Things for BETT 2009 #1

[Dos_Box]

I want us to put together a booklet which will have 200 (or possibly more) essential tips and tricks for school networks to be given out free of charge at BETT 2009.

It will have sections including:

 

Windows

Linux

Mac

PC Hardware

Networking

Miscellaneous

 

The tips should be short, useful and easy to follow by teachers (Tough, but I know you all like a challenge). Usernames or real names will be credited by each one used.

Start posting them here.

[witch]

Can you give us an example of the sort of thing you are after?

[Edu-IT]

Misc: Plan for the future; don't expect things to be done immediately.

 

The tips should be short, useful and easy to follow by teachers

[GrumbleDook]

Powerpoint has a record mode. You can use this to narrate your slides, record your mouse movements and clicks, and then export it as a flash file so that students can view / listen to your presentation when they need to review the unit, or revise, or if they have not been at the lesson.

 

Bored of using Powerpoint for your presentations when you have a series of pictures or images? Use PhotoStory instead. Create your movie and away you go.

 

On a Mac and want to use a Keynote presentation on a PC? Export your presentation as a quicktime movie and chose 'manual advance' so that it automatically pauses at the end of each transition until you click your mouse or hit the spacebar.

[maniac]

As a suggestion for an additional section, how about including a list of useful websites/free resources? I think this would be really useful information to give out as well as tips and tricks. Just an idea!

 

Mike.

[GrumbleDook]

To some extent this is already done by Schoolzone (who will be running the software information point).

[kesomir]

How much is a stand at BETT?

[FN-GM]

How About Shortcuts?

 

Cut: CTRL + X

Copy: CTRL + C

Paste: CTRL + V

 

Also you could mention free software that is similar to the popular brands such as openoffice

[maniac]

How about these;

 

Using a wireless laptop and can't access the network? Ensure the wireless adapter is switched on and connected by checking the tray icon {Add pic of tray icon here!} You can fix a lot of problems by right hand clicking it and selecting 'Repair'

 

Long student logon times on wireless laptops? If you have more than 10 in the room, try logging them on in small groups.

 

Do not rely on USB memory sticks for your important documents, they are easily damaged by static in clothing. Always keep a copy on your network.

 

Outlook running slow? Try emptying your deleted e-mails folder, you'll be surprised how much builds up in there!

[russdev]

How much is a stand at BETT?

 

Very expensive we get stand (the space) for free (but have to pay for things like electric etc) and in total money value (please keep in mind some of this is in-kind offers from suppliers) to cover our entire BETT operation is 4+ grand and that is with the stand for free.

 

That is all very approx and true figure is a lot higher luckily as said we get load of in-kind help from suppliers...

 

Russ

[kesomir]

Very expensive we get stand (the space) for free (but have to pay for things like electric etc) and in total money value (please keep in mind some of this is inkind offers from suppliers) to cover our entire BETT operation is 4+ grand and that is with the stand for free.

 

That is all very approx and true figure is a lot higher luckily as said we get load of inkind help from suppliers...

 

Russ

 

a tad larger than I expected

 

I hope to make it to BETT this coming year for the first time, last 3 years had something come up work-wise and I missed it.

[Edu-IT]

Very expensive we get stand (the space) for free (but have to pay for things like electric etc) and in total money value (please keep in mind some of this is inkind offers from suppliers) to cover our entire BETT operation is 4+ grand and that is with the stand for free.

 

That is all very approx and true figure is a lot higher luckily as said we get load of inkind help from suppliers...

 

Russ

Do you mean a lot lower?

[russdev]

It is all the extras that add up: -

 

Hotel rooms

Money to feed people who help on stand

Insurance

Electrics

Net Connection

 

Just to name few things....

 

Russ

[russdev]

Do you mean a lot lower?

 

Nope as we get lot of inkind stuff true amount is hard to verify so it can be lot higher than 4+ grand.

 

BETT is not cheap at all but the benefit out weighs the disadvantages.

