No More iGoogle? What Will We Do?

In the world of technology, good things come and good things go, and when they go, they are generally replaced with better things. iGoogle has been a good thing for me for quite a few years. It served as my homepage, so that every time I opened my browser on my work, home, or laptop computer, I was looking at my iGoogle page.

A little over a year ago, Google announced the shut-down of iGoogle effective November 1, 2013. Many people, me being one of them, began looking for an alternative. I found some good options, but one stood out above all others because it was user-friendly, close resemblance to iGoogle, and offering of an outstanding array of gadgets. That option is igHome.

I first wrote about igHome in February. I am writing about it here because, earlier this week, current iGoogle users were confronted with this message when they opened their browsers:

The same day, a message appeared on my igHome page apologizing for any slow speeds. They have evidently been inundated with people moving from iGoogle to igHome. In fact, this weekend, igHome is installing additional servers to handle the additional traffic. It looks like others are quickly going down the path I traversed early in 2013.

Why do you need a personalized homepage?
A personalized homepage allows you to design the content. When you create your page and save it as your homepage, you can then log into it and save as your homepage on all of your other computers. Now, when you open your browser, you are seeing your Internet tools regardless of which of your computers you are using.

With igHome, you will have a Google search window, and if you wish to use a different search engine, you have the power to change it. igHome features a black bar across the top resembling the black bar all of the Google products have sported until recently. The only difference is that with igHome, you can customize the black bar links to take you to the sites of your choice. I have mine set to open my email, calendar, Google News, Google Bookmarks, Google Maps, Google Images, YouTube, Google Drive, Google Contacts, Toodledo, and the page where I update my website.





The body of the page sports the "gadgets" you choose by clicking the "Add Gadgets" button in the upper-right corner. Enter a subject in the search window and see whether or not the gadget you want exists. On the left-hand side of the screen, a list of categories is visible. Clicking on any category name reveals a list of suggested gadgets.

You can have the weather forecast, news, your calendar, a calculator, a language translator, or the performance of your stock portfolio, jst to name a few.

If you don't find a gadget you want, create your own. At the very bottom of the "Categories," click "Create Your Own Gadget." From there, click "From a URL." A blank gadget labeled "Custom Gadget" appears. Click the "Add it now" button. The gadget appears on your igHome page with blanks for you to supply a title and input the URL. You now have a gadget for your desired website.

The creator of igHome is responsive to suggestions. He has a good system for taking requests and providing feedback on the status of those requests. For example, I found the Google Calendar gadget would display only the main Google Calendar, whereas I also have a second calendar which tracks my wife's appointments, and a third containing "FYI" events. I asked about the possibility of being able to show multiple Google calendars in igHome. Within just a couple of weeks, that capability was there.

Who will be the big winner?
When the sunset of Google Reader came about this past spring, Feedly was the big winner. When November 1 comes all all iGoogle users have made a different choice, where will the traffic go? My thinking is that igHome will reap the benefits. I have been a fan since the first day I saw it. Nothing has happened to change my mind.

If you are an iGoogle user, come on over to igHome. If you have never used a personalized homepage, why not create one and see if it doesn't make your online experience better.

 

Do you use a personal homepage, and if so, which one? Anyone else using igHome?

From iGoogle to igHome

Good things will go away, and when they do, they are replaced with better things.

In February, I wrote about my experiences with igHome the personalized homepage I am now using.I am talking about it in this post because it fits with the theme of this thread of posts...good services we depend on that later cease to exist.

I had used iGoogle as my homepage for years. One evening, I opened my browser to see an announcement that iGoogle will no longer be available after November 1, 2013. The announcement left me and many others scrambling for an alternative.

As with the other posts in this thread, there was an alternative, in fact several of them.Within the same day, I found and created an account at Netvibes.com.

While Netvibes was good, what I liked even better is an alternative which seems to have been created to fill the void left by iGoogle. igHome retained the look and feel of of iGoogle. The page even includes the black bar at the top, which takes you to Google Calendar, Gmail, YouTube, etc. The only difference is that with igHome, you can customize that black bar to include links to any sites you want.

You can add your own gadgets by clicking the "Add Gadgets" button in the upper-right corner. There, you can enter a subject in the search window and see whether or not the gadget you want exists. On the left-hand side of the screen, a list of categories is visible. Clicking on any category name reveals a list of suggested gadgets.

The page even includes a link to leave a suggestion for a new gadget. My experience has been that the library of gadgets is rich, and virtually everything I had on my iGoogle page is also available on igHome. I am finding the selections on igHome to be better than what is available of Netvibes.

