Sandra White's (DCIT) computer animation students are learning to create animated movies using Adobe Flash CS6. Computer Service Technology I students are learning how to build Ethernet straight-through and crossover cables. Computer Service Technology II students are using WireShark to see how data travels across a network.

Emily Maloney (HMS) is no longer fighting the expo marker battle, HELLO ShowMe App! Her srtudents are also using their district emails to log-in to take google forms, so she is emailing them their grades!

Charity Adams (SJE) shared that the support staff are jumping on board with google.drive, helping to make things more tech friendly between teachers and other staff.

Want to submit a teacher you know for "Teacher Spotlight"? Shoot an email to Carla.Jefferson@darlington.k12.sc.us or complete the form here.

-via EdSurge

As part of the Open eBooks initiative—an initiative highlighted by President Obama last July—the app allows users to access thousands of free books on smartphones or tablets. The app is open to any educator, student or administrator at one of the 66,000+ Title I schools or any of the 194 Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools in the United States. Additionally, White House reps report that any of the hundreds of thousands of special education teachers in the country—no matter what type of school they work for—also have access.

To access the app, educators can sign up on the OpeneBooks.net site and receive codes for their students. Using those codes, students can download the free Open eBooks app to mobile devices and access a library of eBooks.

In OS X 10.8, the Mac's ability to listen to you as well as talk is really impressive. Although these are sometimes framed as being accessibility features, they can be useful for everyone. For example, it's a good idea to read through any important text before you send it off, but it's easy to skip mistakes when you're reading your own work. Instead, select the text and go to Edit > Speech > Start Speaking. You can control the speed and pick from a range of different voices (our favourite's the Scottish 'Fiona') in the Dictation & Speech System Preference pane.

If you find you use the feature often, you should enable the option to trigger speaking aloud using a keyboard shortcut - the default is Option+Esc, which you can change in the Dictation & Speech pane. (If you do have restricted vision, investigate the VoiceOver feature in the Accessibility pane of System Preferences too; this can read aloud buttons and other on-screen items, and more.)

Your Mac is just as good a listener as it is a talker, though. Not only can you control your Mac using Speakable Items (check the Accessibility pane) but in OS X 10.8 you can also dictate text anywhere you would type. By default you just press the Function key twice and then start talking.

The Teaching Channel is a website that allows you to watch other teachers in action. Search by content and grade level and build on your professional development... AND get tips for your classroom.

How to use it:

1. Go to https://www.teachingchannel.org/
2. Click on Video tab at the top.
3. Use the options to the left side of the page to search by Subject, Grade and Topic.

To see an example, please click on the video below.

Audioboom is a website and an application for iOS and Android which allows users to listen to, record and share sound files.

Have your students record themselves reading a book by using the FREE Audioboom app. Teach your students to...

• Read with expression.
  
• Read with a voice that sometimes goes up and sometimes goes down.
• Read smoothly.
• Not read so fast that the listener can't understand what they are reading.
• Not read s l o w l y or word-for-word like a robot.
• Read groups of words together to sound like talking.

If you are feeling a bit adventurous, you can turn that sound file into a QR code, print it out and attach to the corresponding book.

We've Gone Google!

DCSD is a Google Apps for Education (GAFE) district. All staff and students have Google accounts in the DCSD Google domain to facilitate communication, collaboration and publishing work.

Although Google Drive and other Google tools are accessible, teachers will continue to use MS Outlook for their email.

If you've never accessed it before, your Google login is firstname.lastname@darlington.k12.sc.us. Your temporary password is Password1 and then you will be prompted to change your password.

If you're having trouble logging into your Google account, please see your school wizard or a member of the DCSD Digital Transformation Academy.

Online Webinar

Saturday, March 26th - 10am-3:30pm EST

During this Event You Will...

- Explore Google Tools and how other teachers use them effectively

- Discover Interactive Student Projects that are easy and fun

- Learn tips and tricks for "Going Google" in your classroom

- Discover ideas for virtual field trips

- Learn how other teachers use Google Hangouts for projects

- And more!

Click here to register!

June 8-9, 2016 - The SC Midlands Summit is a two day conference focused on the use of Google for Education, research tools, digital tools, and technology integration in the classroom. Over 130 unique sessions will be offered! Visit Visit the SC Midlands Summit website for more information and registration.

Join fellow educators for the eleventh annual Upstate Technology Conference in Greenville, SC on Tuesday, July 12th and Wednesday, July 13th. The conference features 250 expert and peer-led sessions that will inspire innovative teaching for classroom and school success. The technology conference is free to all registered attendees. Visit the UTC website for more information and registration.

Diane Sigmon, Director of Technology

Carla Jefferson, Instructional Technology Coordinator

Website: https://sites.google.com/a/darlington.k12.sc.us/dcsddti/home
Location: 120 E Smith Ave, Darlington, SC, United States
Phone: 843-398-2298
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/129354490748962/
Twitter: @dcsdtransforms