 

Russ

[Edu-IT]

Nope as we get lot of inkind stuff true amount is hard to verify so it can be lot higher than 4+ grand.

 

BETT is not cheap at all but the benefit out weighs the disadvantages.

 

Russ

That is all very approx and true figure is a lot higher luckily as said we get load of inkind help from suppliers...

It read as though you were glad that the figure was a lot higher, that is what made me question. Anyway it's irrelevant!

 

Are the tips for use 'in school' or general?

[dhicks]

For technical help, try EduGeek.net - not the TES forums, that's for teaching-related issues.

 

To download a clip from YouTube and keep it for later playback, you don't need to do anything complicated - you can simply copy the clip straight from your Internet Explorer cache directory. To convert the video to a format you can edit, there are a bunch of video conversion web sites available.

 

To add to the PowerPoint stuff: you can use PowerPoint instead of the software that came with your Whiteboard - PowerPoint also has an "annotate" feature that lets you scribble and highlight.

 

--

David Hicks

[maniac]

To make your word document files smaller, try using the 'compress pictures' option from 'tools' within the Save As box.

 

It's always best to run your laptop battery low before charging it back up. It will help it keep working better for longer.

 

Save your school money print in colour only when you need it! Believe it or not printng a page in colour can cost up to 10 times as much as printing it in Black and White!

 

To prolong the life of your laptops power supply, try and avoid winding the cable round it, they break easier than you mght think.

 

It's always better to shut your laptop down properly rather than just closing the lid and putting it in standby mode.

 

Any of those any good??

 

Mike.

[Dos_Box]

For technical help, try EduGeek.net - not the TES forums, that's for teaching-related issues.

 

Has anyone noticed that the ICT TES forum is full of threads like 'Help me, I'm a new ICT teacher and I don't know anything at all about computers or programs'?

How can that be allowed?

[contink]

To prolong the life of your inkjet printer a few useful tips:

 

- Use it regularly (every few days) with a piece of scrap paper to print a test pattern usually available in the printer preferences

 

- Learn how to carry out maintenance functions like cleaning the printhead, nozzle check, etc... it'll save you time in the long run

 

- If you're leaving an inkjet over a holiday (especially a hot one) and the printheads are part of the cartridge, remove the cartridges from the printer and put them in a zip lock bag with a piece of damp tissue paper. They are more likely to stay moist and unclogged this way and will probably require only a single head cleaning routine to get them working again when you replace them in the printer at start of term.

Note: Don't do this for epsons.. you'll dry out the printhead.

 

- If the cartridges run out, get new ones and replace them as soon as possible

 

- In some printers (eg: Canon Pixma iP4500, Epson R300,etc..) the cartridge is just an ink reservoir (ie: no printhead attached). If the ink runs out on these don't remove them until you have a replacement cartridge to put in. This stops the printhead drying out and clogging.

 

- Plan ahead and order your replacement cartridges before you run out and before reports time! You will need them!

 

- Mono Lasers are more cost effective, easier to maintain and more reliable than colour ink jet printers. If you're about to buy, ask yourself if it's really that important!

[Joedetic]

* Avoid cancelling virus/spyware scans. If you have to do this then run them later in the day.

 

* When using "work from home/remote access" solutions. Keep a local copy of the file you are working on and upload it once you're done using it.

 

* Backups are important!

[maniac]

For troublefree operation of interactive whiteboards, connect everything up and turn the projector and board on first before turning on your computer/laptop.

 

Internet running slow? Try loading a common site like the BBC homepage, if that comes up quick chances are the website you are using is at fault, and not your schools network.

 

Computer running slow? Try closing down un-needed programs. The more you have open at once, the slower you computer can get.

 

Student password not working? A commn mistake students make is typing a space at the beginning or end of their username, it can be hard to spot.

 

Laptop typing numbers insted of letters? Most laptops have letter keys that can double as numbers if the NumLock function is switched on.

