Moving into the 21st Century
Apple TVs, MacBook Airs and iPad Minis oh my! The Rye school district has been blessed with laptops for teachers and iPads for students through a generous grant and left over money from a warrant article to update technology. We are finally moving into the 21st century. Soon teachers will be able to wirelessly broadcast a lesson from their MacBook Air to their TV or projector screen in front of the room. They can then have students practice skills on the iPads and take control of the projection without moving out of their seats to explain their process and understanding in front of their peers.
This also means, I'll finally be able to become a tech integrator. Before we deploy the teacher laptops, I will deliver a one hour tutorial on the Mac OS (Mountain Lion) and how to manage your files and personalize the device for your learning environment. In addition, each week for the rest of the year I will offer a quick 15 - 20 minute mini PD session hitting on just one or two elements of the new devices and software packages with strategies for best practice within the classroom. (Click on the SAU#50 Tech PD Calendar at the bottom of the page to check out the latest offerings as they are updated weekly.) Mini PD sessions are great for teachers, so that they can try these strategies out in class during the week without feeling overwhelmed. An online web site will be created to archive these tutorials for anyone that cannot attend or would like to revisit the training at a later time. This of course opens the doors to everyone else out there on the web as well, so feel free to share them with other professionals around the globe. The new MacBook Air laptops will eventually replace the teacher's older Dell Laptops, but we will not collect these older laptops until the end of the school year. This should give teachers ample time to transfer their files over to the Mac and get acquainted with a brand new operating system. These older laptops will be repurposed for learning or recycled. Please do not hesitate to ask for assistance for troubleshooting or for guidance in learning something new. I'm always happy to help! Click here for an archive of older eNewsletters written by Eric Lawson SAU#50 Tech PD CalendarClick calendar to view up to date IT PD offerings through the School Administrative Unit.
Mr. Lawson's CalendarCheck Mr. Lawson's calendar to book time for curriculum and technology integration help. He is ready to meet with you for planning, model lessons, co-teaching, and assisting in your classrooms and in the computer lab.
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New Links for TeachersMLTI MinuteThis is a wonderful web site setup by the Maine Learning Technology Initiative dedicated to teachers showcasing quick tutorial videos on how to use your Mac for education.
Trouble Shooting and Problem SolvingA blog post that I started in York, that addresses common problems that we were having within that school district, and ways to troubleshoot around them using the Mac.
Find Out HowMac basics brought to you by the geniuses behind the Genius Bar at Apple.
Create a Podcast in Garage BandTech Integrator, Nick Shuman, from the Middle School of the Kennebunks walks you through how to create a podcast using Apple's Garage Band.
Apple in EducationApps, Books and iTunes U. Find out all you need to know about using Apple products in your educational space.
Tech Tip of the WeekThis is a weekly quick video tutorial site that I created in York to help staff members better understand their Mac laptops.
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