Teaching online can either be a big headache or a pleasure. It really depend on how your approach things and manage your time - as it is slightly different than the traditional classroom.

Kaye Shelton has posted some great tips on the Sloan Consortium's blog to help online teachers better manage their time and make things run smoother. These Time Saving Tips for Teaching Online help you utilitze education technology to reach students all over the world to help them learn whichever subject you're teaching. These tips include:

1. Carefully Develop Online Materials
2. Course Schedule
3. Write a Welcome Note
4. Print out Student Introductions

...and more.

Blackbaud, an education software solutions provider, has many programs available to help you manage and teach courses online.

Check-out the Kaye's full post here for all the tips along with more in-depth explanation of each.

As part of an economic stimulus plan, President-elect Barack Obama has pledged to initiate sweeping efforts to modernize school buildings and equip more classrooms with computers and broadband Internet access. This has brought a new sense of optimism among ed-tech advocates, despite current budget restraints.

In his campaign for the presidency, Obama and his team made pervasive use of the Internet and technology to bolster participation in the political process, which is credited for his landslide victory on November 4th.

Along with indications that he will create a chief technology post in the new administration, Obama is heralding a new era that will revolutionize the way technology is viewed and used in the United States.

Rather than a luxury, Obama views education technology as an infrastructural necessity. In recent years, math and science performance has been on a downward trend. To be competitive in the 21st century, math and science instruction must be world-class and education technology plays an important role.

To reverse this trend, affordable broadband access is necessary to give schools the tools they need to do the job.

In addition to improving education technology, the new president has pledged to bolster professional development for teachers. "Without the right professional-development component, technology resources alone won't be efficient" says Ann L. Flynn, director of education technology at the National School Boards Association.

Obama will be sworn-in as the nation's 44th president on January 20th.

The new school year is upon us and teachers, students, and parents are busy with shopping for all the needed items. Computers are a heavy consideration for many, particularly for students in middle school or higher, as education software solutions continue to provide further integration of technology and education.

A computer is like many machines and even the human body, requiring regular maintenance to provide maximum performance. They are quite expensive, but with a regular routine your investment can be a reliable asset for a long time.

One of the easiest things you need to do according to TuneUp Utilities co-founder Tibor Schiemann is defragment your hard drive every two to three months. Windows includes a defragment utility and the process takes around an hour. The more fragmented a hard drive is, the slower the computer runs.

Another step that can be taken to make your computer run smoother is to remove unnecessary files and programs. Many new computers include new programs that may never even be used. Schiemann cautions however to not simply delete program files since registry problems may arise but to use the "Add/Remove Programs" utility in Windows.

For unnecessary files, a disk cleaner utility program is a simple and the best way to remove those without having to manually search for them. Windows includes a disk cleaner utility that can be easily accessed from the start menu.

These steps however can leave code, etc. on the registry, which is the central database for the Windows operating system. All installed programs are kept and run from the registry so it needs to be in good order. Manual registry maintenance is a bit technical so you should either have a professional do it, or use a Windows-certified program.

In addition, internet connection, visual, and sound settings can have impacts on a computers performance. Developing a maintenance routine can save you many headaches, and allow you to take full advantage of the many educational software solutions available.

The Internet, along with other education technology solutions, is becoming the best resource for teachers to enhance their teaching. Hundreds of sites populate the web with suggestions for lesson plans, test strategies, and collaboration, most for free.

Education World is one such site that is general in nature but has many articles of interest to school administrators, teachers, and IT personnel. There's also a wealth of information for professional development.

Dr. Bernie Poole, associate professor of education and instructional technology at the University of Pittsburgh, suggests several different free websites that offer free resources for educators.

- 4teachers.org provides platforms for creating quizzes, rubrics, and even classroom architecture, which provides help in the layout of the classroom.

- Web Collaborator is a free, web-based tool designed to help students work as a team on group projects. It takes the headaches out of communicating with different people working on the same task.

- Citation Machine from the Landmark for Schools project helps students correctly cite sources they use for research papers and projects.

Of course, this only scratches the surface of what is out there. EDTECH, an online discussion group for educators, is an excellent way to find resources and exchange ideas, etc.

Whether you have just joined the Blackbaud family or need a refresher on the numerous features of our software, many classes and resources are available. Being properly trained through one of the following options is the best way to ensure you get the most from your investment in Blackbaud's educational software solutions.

1. Classroom training at Blackbaud Headquarters in Charleston, South Carolina

Courses are available in a wide range of Blackbaud educational, fundraising, and data management software products. Plus you will have the benefit of visiting one of the most leisurely and historic cities in the United States.

2. Regional training available in 50 cities across the United States and Canada.

Just like traveling to our facility in Charleston, regional training sessions are held in state-of-the-art facilities. Each student is provided with their own workstation for hands-on learning.

3. Distance learning options available for busy professionals.

Can't travel anywhere? Distance learning can help you just like our in-class options. Instructor-led classes are available in an interactive, live group setting along with the eLearning library which provides self-paced online software lessons.

While these courses and resources can be purchased individually, Blackbaud recognizes organizations have budget constraints but also need a well-trained, passionate staff. For one affordable yearly fee, Blackbaud Training Pass offers unlimited classroom, regional, and distance learning courses along with unlimited access to the eLearning library.

Users of Blackbaud school administrative software or any of their other services can connect with other users through the Blackbaud User Society. Maintained by volunteers, it was developed by Blackbaud users to provide an informational resource separate from the company itself.

