October 10, 2009

Welcome to SchoolCounselor.com, an electronic newsletter designed to advance counselors' level of technological literacy, application, and integration. You will find practical solutions and answers to technology related problems, especially as they apply to your job as counselor. If you would like to share a tip or trick, or if you would like to ask a question, e-mail Russ Sabella at newsletter@schoolcounselor.com.

Congratulations to Jessica Hubbard, Elementary Counselor from Starkville Academy, MS. She has one a copy of a textbook from Educational Media Corporation entitled Managing Your School Counseling Program (3rd edition) by Joe Wittmer, Ph.D. and Mary Ann Clark, Ph.D. (see http://tinyurl.com/3e2thw; $49.95).

And congratulations to Joanne Shorter from MA who won a Data Boot Camp CD for School Counselors and Administrators - CD.

You can win too just by making sure you are subscribed to this newsletter using the new FeedBurner system. Go to http://www.schoolcounselor.com/NEWSLETTER/ to make sure you are.

Data BootCamp CD for School Counselors and Administrators Giveaway
Twitter Account required.
http://twtaway.com/n9tyi0

 
Latest Poll
Would you support a ban on cell phones for students in K-12 schools?
http://bit.ly/3oJzvI
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TIPS AND TRICKS

Google is on a roll, again! Check out these recent updates ...

Google Forms (Data Collection): Add page break and go to page in forms
Have you ever wanted to create a form that changes which questions to show next based on an answer received earlier in the form? The two features we launched today make that easy. First, we've added one of the most requested features for forms: page breaks. Now it is easy to create a form with multiple pages by going to "Add item" and selecting "Page break." We've also added another highly requested feature, logic branching. Once you've created a form with multiple pages, you can select "Go to page based on answer" to control the flow of your form based on the user's answers. For example, you can create a form asking the person to select their language and then direct them to a form in the correct language. If you want to see both of these new features in action, let us know what your favorite holiday is.

Page breaks and go to page open up a whole new realm of possibilities. For example, you can create a product survey that asks a different set of questions based on whether someone has used the product before or a conference feedback form that branches off based on the session someone attended. You can even create your own interactive murder mystery or adventure using a Google form, share it with your friends and publish it in the public templates gallery. We hope you enjoy these new additions to forms!

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Google Docs: Translation functions in spreadsheets
Earlier this week, Google added two functions to Google spreadsheets that add translation and language detection capabilities.

    * =GoogleTranslate("Hola, ¿cómo estás?","es","en") gives "Hi, how are you"
    * =DetectLanguage("Hola, ¿cómo estás?") gives "es"

Read more:
http://googledocs.blogspot.com/2009/10/translation-functions-in-spreadsheets.html

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Introducing Google Sidewiki
We're excited about the release last week of Google Sidewiki, a new way for you and others to contribute helpful information alongside any page on the web. Google Sidewiki is a sidebar in Google Toolbar where you can add text entries, links, and embedded videos. To make sure you see the most relevant entries on top, we use an algorithm to rank entries by quality. It takes into account your feedback as well as many other signals. We also have the first version of our API available to let anyone work freely with the content that's created in Google Sidewiki. Google Sidewiki is a feature of Google Toolbar for Firefox and Internet Explorer — support for Chrome is coming.
http://www.google.com/sidewiki

Google Fast Flip
Google Fast Flip, recently launched in Google Labs, is a way to read news that combines the best elements of print and online articles. Like a print magazine, Fast Flip lets you browse through recent news, headlines and popular topics, as well as feeds from individual top publishers. At the same time, we offer search over many top newspapers and magazines, and the ability to share content with your friends. Fast Flip also personalizes your experience by taking cues from selections you make to show you more content from sources, topics and journalists that you like.
http://fastflip.googlelabs.com

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Google Cybersecurity YouTube Playlist
http://www.youtube.com/user/GoogleCyberSecurity#play/playlists

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Google’s Document Viewer
Sometimes the simplest things are the most useful, you know? Google has announced a handy dandy Docs viewer, available at. This viewer allows you to generate links to view PDFs, Powerpoints, and TIFF documents from the comfort of your own browser. If you don’t want to fuss with using the form every single time, Google also includes instructions for building your own URLs to use with Document Viewer.
http://docs.google.com/viewer

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Google Docs: New flowchart shapes and multi-line text in drawings
We (Google) just released two new improvements to the drawings in Google Docs. First, we made it easier for you to build flowcharts in drawings by adding 20 new shapes for standard flowchart components. Second, we made it possible for you to have more control over drawing text layout by supporting explicit line breaks in text boxes and text within shapes
http://googledocs.blogspot.com/2009/09/new-flowchart-shapes-and-multi-line.html

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Google Gives You More Control over Search Results
This past week, Google rolled out new options for searching. The Search Options feature was first introduced in May. Now, Google has added more options to help you refine your search results even further. You can narrow your search results by date. For example, filter search results by hour and date. You can also opt to display more or fewer shopping sites. To access Google's Search Options feature, search Google as you normally would. Then, click “Show options” on the blue bar at the top of the results page. Your options will pop up in the left side of the window.