The creator of igHome is responsive to suggestions. He has a good system in place for taking requests and providing feedback on the status of those requests. For example, I found the Google Calendar gadget would display only the main Google Calendar, whereas I also have a second calendar which tracks my wife's appointments, and a third containing "FYI" events. I asked about the possibility of being able to show multiple Google calendars in igHome. Within just a couple of weeks, that capability was there.

Good things will go away, and when they do, they are replaced with better things. 

 

Do you use a personal homepage, and if so, which one? Anyone else using igHome?

Netvibes: When You Can't Find a Widget

Monday's post explored Netvibes as an alternative to iGoogle following Google's announcement that the popular start page would shut down on November 1, 2013. iGoogle users will naturally look at the "gadgets" they current have on their iGoogle pages and look for parallel "widgets" in Netvibes. What happens when you can't find a widget you need?


When You Can't Find a Widget You Need
Many of the iGoogle gadgets function within the start page, but clicking on the gadget takes you to the actually website. What happens when you can't find the parallel gadget on Netvibes?

Go to the green "Add Content" button and click "Essential widgets." Look for a widget labeled "Link module" and add it to your Netvibes page.

This widget allows you to add a title and URL for a single site. You can add as many of the "Link module" gadgets as you wish. Each one will take you to a single site.
 
For example, I have a gadget on my iGoogle page for Google Reader. To this point, I have not found a way to add that Google Reader into my page. So, I added a "Link Module" widget. Clicking on it opens a new browser tab and takes me to Google Bookmarks. It's not the same as being able to scroll through posts on the start page; however, I almost always clicked on the gadget to go straight to the page Google Bookmarks page anyway.

A Link Module is Used to Link to a Single Site

The other major void was widget for Google Bookmarks. I did find a "Bookmarks" widget. I was able to export my Google Bookmarks and import them into this widget. Because these were no longer "Google Bookmarks," clicking the "Google Bookmarks" bookmarklet would not add new items to the Bookmarks widget on the Netvibes page. For that reason, I deleted that widget. Instead, I added another "Link Module" widget for Google Bookmarks.  

On Friday, we will finish the discussion of Netvibes by exploring how you can share tabs or widgets with other people.

Who else has created a page on Netvibes? How do you like it so far?

No More iGoogle? What Will We Do?

iGoogle has been my homepage for six years. Every time my browser opens, I see my dashboard of tools. It's always the same from device to device. I can log into it from any computer. If I make a change, the change shows up on all of my devices.

Imagine my shock when I opened my browser this past Tuesday evening to see an announcement that Google is shutting down iGoogle effective November 2013. I am not alone. A post on the subject appeared on Lifehacker the same day. A poll at the bottom of that post demonstrates just how popular iGoogle is.

Yes, I know November 2013 is more than a year away and much can change in a year. Google may reconsider. Google may come up with something better. But the reality is I have shown countless people the magic of iGoogle as a way to organize all Internet resources in a single place. Starting now, I will be offering another option.

Enter Netvibes
In June 2007, Mashable published this article comparing 14 different personalized homepages. While the article is five years old, it was the most on-point resource I found. Being impressed with the description for Netvibes, I created an account and started building my page.

• To begin, go to Netvibes.com.
• Click on "Get Started" and select "Go Basic" for your account.

Get Started With Netvibes

• You are presented with a a box asking you to create a dashboard. I clicked on "Productivity" and my dashboard was built.

Creating a Dashboard

• A helpful directions box walked me through the steps to adding and managing content. The green "Add Content" button at the extreme upper left of the screen is the secret. Just like iGoogle, once a widget is added to the dashboard, you can drag it to any position or use the controls on the title bar of the widget to make modifications.

Adding Widgets is easy

• You will probably find you want to keep a number of the widgets that Netvibes automatically included. Likewise, you will want to delete others and add your own. I was pleased with the variety of widgets available.
• Just like iGoogle, you may choose from a variety of "themes."  Click the "Settings" icon in the upper right just to the left of the word "Dashboard."

Netvibes offers a wide variety of themes

• The very last step is to chose a user name and password. This action will save the dashboard you created. Look for a confirmation email from Netvibes sent to the email address you provided. You will need to respond to that e-mail.

So far, here are the widgets I have added to my page:
Productivity Apps

• Google Calendar
• ToodleDo
• Gmail
• Calculator
• Stock Portfolio
• Google Bookmarks
• Google Reader
• GoogleDocs
• Bit.ly Link Shortener
• Google/Bing Maps Search

Social Media

• Twitter
• Facebook

News

• CNN News
• Fox News
• ESPN
• People

Here is the finished product

On Wednesday, we will examine how a workaround when you cannot find a widget you need. On Friday, we will look at how you can share widgets or entire tabs with other Netvibes users.

