the top to adjust text across the page. This allows you to control the placement better.

Now the question you must be asking is: Why do I want to save my material as a web page? This will allow you to place your course or class on the web at the same time you teach in the classroom. This is very helpful for students who cannot attend class for that class period. Even though they may miss the face-to-face experience, they, at least, will have the material covered available to them. Or the other reason would be to share your material with others who teach similar classes. Or to be able to develop a web based class for students who cannot come to the classroom. You could teach as many students as have computers in this world, even in remote places such as the African bush or South American Amazon or the farthest reaches of your state.

There are two scenarios for web page lesson plan development:

1. If the material already exists
2. If you are just starting to create the material

1. If your material is already developed in Microsoft Word, just open the file and select Save AS HTML. This will give you a warning that some formatting may be lost if you continue. Continue and then view the lesson plan. Correct any mis-alignments that are visible and save once more as an HTML.

2. If you are just developing the materials follow the grounds rules above and after you have saved the document as a regular Word document then also save it as an HTML document. :

Give this a try. To see the product of your HTML instructional materials.

1. Go to Windows Explorer and double click on the HTML file. Surpise! You are a web page guru.

There are unlimited possibilities in Word and the HTML capabilities that it offers. You can also create hyperlinks within a document allowing you to define words and terms as your students read the material. See the "Did You Know" you could create a web-based classroom with the software you have for more.

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You have the ability to web conference right now.

That’s right, right now sitting on your desktop is a program called NetMeeting. It is fast becoming the web conference tool of many corporations and training institutions. If you are connected to the Internet, you can web conference with this software package. It offers:

1. Text chat
2. Audio exchange
3. Video viewing
4. Document Sharing
5. Application Sharing

It is very easy to set up and use. Once you have practiced for a bit, you will have visions of connecting to students to give them direction.

You must have a sound card and microphone to use NetMeeting to its fullest potential. Please check system requirements on the NetMeeting Site below.

How do you get started? First check in the Accessories Start menu to see if it has been installed. Microsoft is not consistent as to where they place this application, it may be found on Programs or with the Internet Explorer menu. If not ask the computer department if they would install it or if you are the computer department install it from the Windows 95,98 or ME set up disk.

To install read the Windows Help section on the Start up menu. There are many variations of where to find this application. Each Windows package has it located in a different module.

To read more about NetMeeting click here.

Setting up NetMeeting

1. The first time you open NetMeeting after installing there is a wizard that will walk you through the setup procedure.
2. You will be asked the following questions:
   1. Email address
   2. Name, City, Address
   3. If you wish to have your name published on the directory(most prefer not)
   4. Once you are in the program go to the Call menu selection
   5. Select Directory
   6. This will bring up MSN.Messenger, select log onto service
   7. Once there it will ask you if you wish to create a new login or use an existing. You will create a new one.

Once you have created this you are ready to begin web conferencing. Of course, it helps if you have someone to conference with. Have someone else setup NetMeeting and explore the possibilities. You can give me a call at 360-586-3524 and I will be glad to conference with you.

If you have questions or need more information please notify the NW LINCS.

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That most of you can use the Internet to make phone calls and cut costs

Free long distance calls. Sound good? It is. Using many services now available to you over the web all you need is a sound card (which most of you have) and a microphone (a headset is much better)

Net Phone 2 — an Internet service

ICQ

Hot Phone

NetMeeting also offers some very good options for using the Internet as a phone system.

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New breaking literacy information emailed to you.

The LINCS system has a service called MY LINCS. You will find it across the top of the page on all LINCS Home pages. It is called MY LINCS. If you select this option it will take you to a registration page. Fill in the information and select the areas of interest you would like to more about. You will receive an email when new information is entered into the LINCS database.

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Create a web classroom with the software you already have.

Using Microsoft Word you can create your own web class right now without any special training. The skills you need are the ones you already possess.

1. Know how to create tables
2. Know how to create hyperlinks
3. Know how to save a file in a folder

Following are the steps to take to start your web-based classroom.

Please note, save each document not only as a Word document but also as an HTML document.

1. Create a Table to be your start page
2. Create each document you will use in class i.e. syllabus, class assignments, class room materials, quizzes, tests (if you desire), in class activities, homework assignments.
3. You now have the documents and the start table for your first web class. All you have to do now is assemble the class via Microsoft Word.
4. Open the Start Table, for each category you have, create a cell in the table as below.

   Syllabus

   Class assignments

   Homework

   Quizes

   Some categories may require another link to a table that lists each document ie as Assignment 1, Assignment 2 etc.

5. Once you have the table complete connect the categories and the documents using the Insert Hyperlink function on the Insert menu. Save each as an HTML document and you have a web classroom. There are many features you can add to this site. I have kept this very basic so that you could see how easy and efficient this process can be.

Once you create your classroom, send it to the NW LINCS and we will put it on the Web for you and your students. If you require some help with this please call us at NW LINCS, we like to help.

August

Using Google as your Search Engine.

1. Go to the Google Web Site  www.google.com .
2. Select the Add Google to your Site link.
3. Scroll to the University link, Click on this link.
4. Select Sign Up Now.
5. Follow the direction, soon your site will be powered by Google!

Placing Google on your Browser Desktop

1. Go to the Google Web Site www.google.com
2. Select Google Tool.
3. Read the instructions.
4. Select Get Google Toolbar.
5. Read the instructions and select your choice.
6. Wait for download.
7. When complete select yes to install.
8. Now you have Google at the top of your Browser screen. 

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