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SchoolCounselor.com eNewsletter #113
November 7, 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.
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Get
Your Own Dropbox
Dropbox is software that syncs your files online and
across your computers. Put your files into your Dropbox
on one computer, and they'll be instantly available on
any of your other computers that you've installed
Dropbox on (Windows, Mac, and Linux too!) Because a copy
of your files are stored on Dropbox's secure servers,
you can also access them from any computer or mobile
device using the Dropbox website. Let's say you're
editing a document at home. As soon as you click 'Save',
Dropbox will sync this same file to all your other
computers (and now your iPhone!) instantly and
automatically. It's as if you saved the document to all
of your computers. This gives you the freedom to work on
any of your computers and always have the files you
need.
You can easily share entire folders or photo albums with
Dropbox. Simply put the folders you want to share in
your Dropbox, and invite people to them. You can also
send people links to specific files within your Dropbox.
This makes Dropbox perfect for team projects. Every time
you put a file in your Dropbox folder it is
automatically backed up to our secure servers. If your
computer has a melt-down your files are safe on Dropbox
and can be restored at any time. Our free 2GB account is
perfect for backing up your documents. We offer larger
accounts (up to 100GB) for backing up your music and
video collections.
http://www.getdropbox.com/referrals/NTUwODQ3Mjk
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Congratulations to ... Janet from
Windham, ME and Jean Marie from Peoria, IL. They both won
a copy of SCAATAP (School Counselor Accountability and Task
Analysis Program; see
http://www.scaatap.com/
valued at $125 each) just for updating their subscription to the
SchoolCounselor.com eNewsletter at
http://www.schoolcounselor.com/NEWSLETTER/
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Highlights from
SchoolCounselor.com
Top 5 Training Topics for School Counselors
http://www.schoolcounselor.com/top5training.htm
Must See Videos
New videos added since the last issue.
http://www.schoolcounselor.com/videos/
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TIPS AND TRICKS
New in Google Docs: Shared
folders
You can create shared folders if you'd like to share a
group of related items. To create a folder, first select Folder
from the Create new drop-down menu.
http://docs.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=158074
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Tweetscan.com
Tweet Scan with keywords guidance counselor
http://bit.ly/3DpbSz
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Gmail (Google mail): Have Google
Help You Remember Email Addresses
Source:
Broncobytes
“Got the wrong Bob?” keeps track of email addresses you email
most often. If you send an email to a group of people that
usually includes, say, Bob Smith, but accidentally add Bob
Roberts, the Lab will prompt you to make sure you didn’t mean to
exclude Bob Smith. Google has also changed the “Suggest more
recipients” Lab name to “Don’t forget Bob.” This Lab is similar
to “Got the wrong Bob?” in that it keeps track of groups of
addresses you often send emails to, and if you leave someone off
the group list, it’ll prompt you to make sure you aren’t leaving
somebody out by mistake.
Also see:
Share Folders in Google Docs
http://broncobytes.boisestate.edu/2009/10/13/share-folders-in-google-docs/
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Google Building Maker
Building Maker is a 3D modeling tool for adding buildings
to Google Earth. It's fun to use, and an easy way to get on the
3D map.
http://sketchup.google.com/3dwh/buildingmaker.html
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SyncToy
helps you copy, move,
rename, and delete files between folders and computers quickly
and easily.
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Refocus Tracks Your Goals for
the Month on One Page
From the website, “Lately I’ve been moving around,
without knowing if I made progress. I developed this new form to
help keep me focused on achievement. It may look like a Scantron,
but it has theory behind it.”
http://whitehatblackbox.com/2009/07/new-form-keeping-focus/
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Export Multiple Files in Google
Docs
Google has added a new multiple file export feature to
Google Docs. You can now select one or more files from your
Google Docs items list and export them in bulk to various
formats.
http://broncobytes.boisestate.edu/2009/10/27/export-multiple-files-in-google-docs/
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monitorThis
Search for new entries in 26 different search engines
feeds.
http://monitorthis.info/
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What’s in Your Web Browser?