Principal Center Webinar Follow-Up

Thanks to those who participated in the Get Organized! webinar series these past 3 Tuesdays. Also thanks to Justin Baeder, Director of The Principal Center for hosting this series. This post serves as a follow-up to the series, and especially as a follow-up to the third session..

Staying Connected
If you liked what you heard and would like more, here are several ways you can keep in touch:

• Check out our website. In addition to general information on what we do, you will find a page of free resources.
• Follow me on Twitter.
• "Like" my Facebook page and check back for updates.
• Follow me on Pinterest (which organizes blog posts by general topic)
• Subscribe to the free monthly newsletter. 
• Bring new blog posts straight to your e-mail.
• Read Get Organized! and/or Organization Made Easy!
• Bring me to your school or organization.

iGoogle
If you are interested in adding to your iGoogle page some of the same gadgets I have on mine, here is an easy way to get them. As you click each link, you will be taken to a page that describes the gadget and lets you click a button to automatically add it to your iGoogle page.

Google Bookmarks
Google Reader
Yahoo News
Twitter
Facebook 
Bit.ly URL Shortener
Weather
reQall 
Toodledo
People.com
MapQuest Driving Directions
Area/Zip Code Lookup
Music
YouTube
Document to PDF
Movies
GoogleDocs
GoogleCalendar
Google Map Search
Portfolio Monitor
Calculator
Stopwatch
Flight Status
WolframAlpha 
Time Converter

Here is how to make iGoogle (your homepage).


Dropbox
Want to set up a Dropbox account? Here is an easy way for you to set up an account and get an extra 250MB of free storage for both you and me. Click here to sign up.

I have written a short e-book which explains how I use Dropbox. For information on downloading for free, go here. 

Google Docs Forms

In a time where tablets are becoming popular, conducting classroom walk-throughs is an extremely practical use of collecting and organizing data.

Here are the steps for creating a walk-through form using Google Docs and then getting that walk-through form onto your tablet.

1. Design your walk-through form on paper. You may wish to begin with a paper form you are already using. Only after you have thought through how you want the form to look should you go to the computer.
2. Log into your Google account and go to docs.google.com. You will see a list of all of the Google Docs you have already created.
3. Click “Create New” and choose “Spreadsheet.”
4. In Row 1 enter each of the questions that will go on the form. (Examples: Teacher name, Subject, Resources Being Used, Objective/Essential question posted?, Student activity, Number of students not actively engaged, Teacher activity, Level of questioning, Overall comments). Press the tab key to go from column to column. Note: You do NOT need to have a column for the date. The date and time of the walk-through will automatically be gathered for you.
5. From the “Tools” menu, choose “Form” and “Create a form.” You will now see a form with your column heading already listed. Below each item will be a short blank where you could enter a response.
6. While some fields lend themselves well to a short answer, for others, a drop-down list, series of check-boxes, paragraph text box, etc. will be a better fit. As you move the mouse down the page, each item will turn a beige color and display a series of icons to the right. Click the pencil icon to decide what type of response you want and create your list of checkboxes, items on drop-down list, etc.
7. Each question will display a “make this a required question” checkbox. It is a good idea to check this box. That will keep you from overlooking an item. Click “Done" when you have finished editing that item.
8. At the top of the form is a button called “Theme.” Click it, and you can choose from an array of attractive looks for your form.
9. At the very bottom of the form, you will see “You can view the published form here” followed by a rather long URL. This is a very important step! Highlight and copy that link.
10. By this time, Google Docs has probably prompted you to save the spreadsheet. If not, click “Save.”
11. Now we want to get this form on your BlackBerry PlayBook, iPad or other tablet device you will be using in the walk-throughs. You can also use the form with a Smartphone, although the size may be too small for you to use comfortably.
12. Open a new e-mail on your computer, paste the link from the bottom of the Google Docs form in the body, and address the e-mail to yourself. Send the e-mail.
13. Go to your PlayBook, iPad, or other tablet. Check your e-mail, looking for the one you sent to yourself.
14. Open the e-mail, and click the link. You should now be looking at your walk-through form.
15. Your tablet should offer you a way to save a URL as a “shortcut” on your home screen. For example, on the PlayBook, you will tap the hollow star and choose “Add to Home Screen.” You have now created an app for the walk-through form.

If you also wish to have the form on your Smartphone, you will repeat the process on that device. Check your e-mail on the Smartphone and open the one containing the link to the walk-through form. Click the link to display the form. Now turn that URL into a desktop shortcut. How this is done will vary from one Smartphone to the next. For example, on a BlackBerry running OS6, click the icon just to the right of the URL address bar. Choose “Add to Home Screen.” You have now just made the walk-through form into an app! You will find its icon on your home screen.

