Have you tried Atomic Learning?

The Harper Creek Community Schools has a license to one of the best online resources for learning new software and other skills through a huge library of tutorials at:

www.atomiclearning.com

The topics range from Common Core, to 21st Century Skills to tutorials on a long list of popular software titles such as MS Word, iMovie, GarageBand, PowerPoint and Keynote. You may get the log in information from your building Technology Committee or the Technology Director Dan Hubbell. All staff and students are welcome to use Atomic Learning under our license.

Software tutorials are divided by version, platform and often skill levels too. This is a great resource to use for staff training or with your students on class lessons.  There is an Atomic Learning iPad App also for using your iPad for tutorials or in class lessons.

If you are not already using Atomic Learning, check out this valuable resource!

Using the Cloud: Google Drive and Apple iCloud

What is the Cloud? "The Cloud" is simply a way to access your information, apps, storage, calendar, e-mail, etc by using a web-based "Cloud" service that can be easily accessed by most any computer or many current web-enabled handheld devices.

This fall the Harper Creek schools started implementing "Google Apps for Education," which are free Google applications for such uses as word-processing, spreadsheets, online storage of files, presentations and much more!

To log into the Harper Creek version of Google Apps go to the "Google Apps" link on the district or building web pages and click to access a special log-in page. You can bookmark this page for easy future access. Then just log in with your Harper Creek e-mail and you can start using the Google Drive, which feature easy online storage and access to the various Google applications.

The Harper Creek Google Apps login: https://drive.google.com/a/apps.harpercreek.net/#my-drive

Learning about Google Apps for Education: http://learn.googleapps.com

Another free online "Cloud-based" service for those who use Apple computers and devices, such as iPads, MacBooks and iMacs is the Apple iCloud service. If you have an Apple login account, you can log into iCloud using any web browser and on many current devices like iPads and access iCloud storage, mail, contacts, Reminders, Pages (word-processing), Numbers (Spreadsheets) and Keynote (presentations) for free!

The Apple iCloud log-in (requires an Apple login in account): www.icloud.com

What is TED?

What is TED? TED is a non-profit organization that was started in 1984 to bring thinkers and doers together from the worlds of technology, entertainment and design for the purpose of sharing great ideas!

There are many excellent "TED Talks" presentations that can be found on the TED web  site, TED podcasts, the TED Channel on YouTube and elsewhere. There is also a separate web site targeted at education called "TED-ED."

For both your personal learning or to share with your students, all educators need to check out TED and learn from some of the most fascinating people who present on everything from music to technology to science to education, and much more!

The main TED web site: www.ted.com
The TED-Ed web site: ed.ted.com

Do you use TED in the classroom? Any favorite "TED Talks" presentations?

Videos to Learn Skills for your Classroom

The REMC Association of Michigan has started this web project for Michigan educators to share videos that other educators can use to learn new skills that they can apply in their classrooms.

Are you interested in making a video that you can share with other educators? Check out this site and the educator-made videos that may be of benefit to you and your colleagues:

http://www.remc.org/projects/connectededucator/