The user society includes many items that help school and non-profit administrators maximize the usefulness of their software products. Forums are available for each of Blackbaud's products, including the Raiser's Edge, Education Edge, Intelligence Edge, etc. Users can post questions regarding specific issues that are then addressed by others.

For instance, one recent post was from a college administrator having a difficult time importing test scores into their Blackbaud database. With a quick post to the forum, they received many helpful responses to their inquiry.

The Blackbaud User Society also includes news releases from the company and other topics of interest - with RSS feed capability so users can have those directly downloaded to their desktops.

Another great feature of the society is the user suggestion area. Each year, members from the society meet with developers from Blackbaud to share their insights and suggestions for making their products better. Suggestions are organized into several different categories and ranked by other users.

While the user society is free, you must create an account to fully utilize the site.

The revolution of the Internet expands students to a whole new medium of learning. Free software tutorial web sites as well as freeware are available to teachers and students on practically every subject. Teachers may find this collection of web sites and resources useful in lesson planning:

Technology to Support Learning: Why do teachers need to integrate technology into the classroom?

A Fish Called Megabytes: Elementary school technology program.  Teachers can download sample plans for various subjects.

Best of the Web for Students:  Teacher recommended resources for students categorized by grade level.

Teachers First: Lesson plans, ideas and activities for classrooms.

Access My Library: search publications from libraries nationwide.

Pics 4 Learning:  categorized list of copyrighted images for education

MIT World: a video collection of lectures and public events at MIT.

3D Science: free science clip art.

NetTrekker: educational search engine for parents and teachers.  Low monthly subscription.

S.W.A.L.K.: collection of abbreviations from the old days to modern-day text messaging.

Teachers can find it difficult to communicate with parents. Sometimes, problems that could have been resolved if parents were aware sooner go unaddressed and cause the student to fall behind. Proper communication of student attendance, progress, and grades is important in helping to ensure a child succeeds in the classroom.

Many schools across the country are turning to technology to address this concern. School administrators, like Debbie Hamilton in Albuquerque, New Mexico say the improved communication makes students more accountable for their work and eliminates unwelcome "surprises" on report cards.

For instance, the webmaster for Debbie Hamilton's school says their site receives at least 500 hits a day. He has calculated that students/parents that do not utilize teacher grading software are 400% more likely to receive a deficiency report.

Class scheduling software, in addition to grade reports, provides another benefit to online communication. Students and parents alike can log-on to view lesson plans, assignments, etc. to be fully aware of what's going on.

Grading and report card software not only provides greater communication between teachers and parents but also greatly reduces the need for printed reports. Many school districts across the country are facing tightening budgets so any help in reducing costs is very welcome.

Probably the biggest benefit to report card, class scheduling, and class attendance software is the enhancement of the teacher/parent relationship. Having easy access to their child's progress has greatly enhanced the idea that teachers and parents are partners in a child's education and development.

Enrollment management solutions available at Blackbaud allow you to use the Internet to connect your school community. Education Edge Internet Solutions provides all the benefits detailed above and reduces administrative burdens on teachers, allowing them to devote more time to actually teaching.

Google did it again.  Another FREE software debut in February: Google Sites.  Build a web site, shares video, images, files and centralize your information in one place.  This can be a good tool for teachers who can create web sites and eaily update information on class schedules, projects, exams, etc.

Quick Facts and Features:

>>Build websites easily. No knowledge of HTML required.

>>Customize the site to your look and feel

>>Upload files, videos, presentations, slideshows, etc.

>>Set permission as to who can view or edit your site i.e collaborators, viewers, etc.

>>Search function powered by Google Search Technology


View examples of sites customized for teachers and students:

Student Club

Teacher Classroom

More information on Google Sites >>

By Michael Bustamante

Online Teacher education offers a flexible approach that fits college coursework into busy daily lives. Leading schools offer Online Teacher programs that make possible teaching certification or teacher licensure (depending on the term used by different states and school districts) completely from the home office.

Online Teacher programs allow for the required practice teaching in a regular classroom, a critical component of any teaching program which is only way to integrate academic knowledge and teaching skills. Demonstration of teaching prepares for the challenges of actual classroom performance.

Bachelor's, master's, and post-baccalaureate Online Teacher programs are also available. These Online Teacher programs are ideal for those who need a bachelor's degree and want to become a certified elementary school teacher or middle school generalist. Online Teacher education programs are designed for students to earn degrees, and are suited for school paraprofessionals, unlicensed substitute teachers, and others who feel a call to teach.

The Online Teacher programs that offer Bachelor of Science in Education further the opportunity to pursue teacher certification in K-6 Elementary Education and 7-12 Secondary Mathematics Education. These Online Teacher education programs are rigorous and provide a strong background for pursuing careers in areas of human resources, corporate training, and other education-related careers.

Online Teacher education programs prepare for advanced studies and opportunities to pursue an Online Master of Science in Education. Online Masters programs prepare students with practical skills, knowledge, and experience, and provides a strong foundation for career advancement, executive and senior level positions, and future doctoral studies.

Some advanced Online Teacher programs are taught in groups over months completely online. There is no residency requirement, nor is classroom attendance required for such degrees. Students in these Online Teacher programs concentrate primarily in higher education administration and organizational management.

You can find your school and advance your teaching skills through Online Teacher programs at www.schoolsgalore.com..

Copyright 2006 - All Rights Reserved
Michael Bustamante, in association with Media Positive Communications, Inc. for SchoolsGalore.com

M. Bustamante is a staff writer for Media Positive Communications, Inc. in association with SchoolsGalore.com. Find Teacher Online at SchoolsGalore.com; meeting your needs as your educational resource to locate schools

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