You are ready to start your walk-throughs! Each time you finish a form and touch “Submit,” the data instantly goes into the Google Docs spreadsheet. Each entry is date and time stamped for you!

No more filling out forms and then recopying that data somewhere else! Your data is neatly stored in rows and columns on your Google Docs spreadsheet. Less time spent on paperwork. More time spent on helping good teachers get even better. Life just got easier!

reQall

Create your own reQall account for free.
Also check out Vlingo.


Questions?

For answers to questions others have posed in the past, take a look at these two posts:
Webinar Follow-Up: Answers to Your Questions (Part I)
Webinar Follow-Up: Answers to Your Questions (Part II)


Again, thanks for participating in the webinar series. If one of your goals for the summer is to "Get Organized!" I hope the three hours we spent together will give you a great start.

Webinar Follow-Up: Your Questions Answered (Part II)

In this post, we continue with questions posed during the "Free Tech Tools for a More Productive New Year" webinar. In the last post, we answered questions related to Dropbox. Here are questions related to iGoogle, Google Docs forms, and reQall.

1. Will Safari support an iGoogle home page?

Yes. You can use any browser to access your iGoogle page. 

2. You talked about sending e-mails to people who had requested tickets to the graduation ceremony where Dr. Condoleezza Rice was the guest speaker. Did you have to hand enter all of those e-mails?

Composing the email was a matter of copy, paste, and clean-up. I highlighted the column with the e-mails from the first response all the way down to the last person that could have been seated in our auditorium. I then copied and pasted that information into a Word document. Starting with the last name, I hit the "Home" key, "Backspace," a semicolon, and a space. I kept doing that until I had all of the e-mails in one long string that went all the way across the page and wrapped from line to line. I then highlighted and copied the whole block and pasted it into the bcc line of the e-mail.

The next step was to go back to Google Docs and perform the same task with the rest of the e-mail addresses, those for the people who would watch closed-circuit TV from the high school gym.  

3. Can I use Google forms to create a test?

Yes. On one level, it is very easy to create a test on Google Docs. Students would take the test by clicking the link you provide, and their answers would appear on your Google Docs spreadsheet. Instead of having a stack of papers to grade, student answers would all appear in one spreadsheet.

On a different level, it is possible to construct the Google Docs spreadsheet where it will also grade the students' work. The caveat is that the answers must have a one-to-one character match with the answer key. For example, you could do multiple choice tests. You could do spelling tests. Short answer questions would not work since each person's answer may vary slightly in wording from what you entered in the answer key.

For more information on this topic, take a look at this post.


4. I teach English and the readings are rather long for a form. Is there a limit to the length of the question?

I took a passage about half a page in length and pasted it into the spreadsheet. Realize this means pasting the entire block of text into one cell. Google Docs allowed me to do it and displayed all of the text when I created the form.

I found, however, that I could not break the text into paragraphs. If there was a paragraph break, Google Docs would paste the text from paragraph 2 into row 2, text from paragraph 3 into row 3, etc., which is no good. Since the longer passages you are talking about probably more than one paragraph in length, Google Docs would not work for a test with long reading passages.

If anyone else does some playing around with this concept and finds something significant, I would certainly like to know!

5. Does reQall only work with English language? Does it recognize accents?

I had never thought about this point before. I tried having Spanish spoken into reQall, but it became obvious reQall was trying to match what it heard with English words in its database. "¿Habla usted español?" came back as, "Home instead espanol." "Buenos días, señorita" came back, "Buenos dias senor burritto."

6. Do you manage to-dos on reQall or manually enter into your own list?

I personally use reQall for one thing: getting information that comes to me out of my brain and into my e-mail. Then, when I sit down to handle my e-mail, I will see the reQall message I created and act on it. I am a heavy Outlook user and routinely use "drag and drop" to turn e-mails into tasks.If the e-mail is not something I am going to act on right then, I "drag and drop" it to the Task list. I can do any rewording, choose a start and end date for the task, and save.

You could, however, use reQall as your to-do list. In this case, you would download the reQall app to your Smartphone and download the reQall gadget to your iGoogle page. Now, when you speak and include a a term such as "Saturday" or "August 21," reQall automatically assigns the appropriate due date.

In addition, you can manually enter tasks along with due dates on the reQall website or on the reQall Smartphone app. Personally, I like Outlook because it gives me calendar, to-do list, contacts, reference material, and e-mail all in one program. But if you do not have Outlook, using reQall as your to-do list is not a bad option.

7. If we missed the first part of this webinar, is it available online? Will this be archived so we can access it again? I would like to go back over some the of the instructions.

The webinar is now available on demand. Go to this link. If you already registered for the webinar, you will see one link to click. You will be asked for the e-mail address you gave when you registered. The webinar will stay up for around 60 days, so you can watch it as often as you like. We covered a great deal of ground, so watching a second or even third time will help with things you may have missed the first time.

