District Administration - December 2012 - (Page 82)

DistrictAdministration 1 00 pRODUCTS Top adobe/MicroSoft office SpecialiSt certificationS Certiport Such certifications for students allow them to become experts in commonly used software programs and increase their technology experience prior to college and careers. In education, earning an Adobe Certified Credential or Microsoft Office specialist certification promotes success in the classroom for students and instructors, builds individual distinction, and prepares students for an increasingly competitive workforce. www.certiport.com “The classroom license for curriculum, practice exams, and certification tests have enabled us to offer the opportunity to any student enrolled in our courses. Also, the instructor can proctor the testing session at his or her convenience, reducing the cost of having to hire a testing proctor.” —Patti Bonezzi, district IT specialist, Okaloosa County (Fla.) School District GaGGle.net Gaggle This safe student email solution offers online tools like shared calendars, assignment drop boxes, discussion boards, blogs, digital lockers, online document editing, and collaborative, safe SMS texting and filtered YouTube access. Gaggle.net also offers virus-free, online file storage accessible from home and school, and improved communication between teachers and students. 2 0 1 2 Scanalyzer app Scanalyzer This wireless, location-aware, programmable barcode scanner for smartphones and mobile devices became a worldwide phenomenon from the start. For education, the Scanalyzer App can help take attendance by scanning IDs, can pinpoint and record details of anything that takes place on a school campus, aid in library and asset management and can make clerical work more efficient. eMployeeSafe Suite PublicSchoolWORKS This compilation of school safety programs includes training courses, written plans, programs and procedures, checklists, inspections, and other tools. Suite programs can be customized to include tools and content provided by individual school districts, and includes the management system needed to implement, manage, and sustain a district’s safety program without burdening administration or staff. www.publicschoolworks.com www.mcdanielar.com “EmployeeSafeSuite has been a tremendous asset to staff safety training in our district. The staff enjoys completing the courses at their own pace, being able to print certificates, and obtaining knowledge that makes them and their students safer.” —Suzette Tidrick, director of programs, East Guernsey Local Schools, Old Washington, Ohio My biG caMpuS Lightspeed Systems This safe, collaborative, social learning platform includes blogs, group messaging, assignments, and chat, among other capabilities. On My Big Campus, teachers and students can manage assignments, files, photos, and resources, have private conversations and connect with others based on interests. www.lightspeedsystems.com “Teachers are using this free product to create discussions with their students, to deliver paperless assignments, as an assessment tool, for blog posts, and for uploading and sharing videos. This is the best instructional tool our district has adopted in a very long time.” —Jana Reese, director of instructional technology, Muscogee County (Ga.) School District X2Vol IntelliVOL This volunteer management system tracks and manages high school volunteer activity. It can be accessed by students, parents, teachers, and school staff. Detailed reports can be run by class, club, team, or total high school population. By automating previously manual processes, X2VOL can free up an administrator’s time by 10 to 20 hours per month. www.gaggle.net www.intellivol.com “Students collaborate on projects using the digital lockers and can instantly turn in assignments to teachers, who can grade them via the ‘Mark it up’ feature and turn it back to students. Students and teachers are more engaged and are excited about using Gaggle.” —Gretchen Robinson, instructional technology facilitator, Onslow County (N.C.) School System “The X2VOL product has given the learners at New Tech High a program that helps keep up with their community service hours. It then allows them to print out their volunteer work to turn in to colleges to which they are applying.” —Micah Pillmore, counselor, Coppell (Texas) Independent School District 82 December 2012 District Administration http://www.publicschoolworks.com http://www.mcdanielar.com http://www.lightspeedsystems.com http://www.certiport.com http://www.Gaggle.net http://www.GAGGLE.NET http://www.intellivol.com http://www.Gaggle.net http://www.gaggle.net http://www.intellivol.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - December 2012

District Administration - December 2012
Contents
From the Editor
News Update
Special Education
District Profile
Administrator Profile
Fab Lab: Using Technology to Make (Almost) Anything!
Neuroscience in Schools
Three Squares at School
Top 100 DA Readers Choose Innovative Products of the Year
CIO News
Problem Solution
Crisis Response
Online Edge
Going Mobile

District Administration - December 2012