I switched from Microsoft Internet Explorer to Mozilla
Firefox several years ago and really had not thought about it
very much since. When out in the field doing presentations or
while collaborating with colleagues, people who notice me using
Firefox as my default browser continue to ask me about it and so
I thought that it was finally time to address the use of web
browsers as an important technological tool.
Read more:
http://www.schoolcounselor.com/firefox.htm
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ScheduleGenerator
Online class schedule maker tool that lets you quickly generate
class schedules online. The application is simple and
straightforward, just enter your data such as class names,
locations and times, and click on ‘Generate’ button.
ScheduleGenerator will then open up a new tab containing a ready
to print schedule.
http://www.sealandserpent.org/schedgen/schedulegenerator.php
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Google: Better Music Information
in Search Results
We have
just introduced a new feature to help you better find music
information using Google search. Now, when you enter a
music-related query — like the name of a song, artist, album or
a line or two of lyrics — into the Google search box, your
search results will include links to an audio preview of those
songs provided by our music search partners MySpace (which just
acquired iLike) or Lala. This feature not only makes search
better, it also introduces millions of music seekers to new
sources of licensed music online.
http://www.google.com
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Bing announced its
Twitter search partnership as well as a specific Web site for
Bing/Tweet searching.
http://www.bing.com/twitter
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WORTHY WEBSITES AND
SOFTWARE
Paint.NET
Paint.NET is free image and photo editing software for
computers that run Windows. It features an intuitive and
innovative user interface with support for layers, unlimited
undo, special effects, and a wide variety of useful and powerful
tools. An active and growing online community provides friendly
help, tutorials, and plugins.
http://paint.net/
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3 Excellent Sites to Get Free
Document Templates
Free Document Templates Once in a while we all need some
kind of document, it may be a business plan presentation, rental
contract, non-disclosure agreement, or even a name change
request form. In most cases, Googling the document may
ultimately get you what you need, but it’s both time consuming
and frustrating. Here are 3 excellent resources that can provide
you with any professional document or form template for free.
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3-websites-to-get-any-document-for-free/
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Paul Zuiker, a school counselor from Wisconsin, writes in:
TreePad
One of the ongoing hassles of school counselor is keeping track
of notes, students, and information. I have tried folders, Word
files, etc etc. I was always looking for something that was
simple and searchable. I and my coworkers are using Treepad. I
started with the freeware version but have upgraded to the
Business Edition, though the Plus edition is more than adequate.
Check out this program for keeping track of things. It is very
versatile and rock solid.
http://www.treepad.com/
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Resnooze
Have you ever emailed yourself something just to keep it in
mind? Resnooze makes the process or “emailing yourself” easier.
By default, Resnooze reminders are periodical so you won’t
forget them even if you ignore one. With Resnooze, you can
adjust the reminder frequency in a single click, from within the
email message.
http://www.resnooze.com
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eclocking is a stopwatch
that allows you to save, organize and analyze your timings.
http://eclocking.com/
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Updated: AVG Anti-Virus Free
Edition 9.0
AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 9.0Basic antivirus and
antispyware protection for Windows available to download for
free. Limited features, no support, for private and
non-commercial use only.
http://free.avg.com/ww-en/download?prd=afg#tba2
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How to Secure Your Wireless Home
Network
This article describes how you can secure your Wireless
Network from hackers and you’ll also learn about free tools that
people generally use to intercept your Wi-Fi signals.
http://www.labnol.org/internet/secure-your-wireless-wifi-network/10549/
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Google: Managing your reputation through search results
This site gives some tips for "reputation management":
influencing how you're perceived online, and what information is
available relating to you.
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Google Docs: Shared folders
“Today, we are happy to
launch one of the most requested Google Docs features — the
ability to share folders. Shared folders make it easy for a team
of people to collaborate on projects that require multiple
documents, spreadsheets or presentations. If you have a group of
items you want to share, all that you have to do is put them
into one folder and share it.”
