Free Multi-User Video Conferencing - Zoom.us

A great new Video Conferencing has recently came out that is completely free to use.   Zoom.us lets you have a video conference with up to 15 users.   This can be done on your computer or IPad.   

You don't even have to have a special account to use this.   To start, you can log in with your district email address and password to start a session.   Others that connect do not need to log in.

Features

• HD/High Quality Video Quality
• Active Speaker is automatically put on the big screen using voice recognition
• Ability to share your screen
• Private Chat

I have tested this service, and was impressed with the video and audio quality.   As with any video conferencing, I always recommend using a headset with mic for the best audio quality.   A standard mic and speakers will work, but you need to be careful about feedback.

This service would work great for meetings or even as homework help lines.   Check it out.

http://www.zoom.us

Viewing Shared Calendars on the IPad.

On the IPad's calendar, you can view other calendars shared with you.   Use the instructions below to setup which calendars you want to see.

• From Safari on the Ipad to go http://m.google.com/calendar
• Click "Visit Now"
• Sign in
• Click Settings on the bottom right
• Check the calendars you want to see.   Uncheck any you don't want to see.   Click Save

ABI & IOS 5 Devices Now Working

This morning we have updated Aeries ABI to version 4.11.12.9.   The biggest update is the ability to now use an IOS 5 device to navigate ABI's menu system.   Other updates and changes are listed below.

12/9/2011	Parent Account Creation	Auto-linking for new parent accounts to matching STU.PEM values has been added to the system.
	Parent Account Creation	A new setting in the global.asa has been added to disable the feature that auto-links newly created parent accounts with matching STU.PEM values. The global.asa can have the following added to enable this option: Application("AutoLinkToSTUPEM") = "False".
	Parent Account Creation	A new setting in the global.asa has been added to disable the feature that auto-links newly created parent accounts with CON records with matching email addresses. The global.asa can have the following added to enable this option: Application("AutoLinkToCON") = "False".
	Parent Account Creation	Support for the new CON.AP (Access to Portal) field has been added so that CON records with CON.AP = "N" will not be auto-linked to new parent accounts being created online.
	Gradebook	When a student is dropped and then re-added to a gradebook, the student's End Date is now blanked out automatically.
	Navigation	Devices running iOS 5 could no longer use the navigation structure of ABI to select a page under the major areas, fixed.
	Gradebook	When a student is dropped from a class, the new CAR End Date is now the default value for the Gradebook End Date. Since the changes to CAR this year, the term end date was being used as the default end date.
	Graduation Status	On some students with multiple HIS records taken off-grade, an error would be generated, fixed.
	Gradebook Scores By Class	The Overall Point Ratio now only displays a maximum of 2 decimal places.
	Print Student Content Standards	This report now displays what each part's score is out of using the data in the TNP table.
	Print Content Standards By Class	This report now displays what each part's score is out of using the data in the TNP table.
	Print Multi Data Profile	Profiles displaying TST data for a specific Testing Admin were not displaying the data, fixed.
	Emergency Contacts	When the option to hide STU.CU values from parents was enabled, it was still displaying in the Email List, fixed.
	Print Multi Data Profile	Profiles using record filtering were not working in all situations, fixed.

Computer Science Education Week

This week is Computer Science Education Week.   Get ideas on how to teach technology


Computer Science Education Week (CSEdWeek) – December 4-10, 2011 – is a call to action to share information and offer activities that will advocate for computing and elevate computer science education for students at all levels. Everyone can participate!

http://www.csedweek.org/

How To Change Your Email Signature On IPad

By default, the IPad has an email signature of "Sent from my IPad" on the bottom of every email you send.   You can easily update this to anything you want.

• Tap Settings from the IPad's home screen
• Select Mail, Contacts, Calendars from the left menu
• Select Signature from the right menu
• Tap the text box, and change the signature to whatever you want it to read
• It will auto save your new signature and apply it to any new email you send from the IPad.

YouTube's Updated Design

YouTube is redesigning it's website, and you should be able to see the new design soon.  Take a tour of the new YouTube homepage , and learn how to create your own personal, customizable YouTube Channel line-up in this video.

CJUSD Staff Tech Employee Discounts

As a CJUSD employee, we are granted some special discounts from different tech companies for personal use.      Check out the links below to see more about the different discounts, and how they can save you money.   These discounts can also be found on the district Intranet.

Computers
Dell - Varies discounts when purchased online.   Must use district code in link.
Apple - Varies discounts when purchased online or at Apple Stores.   They do limit how many computers you can purchase in one year.

Phones
Verizon - Form to fax Verizon to get a discount on your current Verizon plan
Sprint - 18% on select regularly priced plans.   Save $50 when buying a phone online