How Do I? Back to School Edition

Welcome back to school, everyone!

The EM-S ISD Instructional Technology Department will use this blog, our monthly INNOVATE newsletters, our Facebook page, and more to share tips, tricks, and tools throughout the year.

From time to time, we will publish a general "How Do I?" post that includes several tips. Today's "Back to School" edition shares things that might be especially helpful at the beginning of the school year.

How do I? Back to School Edition

• Create desktop shortcuts?
• Set up Outlook on my computer?
• Create a new schedule in Forethought?
• Erase last year's schedule from a day in my Lesson Planner?
• Set Default Text for Entry in my Lesson Planner?

What other "quick help" topics would be helpful?  Leave a comment in the comments section or email your district Instructional Technologist!

We're Social!

If you're reading this on our blog, you already know that "we're social!", but did you know you can also get the latest EM-S ISD Instructional Technology news on Facebook and Twitter? 

LIKE us at facebook.com/emsisdits or follow us at twitter.com/emsisdits for announcements, tips, tricks, and tools that will make your life a little easier and your classroom a little more exciting. 

Microsoft software and more for less than $10!

1. Are you an EM-S ISD employee?
2. Do you like a great deal?

If you answered YES for both of these questions, you'll definitely want to check out this site. Because of our relationship with Microsoft, employees are able to purchase many different types of software at extremely discounted prices. 

You will need to register for an account (or login if you've previously registered) with your full email address and your email password.

Not sure what to buy? Check out these suggestions:

• Microsoft Office 2010 ($9.75) - this is the Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, Outlook, OneNote, etc. suite that you have had on your school computers for the last couple of years.
• Microsoft Office 2013 ($9.75) - this is the latest version of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc. This article suggests that there's really no point to purchasing 2013 if you already have 2010 - it points out a few of the things that are different about it.
• Windows 7  ($9.75) - this is an operating system (not necessarily software). When loading this, you should back up all files on your computer - think of it like the "re-imaging" that happens to your school computer each summer. Read about Windows 7 here.
• Windows 8  ($9.75) - this is Microsoft's newest operating system. Read more about Windows 8 here. (I plan on keeping Windows 7 on my computers - Windows 8 runs great on a tablet device, but I don't really like it on a computer ... just my two cents!)

If you have additional questions or trouble with the site, etc. you will need to contact the "On the Hub" support. District personnel do not have access to troubleshoot purchases, downloads, logins/passwords, etc.

Contact information can be found here. I have used the online help request option as well as the phone support and have been pleased with both.

~Cindy