I did notice when I watched the webinar myself that you do not seem to be able to pause the webinar or to skip forwards or backwards. (If I missed something, someone please correct me.) So, pick a time when you could watch straight through without interruption.

8. May I share the archive with colleagues and refer to planners for a conference I attend? 

Absolutely! Have them go to the same link we talked about in the last question. Someone who did not register for the webinar original will see a link which will ask for some information, and then they will be able to proceed with the webinar.

If what you saw would fit with a conference you attend, please share this with with the conference planners. I think people are hungry for practical things they can implement immediately, and that's what I have tried to provide.

9. Where do you find these types of tools? From reading tech mags? I'm just always amazed about these things that exist, yet I've never heard of them!

What a super question and great way for me to plug using Web 2.0 as your personal learning network! I subscribe to over 100 blogs, and use Google Reader to bring all of the new content to one place (on my iGoogle home page) to make it easy.

At the same time, I am pretty ruthless about using as few tools as I get by with. When I read about the capabilities of new tools, I ask myself if I already have something that does pretty much the same thing. If the answer is "yes," and what I have is working, I stick with it. If it's something that fills a void, however, devote some time to mastering it and immediately start using it. Each of the tools you saw in this webinar fit in that second category. There was nothing like them in my arsenal, and each made a huge difference in my productivity.

What other questions do you have about the webinar? If you are just learning about it through reading these last couple of posts, this is your invitation to listen to it and then return here to ask your own questions.

Eye on Education Webinar Follow-Up

If you participated in the Eye on Education webinar, "Free Tech Tools for a More Productive New Year," this post is a follow-up.

Staying Connected
If you liked what you heard and would like more, here are several ways you can keep in touch:

• Check out our website. In addition to general information on what we do, you will find a page of free resources.
• Follow me on Twitter.
• "Like" my Facebook page and check back for updates.
• Subscribe to my free monthly newsletter. 
• Bring new blog posts straight to your e-mail.
• Read Get Organized! and/or Organization Made Easy!
• Bring me to your school or organization.

iGoogle
If you are interested in adding to your iGoogle page some of the same gadgets I have on mine, here is an easy way to get them. As you click each link, you will be taken to a page that describes the gadget and lets you click a button to automatically add it to your iGoogle page.

Google Bookmarks
Google Reader
Yahoo News
Twitter
Facebook 
Bit.ly URL Shortener
Weather
reQall 
Toodledo
People.com
MapQuest Driving Directions
Area/Zip Code Lookup
Music
YouTube
Document to PDF
Movies
GoogleDocs
GoogleCalendar
Google Map Search
Portfolio Monitor
Calculator
Stopwatch
Flight Status
WolframAlpha

Here is how to make iGoogle (your homepage).


Dropbox
Want to set up a Dropbox account? Here is an easy way for you to set up an account and get an extra 250MB of free storage for both you and me. Click here to sign up.

Google Docs Forms
We mentioned briefly about students being able to take tests on the computer which are instantly graded and item analysis conducted. Here is a post that goes into more depth on that concept. (Sorry, we actually didn't get to this one.The link will explain the concept. If this is something your school would serious like to pursue, let me know.)

In a time where tablets are becoming popular, conducting classroom walk-throughs is an extremely practical use of collecting and organizing data.

Here are the steps for creating a walk-through form using Google Docs and then getting that walk-through form onto your tablet.

1. Design your walk-through form on paper. You may wish to begin with a paper form you are already using. Only after you have thought through how you want the form to look should you go to the computer.
2. Log into your Google account and go to docs.google.com. You will see a list of all of the Google Docs you have already created.
3. Click “Create New” and choose “Spreadsheet.”
4. In Row 1 enter each of the questions that will go on the form. (Examples: Teacher name, Subject, Resources Being Used, Objective/Essential question posted?, Student activity, Number of students not actively engaged, Teacher activity, Level of questioning, Overall comments). Press the tab key to go from column to column. Note: You do NOT need to have a column for the date. The date and time of the walk-through will automatically be gathered for you.
5. From the “Tools” menu, choose “Form” and “Create a form.” You will now see a form with your column heading already listed. Below each item will be a short blank where you could enter a response.
6. While some fields lend themselves well to a short answer, for others, a drop-down list, series of check-boxes, paragraph text box, etc. will be a better fit. As you move the mouse down the page, each item will turn a beige color and display a series of icons to the right. Click the pencil icon to decide what type of response you want and create your list of checkboxes, items on drop-down list, etc.
7. Each question will display a “make this a required question” checkbox. It is a good idea to check this box. That will keep you from overlooking an item. Click “Done" when you have finished editing that item.
8. At the top of the form is a button called “Theme.” Click it, and you can choose from an array of attractive looks for your form.
9. At the very bottom of the form, you will see “You can view the published form here” followed by a rather long URL. This is a very important step! Highlight and copy that link.
10. By this time, Google Docs has probably prompted you to save the spreadsheet. If not, click “Save.”
11. Now we want to get this form on your BlackBerry PlayBook, iPad or other tablet device you will be using in the walk-throughs. You can also use the form with a Smartphone, although the size may be too small for you to use comfortably.
12. Open a new e-mail on your computer, paste the link from the bottom of the Google Docs form in the body, and address the e-mail to yourself. Send the e-mail.
13. Go to your PlayBook, iPad, or other tablet. Check your e-mail, looking for the one you sent to yourself.
14. Open the e-mail, and click the link. You should now be looking at your walk-through form.
15. Your tablet should offer you a way to save a URL as a “shortcut” on your home screen. For example, on the PlayBook, you will tap the hollow star and choose “Add to Home Screen.” You have now created an app for the walk-through form.