[GrumbleDook]

How much is a stand at BETT?

 

It depends where the stand is. In the software zone you can get it for a reasonable price, but the thing that costs is the lighting, accommodation, insurance, 'net connection, Performance Licences, food, marketing, the liquid meal that certain folk tend to have in the evening ...

 

All in, including donations / sponsorship / agreement with the organisers / equipment / marketing and publicity / stand costs / food / hotels ... it stood at over £15k ...

 

This is before you consider the cost in man-hours since we have you kinds folks who give your time free of charge, and usually taking dome of your hard-earned holiday to do so as well. That takes it up to around £17k.

 

And remember that we are still considered small-fry at BETT. Some stands will have bespoke builds, have 80+ people over the 4 days that have to be put up, fed and watered, entertained of an evening and transported around.

 

£200k is not an unreasonable amount for a big name to start at ...

[dhicks]

Has anyone noticed that the ICT TES forum is full of threads like 'Help me, I'm a new ICT teacher and I don't know anything at all about computers or programs'?

 

"ICT" as a subject isn't necessarily about the technical aspects of computing, that's what we are here for. This is especially true at GCSE / A-level - ICT at school is aimed at people who'll be working with ICT (i.e. most everyone) in their job, not in ICT as their main job. So, I can quite understand ICT teachers not necessarily knowing every aspect of IT practice.

 

However, the main problem I see with the questions posted to the TES forums is that many people don't have any idea how to go about finding stuff out for themselves. I've answered several questions over there recently with links to Google searches - the polite way these days of saying "RTFM". And when the question is something you can't find in the first page of a Google search result, people don't seem to be able to phrase questions properly or even, sometimes, in coherent English - that is worrying. You often wind up having to have a question-and-answer session to extract information from people as to what, exactly, they are having problems with.

 

I guess the above boils down to handy hints on How To Figure Stuff Out:

 

- Search Google. Learn to pick decent keywords from the problem you are having and type them in to Google. If that doesn't work first time, try a different combination.

 

- Ask on a forum. Explain what you are trying to do, any software package you are using (include the operating system, version number, etc). Explain what you have already done to try and find a solution (i.e. searched Google). Be specific.

 

--

David Hicks

[dhicks]

since we have you kinds folks who give your time free of charge

 

But if we volunteer we get an exhibitors pass, right? We can spend the whole day re-enacting Wayne's World where they go around going "Backstage Pass! Backstage Pass!" to everyone they meet.

 

I think we should have an "Ask The Guru" section at BETT, complete with small yurt-style tent, burning joss sticks and symbol-clanging attendants. We could all take it in turns to do a Guru shift, which would include dressing in a white robe and loin cloth and sticking on a long, white beard (friend of mine does Santa at Christmas, should be loads of second-hand beards going cheap come January). Any teacher who wanted to ask a question would first have to kneel respectfully at the entrance to the tent and start all requests with "Oh, great and wise Guru..."

 

--

David Hicks

[russdev]

You see was way off with my figure but then money side of bett I did not get involved in but as always Tony does a bang up job of running and sorting BETT out for us.

 

True what we spend is lot less compared to the big players...

 

 

Russell

 

It depends where the stand is. In the software zone you can get it for a reasonable price, but the thing that costs is the lighting, accommodation, insurance, 'net connection, Performance Licences, food, marketing, the liquid meal that certain folk tend to have in the evening ...

 

All in, including donations / sponsorship / agreement with the organisers / equipment / marketing and publicity / stand costs / food / hotels ... it stood at over £15k ...

 

This is before you consider the cost in man-hours since we have you kinds folks who give your time free of charge, and usually taking dome of your hard-earned holiday to do so as well. That takes it up to around £17k.

 

And remember that we are still considered small-fry at BETT. Some stands will have bespoke builds, have 80+ people over the 4 days that have to be put up, fed and watered, entertained of an evening and transported around.

 

£200k is not an unreasonable amount for a big name to start at ...