Tuesday | 08.09.11

Refreshments / Settling In (9:00-9:15)

Please log in to your computer using the Mac platform. You'll thank us later.

Working through WikiSpaces

• Log on to ATI2011 Wiki
• Use the guidelines on the Home Page to respond in triads to the writing of two colleagues.

And now for an entirely new approach to ATI agendas. . . .

Jing--and the Worth of a Picture I

• Locate and activate Jing
• If you are new to Jing, register; if you are old to Jing, log in. (Passbook! Passbook!)
• Capture an image.
• Use Jing's tools to "enhance" your image.
  (Don't spend too much time here because Jing's enhancements are small potatoes compared to Word's capabilities. Word.)
• Save your Jing-enhanced image to your jumpdrive.
• Capture a different image. This time, eschew Jing's enhancements.  Leave it naked.
• Save your second, naked image to your jumpdrive.
• Open a Word document.
  (If you're a PC, you may switch platforms now--but please know that if you want to Jing, you'll have to switch back to Mac since Jing has been loaded only on the Mac side. Your call. But if you're really good at Word and you're an inveterate PC, switching may be worth the hassle.)
• Insert your Jing images into your new Word document.
• Embellish your naked Jinged image using Word's features.
  Start with "Shapes" options (available via "Insert"). Once your image is selected, have more fun through the "Format" features available under "Drawing Tools" and "Picture Tools." The "Arrange" menu items are especially useful, as is making your shapes transparent. You'll see.
• Finally (for now), cement your Word-embellished image by first selecting all its parts (original image, stuff you put on top of it) and then by grouping these parts ("Group" in "Arrange" menu). Now leave this alone while we play with GooDocs. I mean it.

Diving in to GoogleDocs

• Follow the pretty printed directions to create and name a document.
• Insert your Word-enhanced image into your document.
• In this self-same document, please answer the following questions for yourself. (Warning! You will share this document with your colleagues. Try not to swear. Too much.)

Classroom Considerations: Jing
Would you consider using Jing in your classroom? How? For which projects? Why? (Just to make Tracy happy, make a quick list of how-to documents that could benefit from Jinging.  Thank you.  Now back to our regularly scheduled prompts.)  What other platform might achieve the same purpose?

• Follow the pretty printed directions to share your document with us ATI techsters. (Friendly reminder: our ATI email addresses are available from a left-hand link on our blog.)
• Once you've shared your document, go read and respond to others' documents. (Another friendly reminder: you are one of many who will respond, so please find a way to differentiate your pearls from others': different font type and/or color, insert-comment function. Please also include your name.  We want attributed pearls only.)

Jing--and the Worth of a Picture II

• Now, please use Jing and Word to craft an instructional handout: a short set of instructions that include both pictures and words. (See how good you're getting?)  Pick your audience (students, teachers, administrators, parents, spouse, progeny, housesitter) and your goal (how to use Jing, how to operate your home's security system, how to post family reunion pictures to Picasa or the Smith Family Blog, how to post meeting agendas and minutes to the school-site blog). Ready? Set? Go!
• Once you've drafted your directions, relocate them to a new GooDoc. Several options exist for this step, some messier than others. Flag us down if you'd like some support with this step. (Hey! Maybe one of you GooDoc-savvies could write directions for this process!)
• Share your GooDoc with the ATI techsters.
• Check out others' directions and help them improve their products by offering some constructive insights, suggestions, questions. Again, please remember to "claim" your comments via font and/or color choices or through the insert-comment function. And sign your name.  It's the law.

Back to GoogleDocs: Hints for Organizing with Folders, Collections, Stars, and Colors

Classroom Considerations: Google Docs
What types of collaborative writing do you currently use? what types of written responses (reading responses)? How do you currently pull off this feat?  How might you use Google Docs for collaborative writing and/or response? How might you frame/introduce this platform?

Preview of Coming Attractions and of Homework

Homework

1. Save images and/or documents to flashdrive to use for a blog. Consider possible topics, purposes, audiences for blog building.
2. Read pages 61-114 in Because Digital Writing Matters. Post a response to the atiWiki. Respond to colleague posts as time permits.
3. Peruse the Web Resources listed on pages 167-181 in BDWM. Please be prepared to share a brief summary of one or two of the resources you found the most helpful.