If you also wish to have the form on your Smartphone, you will repeat the process on that device. Check your e-mail on the Smartphone and open the one containing the link to the walk-through form. Click the link to display the form. Now turn that URL into a desktop shortcut. How this is done will vary from one Smartphone to the next. For example, on a BlackBerry running OS6, click the icon just to the right of the URL address bar. Choose “Add to Home Screen.” You have now just made the walk-through form into an app! You will find its icon on your home screen.

You are ready to start your walk-throughs! Each time you finish a form and touch “Submit,” the data instantly goes into the Google Docs spreadsheet. Each entry is date and time stamped for you!

No more filling out forms and then recopying that data somewhere else! Your data is neatly stored in rows and columns on your Google Docs spreadsheet. Less time spent on paperwork. More time spent on helping good teachers get even better. Life just got easier!

Again, thanks for participating in the webinar. If one of your New Year's resolutions was to "Get Organized!" I hope the hour we spent together will give you a great start.

Free Tech Tools for a More Productive New Year

Free Webinar 

January 10 4:30 EST/3:30 CST 

Click here to register 

iGoogle
Dropbox
Google Docs Forms
reQall

Every year, one of the most popular New Year's resolutions is to"Get Organized!" This free, hour-long webinar shows you how to make life easier with four game-changing technology tools.

This webinar shows you how to:

• Use iGoogle to organize all of your Internet resources. 
• Use Dropbox to instantly backup your documents and give you access to then from anywhere. 
• Use Google Docs to forever change the way you think about paper forms. 
• Use reQall to trap voice notes on the fly. Have them show up as text in your e-mail. 

Are any of these tools brand new to you? If so, this webinar will give you the background you need to get up and going the same day.

Already familiar with one or more? Gain some new ideas for how to use these great tools.

Space is limited, so sign up today!

Helping Others Begin a Personal Learning Network

Renewing administrative certification in Alabama is done through the "Professional Learning Unit," acquiring a set of five over a five-year period. Thought retired from public education (although anyone who has kept up with me knows that I am not retired--just went a new direction ) I am still keeping this certification alive.

Six months ago, I participated in an online course on "personal learning networks." The "final project" is to come back six months later and show how I implemented what was learned. Because the course is designed for administrators, the expectations is that I show not what I implemented for my personal growth, but how the concepts impact others. Below is the "showcase" in which I give people a start (and firm foundation) into their own PLN.



What blogs are in my Google Reader? Here are 21 of my favorites and why. If you are brand new to the idea of an iGoogle page, click here for an introduction. If you like some of the links you see below, why not add them as subscriptions to your own Google Reader?