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Google Sketchup Updated
Google may be best known for its online services but it is now a huge company with interests in all sorts of markets and technologies. Even so, 3D modeling software isn't exactly the first thing you think about when you say Google, but the company does this as well with SketchUp, which just made it to version 7.1. The new version comes with some new features as well as improved performance, being more than just a minor release.
http://sketchup.google.com/

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... and now other great Tips and Tricks

Calculate Elapsed Time in Excel
Calculating elapsed time is very common whether you are managing a project or raising a baby. Elapsed time is nothing but interval between a starting point and the current point in time. We can use excel formulas to calculate elapsed time very easily.
http://chandoo.org/wp/2009/09/22/elapsed-time-excel/

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Emailing Teachers: 5 Tips to Successfully Email Teachers
School has gone virtual, classes have gone digital and homework is online. Now teachers and students are emailing more than ever. It is important for students and parents to be aware of some of the pitfalls of turning in homework via email, emailing teachers and developing a relationship online outside of class.

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Use a No-Cost Directory-Assistance Service
Does your mobile phone carrier gouge you for directory-assistance calls? Instead of dialing 411, try Google 411. Dial 800-466-4411 (800-GOOG-411). The voice-recognition tool looks up numbers, addresses, nearby businesses and more for free.

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Exporting Contacts from Outlook (Youtube)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duqtD_cJO-8&NR=1

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Using PowerPoint and PhotoStory3 to create a Narrated Presentation
Bring your accountability reports (and other presentations) to life with a free program called Microsoft Photo Story 3. This method is very similar to doing narrated PowerPoints although probably a bit easier and with a higher "cool" effect. In this method, you will export your PPT slides as graphics and then use those graphics to narrate within Photo Story 3. Your product is a video. Realize, though, that when you use this technique, the animation within PowerPoint does not transfer. Instead, you will get a panning effect which is also very nice. This video is one of the many you will find on the Data Boot Camp for School Counselors and Administrators - CD available from www.schoolcounselor.com.
http://www.schoolcounselor.com/videos/2009/06/using-powerpoint-and-photostory3-to.html

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WORTHY WEBSITES AND SOFTWARE

Qipit
Copy documents, whiteboards and handwritten notes with your camera phone or digital camera to store, fax, email or publish!
http://www.qipit.com/

Also see faxZero: Send a fax for free to anywhere in the U.S. and Canada
http://faxzero.com/

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Possible Interview Questions for School Counselors
A list of questions designed to help you think about and prepare for your school counselor position interview. These are actual questions sent in by school counselors after an interview. If you would like to add to this list for future updates, please complete the form at the bottom of this web page.
http://www.schoolcounselor.com/resources/interview.htm

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Bullying Resources
http://bit.ly/uuGhA

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Microsoft Security Essentials
Microsoft Security Essentials provides real-time protection for your home PC that guards against viruses, spyware, and other malicious software. Microsoft Security Essentials is a free download from Microsoft that is simple to install, easy to use, and always kept up to date so you can be assured your PC is protected by the latest technology. It’s easy to tell if your PC is secure — when you’re green, you’re good. It’s that simple.
http://www.microsoft.com/security_Essentials/

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iClippy
Clippy provides an internet clipboard accessible from the desktop or from the web. Copying anything into webmail or online documents has never been easier. iClippy can also be used to store documents, business cards, and receipts, as well as for visual bookmarking.
http://iclippy.com/

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Pdfsam
Split and Merge is a very simple, easy to use, free, open source utility to split and merge PDF files. It’s released in two versions: basic and enhanced. The basic version is probably best.
http://www.pdfsam.org/

also check out

meregepdf.net
This service enables you to combine PDF documents into a single one, free of charge.
http://www.mergepdf.net/

Convert PDF to Word for Free
http://www.pdfonline.com/pdf2word/index.asp

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JUST FOR FUN

Superfiller
Amazon.com offers you free shipping orders that are $25.00 or more ... if you are just under that amount, this site can help. Just enter the amount you need to spend to make your order an even $25. SuperFiller will return a list of items that fit the bill. Add one to your order to get free shipping! SuperFiller has a few other nifty tricks. For example, you'll want to check out the discount table.
http://www.superfiller.com/

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Similar to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
http://similarminds.com/software.html

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12 Coolest Tables
http://www.oddee.com/item_96824.aspx

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7 Most Amazing One-Take Video Clips
http://www.neatorama.com/2009/09/28/7-most-amazing-one-take-video-clips/
 
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Is it Cheese or is it a Font?
http://cheeseorfont.mogrify.org/

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