Reality of iCloud Storage and Your Photos

Apple's iCloud service and storage offers some amazing ability to share documents and images across all of your compatible devices (Apple products, or iCloud Control Panel for Windows), making much easier to share, view and use your digital content pretty much any time, any where.  This, today, is not new technology necessarily, but is always drawing up questions and how it works.

As a member of the MLTI contract in our state and having an educational Apple ID, Apple has given us 15GB of iCloud storage; which is a lot more storage than what most people have with personal Apple IDs.  What does that mean?

That means that when I create events in my iOS calendar on my iPad or iPhone, that event is automatically added to my Macbook Calendar.  When I create a Pages document on my Macbook and save it in iCloud, I can access and edit that same document on my tablet.  I can save my iPhone pictures to my laptop at home automatically.  This is very handy when you want to quickly access all of your photos and/or share them.  These are just a few features iCloud offers.

There are, however, like anything, some limitations to what iCloud can do that we should be aware of.  iCloud is not designed to be a long-term storage container for your images.  This article from How-to-Geek, explains nicely some of iClouds boundaries when it comes to saving your valuable photos.  Be sure to review this one.

When it comes to valuable digital content, it is always advisable to have a hard drive backup of it; and then another back up of the back up wouldn't hurt.

Also, here is Apple's support page on Frequently Asked Questions regarding iCloud that is very informative.

Creating a Screencast Using Quicktime Player

Quicktime Player is already installed on our MLTI Macbook Air laptops and is super easy to use.  Learn how to create your own video screencasts for your students with this helpful video tutorial.

The New Google Drive Cheat Sheet

I was purusing through Pinterest just now (yeah, one of the few dudes who have a Pinterest account) and stumbled across this cheat sheet for the new Google Drive from +Kasey Bell .  Some of you may have see a different layout and look to your Google Drive since you've been back to school.  This downloadable cheat sheet from Kasey should be helpful.

The cheat sheet is here embedded in this post from Scribd, which, like Drive, allows you to store documents online and share them like you see below.  You can scroll through the separate window or you can click on the label at the top of this sheet and you will be able to download the document from there.

New Google Drive Cheat Sheet

And speaking of Pinterest, check out Kasey's Pinterest boards.  Looks like a lot of great, helpful Edu content.

If you would like to start getting into Pinterest or any social media like this, please feel free to contact me and I would love to stop by and walk you through it.

The New Google Drive

Some of you may have noticed a new look with your Google Drive.  This video should help you understand some of its new features.

Accessing Google Drive Files Faster and Easier

Sometime you may find, at least I did, while using Google Drive that it would be so much easier if certain files where located in more that one spot in my file organization on Drive.  Well, you can do that.

If you are familiar with how tagging works when it comes to organizing digital content in information systems (i.e. Evernote, web and social bookmarking, Macbook, etc), then you will understand how handy this features is when trying to find something quickly and efficiently.  Your Google Drive has provided this feature; and, unknown to me, it has had this feature for a while.  Though Google does not call it "tagging", it has roughly the same principle.

This video explains how you can place files in your Drive within multiple folders.  I think it's stupendous.

What Is It That I Actually Do?

This is my fourth year now as a Tech Integrator.  I still find many faculty who may not fully understand what it is that I do or what I am used for, as a Technology Integrator.  I would like to help make clear on how I can be of service to you, your curriculum and your plans.

In years past, staff have come to me for help or special instructions, and on some occasions I have to tell them that unfortunately do not have access to Admin functions, passwords, or staff or student personal information.  I'm sure some may think, "Well, what good are you?"

The basis of what my job is as a Technology Integrator is to help and support your curriculum and classroom experience, and professional career through the use of creative ideas and strategies when using technology devices, software and any tech product we may use on a regular (even irregular) basis.  Although, I am salaried through the Tech Department, I am not a IT specialist (like Daren or Sherry).  I work mainly with planning and developing creative ideas and strategies for your curriculum and classroom experiences through the use of tech.

If you want to learn how to make the most of your SMART Board and/or the SMART Notebook software that goes with it, you can schedule me to meet with you and I will be able to walk you through some best practices and help you get comfortable with using it in your classroom.

It is the same with Google Apps.  Confused on how you can share your documents?  Or are you interested in having your students create portfolios on Google Drive?  Or not sure how to create groups in your Gmail?  I can help you get very comfortable with using these applications flawlessly.

I thrive on helping you be successful and I understand that, even with teachers, there are various learning styles and speeds.  I excel with patience and I want to help you make sense of it all.  There are many IT-related problems and issues that I can assist with and would be happy to.  For anything that I may not have an immediate answer to, I can sure find out for you.

I also can assist with:

• PowerSchool/PowerTeacher
• Flipped Classroom strategies
• Blended Learning strategies
• Gmail
• Google Drive
• Google Docs
• Moodle
• iPad and iPad apps
• SMART Response hand-held devices
• Macbook use, file/folder management; making the most of your laptop
• MLTI apps - OmniGraffle, etc
• Apple Macbook apps - iLife, iWork, etc
• Self Service
• Use of your web browser (Safari, Chrome, Firefox), web bookmarking and internet tips
• Digital Citizenship

...just to name a few

I hope this helps explain how I can be more effective for you and your students.

Please contact me any time, and as my slogan says:

Share with me your ideas and I will help you get there