• Angela Maiers   Author of The Passion-Driven Classroom, Angela is an active speaker and has a great deal to offer on use of the technology in the classroom. She is very active in social networking.
• BlackBerry Cool   BlackBerry is my tool of choice when it comes to managing my life. This blog helps me keep up with new developments.
• Connected Principals   A group of authors write for this blog, sharing best practice in education. The blog received 6 Edublog Award nominations in 2010.
• Cool Cat Teacher   Vicki Davis is a technology teacher in Camilla, GA. She writes on the uses of technology in her classroom, her views on best practice for use of technology in general, and pioneered The Flat Classroom Project (for which her students have received much notoriety)
• Copyblogger   This blog is written for those who blog and wish to get better at it.
• Daily Motivator   This blog brings words of encouragement to keep your life moving in a positive direction.
• Educational Insights  Jennifer Malone is principal at Eaton Elementary School in Loudon County, TN. The blog is a collection of technology resources related to education.
• eduflections   Julie D. Ramsay is a 5th grade teacher and author of the newly-published Can We Skip Lunch and Keep Writing. Her blog is all about best practice, especially as its regards technology in the classroom.
• Eduleadership   Justin Baeder is an elementary principal in Seattle, WA. He writes primarily about productivity for the educational leader with much of it centering around use of technology.
• Eye on Education   This is the company which published both of my books. Morgan Dubin is the primary author for this blog in addition to her spearheading the company's communication through Twitter and Facebook.
• Free Technology for Educators   Richard Byrne is a teacher, yet somehow finds the time to write prolifically about just what the blog promises...free technology. This one is a must-read.
• Heights' Hilghlights   For principals wanting to communicate with faculty and staff via a blog, Robin Gilbert's example is superb.She uses Google Docs as a parking place for documents she wants her teachers to be able to access and places links to them on her blog. The blog often features polls for teacher input, provides timely news, and is a vehicle for giving positive recognition.
• Laura Stack-The Productivity Pro   Laura Stack is one of the most sought-after speakers in the country on the subject of personal productivity.
• Lifehacker   This blog is generally about making life more enjoyable. It is slanted heavily towards technology, but there is a good bit of non-tech stuff as well.
• Presentation Zen   If you speak before audiences with any degree of regularity, Garr Reynolds has a wealth of information on PowerPoint presentations in particular and any presentation in general.
• PS22 Chorus   This elementary school chorus from Stanten Island, NY has taken the Internet by storm. Visit this blog and you will understand why.
• Raymond L. Young   When it comes to capturing the warmth and character of a school, nobody does it better than Pattie Thomas. The audience for this blog consists of the parents and community that support Raymond L. Young Elementary School in Talladega, AL.
• RIMarkable   Research in Motion is the manufacturer of the BlackBerry. This blog contains the latest information about the company and its products.
• The Lettered Cottage   This blog is about home improvement. Moreover, it's a great example of how a blog can substitute for a website. The design is beautiful and can serve as a model for anyone.
• Middle School Notes   Kerry Palmer is the middle school principal at Trinity Presbyterian School in Montgomery, AL. This blog keeps parents informed about upcoming events. Parents are highly encouraged to subscribe through Feedburner so that they receive the latest information via e-mail.
• YoungTeachers   With this blog, Pattie Thomas has eliminated the need to produce a faculty handbook. Everything a teacher needs is digital and only a click away. Technology tips, best practice in the classroom, tips on parent relations, and positive recognition is all here

What are your favorite blogs? Leave a comment and let me know.

Gadgets on My iGoogle Page

This post is designed for those who attended the McGill University Distinguished Educators Seminar or Wellness and Leadership Seminar.

Here is a list of the gadgets I have on my iGoogle page. Clicking on each link will give you the opportunity to add it to your iGoogle page.

Google Bookmarks
Google Reader
Twitter
Facebook
Bit.ly URL Shortener
Weather
CNN.com
CNN Technology
People.com
ESPN.com
MapQuest Driving Directions
Area/Zip Code Lookup
Music
YouTube
Document to PDF
Movies
GoogleDocs
GoogleCalendar
Google Map Search
Portfolio Monitor
Calculator
Stopwatch
Flight Status
Wolfram/Alpha

CLAS Assistant Principal Conference

For the assistant principals who attended the CLAS Assistant Principal Conference, this post is designed to help you get started with your own iGoogle page. When getting started with any endeavor, it often helps to see an example. Some months ago, composed a post listing the gadgets that I have on my iGoogle page, what they do, and the quickest way to get them. To revisit that post, click on the link below. If you like some of those, each one is only a click away from being added to your iGoogle page

Click here to see that post.

Here are several related posts that you may enjoy:
iGoogle
iGoogle
Google Reader

Thanks again for coming to the workshop!

Gadgets on My iGoogle Page

For the MEMSPA members who attended Thursday's workshop and for the CLAS members who attended today's workshop, here is a post from some months ago regarding iGoogle. When you are getting started with any endeavor, it often helps to see another example. This post gives links to each of the gadgets I have on my iGoogle page.

Click here to see that post.

By the way, there are some great Halloween themes to choose from. On your iGoogle page, click "Change them" and enter "Halloween" in the search window.

Welcome MEMSPA Participants

If you are visiting here as a result of yesterday's workshop, welcome! I hope you will check back often.

One of the afternoon topics was iGoogle, and I gave you a quick overview of the "gadgets" I have on my iGoogle page. Earlier in the summer, I devoted a post to those gadgets. With a click on each one, you will be taken to the page where you can select it to appear on your iGoogle page.

Click here to see the gadgets I have on my iGoogle page.

