Media and text file converter-free!

Thank you to Cathy Gersich from Bellingham High for this tech tip!

This free online file converter lets you convert media easily and quickly from one format to another.

Click here for converter.

Tools for students to create timelines

Thanks to Tracy Shaw from Squalicum for this tech tip!


Here's a link to 2 free sites that allow you or your students to create timelines:

Click here for link

Converting PDF's to Word

Another tip from Carter Maden at Squalicum High:

Another useful tip I found is an online PDF converter. It will convert PDF files to word and email them to you very promptly. You don't have to download any software- all you do is upload the PDF and you receive an email of the word document.

Click here for Converter

Saving your Bookmarks in one place

Thanks to Carter Maden from Squalicum High for the following tip:

Carter said, "For people like me who use several different computers (one at home, one at work, etc), there is a free download called X-marks which synchronizes your "favorites" in Internet Explorer. So whenever/wherever you are online, your favorites are always the same."

Janae added, "I see that that they also have free downloads for Firefox, Google Chrome, & Safari ."

Click here to go to Xmarks

Embed a YouTube video into PowerPoint or other applications

This is a great option if you have YouTube clips you show but want to avoid the "comments" or "other video" sections that can pop up.   It is a tutorial that shows you how to place the clips into a PowerPoint.

Click here for Tutorial

Copyright free images for student projects

Here's our next tech tip. If you would like to receive tech tip updates in your inbox, select Follow (need a gmail, yahoo account or twitter account) or, simply bookmark it in your Favorites.

Tech Tip #2, courtesy of Carolyn Hinshaw, Birchwood Elementary:

Here are a couple of sites from which students can find pictures that are copyright free:

Pics for learning

Wiki Commons

www.dropbox.com

Do you tire of sending yourself documents back and forth from work to home and from home to work? Here's a nice solution:

www.dropbox.com

You install this "dropbox" on your teacher workstation, home computer (free for 2GB of storage-2GB holds a lot of documents); an icon appears on your desktop and within it your documents are stored. One can also access it from other computers (friend's house, hotel, public library, etc.) by simply logging in to www.dropbox.com. You can also share some or all of your folders and documents with others--makes sharing with colleagues very easy!

You can easily move documents into it and can create folders and subfolders within it. After saving a file into it, if you open it to make changes it automatically syncs the changes. I've been using it over a year and still have space left of my free 2GB. If you experience trouble downloading and need the proxy settings, please contact me and I'll send them to you.

If you would like a demo on this, a one hour class is scheduled
Tuesday, April 12, 3:30-4:30 in the Central Services basement lab OR
Thursday, April 14, 4:30-5:30pm in the Central Services basement lab.

You only need to attend one of the sessions!

To register, go to: http://bellinghamschools.org/online-registration