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Top Screen Capture &
Screencasting Tools
These tools can be used to capture screens, create
screencasts or software demonstrations (ie narrated recordings
of a system's screen output) and/or simulations.
http://c4lpt.co.uk/Directory/Tools/capture.html
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Can You Go to Jail for
Cyberbullying?
After retiring from Arizona’s superior court in 2008,
former judge Tom Jacobs began a site called
askthejudge.info
to help teens understand legal issues. Below, he applies his
expertise to the issue of cyberbullying and its possible legal
consequences.
http://uyn.blogspot.com/2009/10/can-you-go-to-jail-for-cyberbullying.html
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PDFescape
Want to edit PDF files or complete PDF forms?
http://www.pdfescape.com/
Also see
http://www.pdftoword.com/
and especially
http://www.zamzar.com/
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Become a PowerPoint Power User
Microsoft PowerPoint has revolutionized the education
process for corporations, conferences and educational
establishments everywhere. So if you want to wow the
participants in your next meeting, you might want to get to know
PowerPoint like a power user. These advanced tips and tricks
will enable you to make your PowerPoint presentation even more
powerful.
http://howto.wired.com/wiki/Become_a_PowerPoint_Power_User
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ASCAway: Online Safety
Podcast: Nancy McBride, national safety director for the
Center for Missing and Exploited Children, shares some advice on
how school counselors can help keep kids safe online.
http://ascaway.podbean.com/2009/10/30/ascaway-online-safety/
Data Boot
Camp for School Counselors
and Administrators - CD
Russell A. Sabella, Ph.D.
My newest CD is designed
to help you become more proficient in using Microsoft
Excel™ to make data an important part of your
comprehensive school counseling program. From
data-driven decision making, to monitoring progress, to
reporting the positive impact you're having on kids --
this CD will demystify how it's done.
With the Data Boot Camp for School Counselors and
Administrators, what you see and hear on the videos is
what you do. At your fingertips, you'll have access to
30 videos and lots of graphics, tips, tricks, and
resourceful links. This straightforward step-by-step
approach makes learning how to use Microsoft Excel™ (and
a bit of PowerPoint™) as easy and convenient as watching
television. Data Boot Camp will help school counseling
students, practitioners, administrators, and counselor
educators to more easily unlock the power of data so you
can more effectively support student achievement.
The content on the CD is equivalent to a full-day
workshop in the computer lab!
Visit and learn more about the contents of the CD and
view a couple of sample videos (Remember, these samples
may take a few moments to load because you are online.
However, on the CD, this is not an issue because the
videos are all located on the CD itself!).
http://www.schoolcounselor.com/store/data-bootcamp.htm
$18.95 (FREE shipping)
please allow 5-7 working days to arrive
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JUST FOR FUN
15 Coolest Google Earth Finds
http://www.oddee.com/item_96849.aspx
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Snagfilms
Source:
Lifehacker
If you're looking for something a bit meatier than YouTube fare
for weekend watching, check out SnagFilms and enjoy
documentaries on a wide range of topics. You'll find all sorts
of content on SnagFilms, ranging from well-known documentaries
like Super Size Me to lesser-known but interesting works like
The Times of Harvey Milk, about the assassination of San
Fransisco's first openly gay elected official, and Hell on
Wheels, about the origins of modern women-only roller derbies.
The films are almost all full length and of a high quality—no
grainy webcam political rants here. Watching the videos is free
and requires no login, though there are brief 10-15 second ads
sprinkled throughout the videos—one appeared during out test run
of Super Size Me every 15 minutes or so. If you have a favorite
place for finding interesting and informative videos or audio,
let's hear about it in the comments.
http://www.snagfilms.com/films
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8 tips for better holiday photos
What's the problem with holiday photos? All too often,
they fail to capture the feeling of the season. Most holiday
pictures look interchangeable. Your photos of family members
lined up and smiling look the same as those of every other
family.
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/photos/holidayphotos.aspx
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Create funny photo online
starring you!
http://seenow.com/popular
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