My iGoogle Gadgets

iGoogle is my home page, and for good reason. It functions as a virtual dashboard, giving me access to a variety of resources all in one place. I first talked about iGoogle and how to set up an iGoogle page in this post. I talked about the links I have in my Bookmark gadget in this post.

Here is a list of the gadgets I have on my iGoogle page. Clicking on each link will take you to an explanation of that gadget and give you the opportunity to add it to your iGoogle page.

Bookmarks
Google Reader
Twitter
Inspirational Quote & Picture
Weather
CNN.com
Google News
Education (from CNN.com)
People.com
MapQuest Driving Directions
Zip/Area Code Lookup
Music
YouTube
Document to PDF
Movies
GoogleDocs
GoogleCalendar

Scenes from University of Montevallo Workshop 2

iGoogle is my homepage on my office computer, home computer, and laptop. I can go to any computer which has Internet access and pull up my own homepage, complete with my favorite links, access to driving directions, my own GoogleDocs, and any other information I like to have at my fingertips.

Del.icio.us lets me have access to my Bookmarks from any computer in the world. It also allows me to share Bookmarks with anyone in the world.

Del.icio.us and iGoogle

If you are coming here for the first time as a result of the workshop sponsored by the University of Montevallo, welcome!

Two of the the subjects upon which we touched were iGoogle and Del.icio.us. Several posts on this blog will help make these concepts clearer. As you read through the archives, you will find a post from September 20, 2007 which explains how to set up an iGoogle account. Several posts address Del.icio.us. The dates of those posts are April 23, May 25, 2008 and June 6, 2008.

iGoogle

I am continuing to enjoy iGoogle as my home page. In a previous post, I told you about the organization of my iGoogle page. In this post, I focus specifically on the "Google Bookmarks," one of the sections on that page.

In that square, I want to see those sites I use most frequently. In addition, I want access to my most commonly used forms stored on our server. Often, it helps to see an example of what someone else has done to serve as a starting point for setting up your own. Here is a list of the links in my Google Bookmarks:

• Accelerated Reader (so that I can view data and run reports)
• Alabama State Dept. of Education
• Blogger
• Data Warehouse (a new feature from the Alabama State Dept. of Education)
• Delicious (so that I can access all of my bookmarks)
• Field Trip Request (a common form stored on our server)
• Frank Buck (my own blog)
• Leave Request (a common form stored on our server)
• The Daily Motivator
• PDWeb (professional development records)
• SETWeb (special education records)
• Talladega City Schools (our blog for the community)
• Teach Talladega (our blog for employees)
• Travel Form (a common form stored on our server)

You can see a screen shot of my iGoogle home page here.

iGoogle

I have made the statement more times than I can count that "I learned something every day this summer." That statement holds true in a number of arenas, but especially in the area of technology. One of the neatest things from my summer experiences is discovering "iGoogle."

I shared all of this information in an e-mail with a friend, so to kill two birds with one stone, here is basically and copy/paste of that e-mail for others who might like to have iGoogle as a home page. Here is how to set it up:

1. Go to Google
2. In the upper right corner, click on "iGoogle". (If, by chance, in the upper right corner it says "Classic Home," then never mind, you are already at iGoogle.)
3. Click on "Sign in" in the upper right corner.
4. Sign in if you have a Google account, or create a Google account (it's free).
   

Here is what I have on mine:

1. Google Bookmarks-You can add to or take away as you see fit. I gave you pretty much what I have.
2. The movies at the local theater or you can click where it says "Movies" and see what's on in other locations.
3. The weather is particular to our city.
4. Driving directions starting with my place of work as the default starting point. (You can change the default on any of these by clicking the little down arrow and choosing "Edit settings.")
5. Same with the Map Search. My work location is right in the center.
6. I have list of GoogleDocs which I can share with other individuals or with the whole world.
7. There are other things you can add by clicking on "Add stuff" just above the Inspirational Quotes. (What a handy word "stuff" is!)
8. You can get rid of any of the "stuff" by clicking on the "x."
9. You can re-arrange where each window is located by clicking and dragging it somewhere else on the screen.
10. There are different "themes" for how the top of the page will look. Click on "Select theme" right beside "Add stuff." Some themes will change appearance with the time of day and others change according to the weather in your particular area. How cool is that?
    

I have this set as my homepage, and...
At home, I have this set as my homepage, and...
My laptop is set with this as my homepage, which means...
...for those sites I go to all the time or the GoogleDocs I have, I don't have to bookmark them on three different computers, and...
...If I am away from home and on a computer in a public library, someone else's school, etc., I can go to Google, click iGoogle, log in, and I am looking at my bookmarks, my GoogleDocs, and the whole nine yeards just the same as if I was sitting in my office.
So..there it is. Have fun!