Page 1
• Laptops with Style
• Blackboard Reminders
• Burning CDs with DirectCD (Roxio)
• Picture Editing – Simplified

Page 2
• The Internet Generation
• Student Interactivity and Engagement
• Website of the Month
• Your Input Please!

For the next cycle of upgrading laptops, Computing Services and the administration are investigating Tablet PCs. This evolution of laptop technology has many features that support the functions of teaching and learning for both faculty and students. Using new software applications, such as Windows Journal and MS Note1, the touch screen accepts handwriting which can then be translated into text. Taking notes without typing the initial entries, whether in a class or at a meeting, is highly user-friendly. In addition to teaching applications, just think about the places where you take notes – meetings, workshops, conferences and imagine how you can use your time more effectively. You can use color to highlight, draw diagrams, add notes in between where no space existed. There are even tools that will convert hand-written mathematical expressions into typed text. Paper is just not that versatile. Once the notes are taken, they can be organized electronically into folders according to your preference. The files are searchable with key words so that comments and lecture notes from one day can be linked with the same topics from another class session. What a great assistance to students who are not as organized with paper!

The Tablet enhances a variety of learning styles because it can be used in many ways. The touch screen also accommodates web browsing with a tap of the special ‘pen’. In the classroom, the tablet is far less conspicuous, than the tapping of keys. Since it folds down flat on the tabletop, there is no obstructive view for anyone.

If you currently use PowerPoint, a Tablet PC can allow for a more dynamic classroom experience. In a Smart room, you can annotate the screen right on your Tablet by adding marks of emphasis, circling phrases, or adding pertinent comments made in class. These additions display along with your original. The file of what was discussed in the class that day can be captured and can be saved and distributed to your students.

Reading a typical student paper electronically is more logical when you are reading in a vertical layout. When you want to use the computer as you are accustomed along with the keyboard, the screen simply turns 180o and you have the laptop with which you are familiar.

We invite you to call us to come over and experience the models we are reviewing now. Vendors from Acer, Gateway, Fujitsu and Toshiba have visited campus over the past few months. For more information about how a Tablet PC can be used in education, visit http://www.microsoft.com/education/TabletPC.aspx

Don’t Forget:
• Changes in course enrollment occur automatically when the changes made with the Registrar transfer to Blackboard.
• To use the COPY function to transfer materials from one course to another easily. This function was detailed in the
   previous newsletter.
• Export your Gradebook periodically to backup your files.
• You can customize the links in the left column to adapt to your course specifics. Do this with “Manage Course Menu”
• You can have an organization site set up for a collection of individuals to participate in research, student groups, or
  specialized activities.

Burning CDs with the Roxio software you have on your laptops is easy. This is a good way to back-up your files and keep a separate copy of your work.

This is the utility to use to enable you to drag-and-drop files directly onto your CD. To use this utility, you must Format the CD. The software is already installed on your laptop. You can access the Roxio DirectCD utility in one of 2 ways:

STEP 1: Set up the Format Utility
Method 1. Start > Programs >                                                Select > Make a Data CD > Direct CD option

   OR

Method 2. Start > Programs >                                                Applications > DirectCD Format Utility

Methods 1. and 2. are essentially identical.

This is the window you should have at this point:


STEP 2: Insert a blank (unused) CD in the drive (or the same CD that had been previously formatted for this purpose and not closed.)

STEP 3: Click the Format button
Note: You only need to do this step once for each unburned CD. Subsequent files can be added provided you follow the remaining steps below.

STEP 4: Create and work on your files, leaving the DirectCD utility open.

STEP 5: Move the file(s) to the CD. You can use Save As to write your files directly to the formatted CD or use Windows Explorer to drag-and-drop your file to the CD. If you use the Save function, you must close out of the application prior to Step 6.

STEP 6: Click the EJECT button, making sure the Leave As Is option is checked. Click OK.


Note: When you want to be able to read this CD from a computer that does not have the Roxio software, use the option Close to Read on Any Computer. You will not be able to drag-and-drop directly to this CD any longer.

Are you looking for a simple program to edit and display your digital photographs? Have you ever saved a photograph on your computer and then forgot where you saved it? Google may just have the solution for you. Picasa 2 is a photo management tool that allows the photographer to find and edit their masterpieces.

The software will scan your computer and organize all photographs and pictures into albums. You can import your pictures from a USB camera, scanner, memory card reader, or CD drive into the program. It removes red-eye from pictures, crops, rotates, changes the color, and changes the focus, along with many other options. Albums can be exported as webpages and pictures can be sent by email. To avoid the problem of overwriting your original pictures, Picasa does not touch the original but creates a file that saves the changes.

Some new features added to the upgrade of Picasa are the gift CD and Backup. These allow you to create a gift CD with a built-in slide show of your pictures and give you the option to back up your picture collection onto a CD or DVD. However, because program is limited, it is recommended for beginners and those who are making minor edits to pictures.

One of the best features for its users is – it’s free! See whether it suits your needs or not. Download Picasa 2 and test it out for yourself today at www.picasa.com.