Your time...as a gift

When one reflects on gifts given and received...what is your most memorable? You never know when the gift of your time can make a difference.


For those using Google Docs...check out the templates. When you find a public template that you like...use it, tailor for your specific situation. To preview a template, click the Preview link, and a full screen preview of the template appears in a new window.


To use a template, click Use this template and a copy of the template is created and added to your Docs list. You can start editing this document directly in Google Docs and sharing it with others. You need to be signed in to your Google Account in order to use a template.


When you use a template, you create your own copy, so it doesn't matter if the template owner changes or deletes the original template; your copy remains unchanged. You can always upload or create your own template and share it with the world too!


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I would like to thank the 946 users of this Tech Sharing certificate I created and shared through Google Docs.

Remember...this gift works both ways...you can give it to someone that you want to learn from and this certificate works as the gift reminder. Everyone has something to share, from keyboard shortcuts to uploading videos. As you share your creativity and time...your gift of sharing time, knowledge, and a skillset is priceless!

GAEE - Oregon, IS339, and PGCPS

Acronymese...for those who speak it just one part of a daily dialect...every career field has one including education and technology.

Some schools and school districts are opting to implement Google Apps Education Edition (GAEE) for a variety of reasons. Google provides case studies on the GAEE site, but finding formal documented research in dissertations is challenging. Links available in this post feature the Oregon Department of Education, NY IS339, and Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS) and Google Apps Education Edition.

Recently Oregon Department of Education made the news for being the first state to partner with Google to allow the schools in Oregon to implement GAEE. You can take 55 minutes to watch the YouTube version of the recorded webinar or bookmark it for incremental reviews. They estimate savings of $1.5M per year by moving to Google Apps and answer questions from training to CIPA and FERPA. Join Steve Nelson, Chief IT Strategist for the Oregon Department of Education, and Jaime Casap, Business Development Manager for Google Apps Education, for this recorded webinar to hear the benefits of Google Apps, why Oregon decided to "Go Google", and plans for using Google Apps with all the schools.

More information from the Oregon Dept of Ed and Google Apps presentation:
The published slide presentation
The Question and Answer session
Oregon Department of Education Google Apps Case Study
Google Moderator Questions and Answers for the ODoEd webinar

In June 2009, PBS Frontline Digital Nation did a piece titled, How Google Saved a School? Principal Jason Levy used Google applications and a 1-to-1 laptop program to turn around Intermediate School 339.
IS 339 Dot-to-Dot A digital celebration program for 2010 is scheduled for June 16-19, 2010
Presentations from the 2009 Dot-to-Dot program
Follow Jason Levy, Principal of IS339 on Twitter
About Dot-to-Dot A Global Learning Reception FAQ


Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS) Project Plans for Google Apps.
18th largest school district in US, 209 Schools, 129,500 Students, Over 22,000 Employees, Over 60,000 Computers. Change from previous presentations 20K more computers, 6K less employees.

Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS) has been Googlized and subsites of presentations at CloudCamp, CoSN 2010, Gartner 2009, NECC 2009, MICCA 2009, ASBO 2009.

Google in Education - Diigo

Dr. Helen Barrett's ePortfolio Mash Up with GoogleApps (2007)

More information is available from the Google Apps Education Resource Center where you can:
Learn More:  Customer Case Studies, Resource Center, Security & Privacy FAQ

Get Started: Quick Start Guide, Google Apps Education FAQ
Downloads: Security Whitepaper, Google Apps for K12, Google Apps for K12 FAQ, Google Education Solutions, Improving the writing process with Google Docs
In the classroom: K-12 Lesson Plans
Stay Connected: Quarterly EDU Newsletter, New Features Email & RSS, Google Enterprise Blog, Google Apps on Twitter

Opposition articles:
ITS delays switch to GMail Yale Daily News March 30, 2010
Gmail pilot ends UC Davis opts not to outsource faculty, staff email  May 1, 2010
Biggest US cloud deployment kills Google Apps for Education ZDNet June 4, 2010

Would love any references to educators, administrators, and students who are or have participated in any action research as schools progress through the GAEE implementation. Are you part of a school, district, or state that has or is implementing Google Apps Education Edition? What happens if you attend school that has implemented GAEE then transfer to a school lacking technology or vice versa? Thoughts, comments, and recommendations are welcome.

Thanks Google

I am a Google girl, a Googler, or whatever Google jargon you apply to those of us who do everything Google. I don't preach Google, I just incorporate it into everything I do...including today during the massive block of all USB connections on the army.mil domain (NIPR and SIPR). The network admins were/are on massive random scans, my materials were readily available. So again I have to say "Thanks Google" for allowing me to continue supporting our service members.

From Teyana Taylor's song and her Google Me Official Music Video on YouTube to the many school assignments created on how to implement Google products, Google labs, the Google blogs to share information, to teach a computer skill, to teach others how to communicate using gmail to chat to gmail video chat to the available products through the Google Store from wearables to accessories. There are many more items to be thankful for as Google has been a source for demonstrations and writing assignments during my online schoolwork.

As we move into the week before Thanksgiving (in the US) and we take stock in what we are thankful for...don't forget the Google Docs holiday templates for your holiday documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. As Google celebrated 10 years this year I am thankful for Google, the Google philanthropy, Google's corporate philosophy, the Google blogs, the products and labs that allow me to share knowledge with others as we bridge the digital divide, one person, one group, one net, collaboratively, individually, and all the other ly words we use.

So as you prepare your annual Thanksgiving Gmail, with the newly added Themes and emoticons, send thanks, be thankful, and make the most of The Dash between your date of birth and your date of expiration.

From the many Google Doodles and Logos

From the titles of Google products: Search, Explore and innovate, Communicate, show & share and Go Mobile. Take the time to say "Thank You"...you will be surprised how 2 little words can make a person's day.

Thank You for taking a moment to read the blog post!!!

Essay Contest - Being an American

The Question: What civic value do you believe is most essential to being an American? Trace the enduring importance of this value throughout the American story by discussing: a Founding document that reflects this value; a figure from American history who embodies this value; and ways you can personally put this value into practice.

The Prizes: 180 prizes will be awarded totaling nearly $200,000. Top prize winners will win $5,000 cash and a trip to Washington, D.C. for an Awards Gala and Weekend! The two schools with the greatest percentage of eligible students participating will receive a full set of Bill of Rights Institute curriculum. This prize will be based upon the number of eligible student participants per school as noted during the essay submission process. The retail value of this prize will not exceed $450.

Submitting an Essay: Our teacher-only submission of high school student essays began on September 2, and ends December 1, 2008. For detailed rules, click here. Essays are limited to 750 words and a sponsoring teacher is required to submit the student’s essay for him or her.

Eligibility: The Contest is open to all United States citizens or legal residents who are students (1) in Grades 9-12 attending public, private, religious, and charter schools but who are no older than 19 as of the end of the Contest Period (December 1, 2008), (2) enrolled in a GED or correspondence school program but who are no older than 19 as of the end of the Contest Period, or (3) attending a home school program who are no younger than 12 as of the beginning of the contest period and no older than 19 as of the end of the Contest Period.

I give a participative scholarship workshop at the local library and encourage our students (young and adult) to write outside of course assignments which allows them to build what we refer to as their "Me Folio". I encourage them to build a collection documenting every positive accomplishment from the best reader in 3rd grade, years selected to honor rolls, student council positions to community services. The workshop requires students to use the computers to create, share, and modify Google Docs, share knowledge on scholarship search engines, and explore opportunities from corporations, local agencies, and personal networking.


Keeping these documents available through Google Docs allows the students to quickly access information if they are completing applications for extra-curricular activities, college, and job applications. Reviewing their personal writing styles allows the students to see how they improve, how to self assess, and with Google Docs sharing capability an opportunity to have mentors and community leaders to provide assistance.


Being An American Essay Contest Rules and Regulations

Official Google Blog: Templates bring Docs to life

From the Official Google Blog: Official Google Blog: Templates bring Docs to life

Great news for Google Docs users. A choice of templates by category:

All categories
Albums & Flipbooks
Business
Calculators
Calendars & Schedules
Cards & Certificates
Labels & Business Cards
Letters & Faxes
Miscellaneous
Personal Finance
Presentation Designs
Resumes & Cover Letters
Statistics
Students & Teachers

Check the templates out by category or rating. http://docs.google.com/templates

To get started, go directly to the template gallery or access it from the "New" menu in your document list. Templates are currently available only in English, but other languages are coming soon. The templates are also available to Google Apps users.