Many of you have found and bookmarked
a number of your favourite web sites over the years. One of the great
frustrations can be trying to share them with your students. Particularly
with younger students, typing out a lengthy web address can be an
exercise in frustration. There are ways for you to give your students
one click access to any web site. Not only is it faster, it's also
safer. No more incorrect sites pop up because of a missed word or
letter.
Windows
When working
with School Connect, this is a very easy process.
Visit the
site you wish to share with the class.
Re-size the
window so that you have some of the Desktop showing.
Click on the at
the beginning of the address, and hold the mouse button down.
Drag the whole
address to your Desktop, and release the mouse button.
If you wish
to, you can now change the name. Right click on the name of the
shortcut you just created, select Rename, and give it a
name that is easier to recognize. It doesn't affect the address.
Now drag the
shortcut to your class icon. When the class icon darkens, release
the mouse button.
Now every
student in the class can click on that address and go directly
to the site.
You can It
will not affect the actual address.
MacIntosh
Mac Manager
Before we
work with the actual addresses, we have found that it is easier
to copy to the Group Shared Folder if it is opened before you start,
so open the Group Shared Folder now.
Open Internet
Explorer.
Click on Favourites.
Click on Organize
Favourites.
When you
export your Favourites on a Mac, all of the files are exported,
so for
simplicity, it is best to clean out the Favourites folders
first. Click and hold on any file or folder you don’t
need, and select Delete when the menu appears.
When only
required sites are left, you can create folders to organize
them by topic or class. Click on Organize Favourites and New
Folder.
Give it an appropriate name, such as 6C’s Favourites.
Individual
sites can be moved into folders by dragging them onto the folder.
When you
have the sites placed, you may wish to re-name some of them.
You don’t
want to change the URL on the right, but the names on the
left are not always particularly helpful. Clicking on the name
allows
you to re-name it so it will make more sense to you and your
students.
To export
the files to your students, click on File - Export Favourites.
Under the
save window, go to Desktop - Your Name - Group Shared.
Click on Save.
Close Favourites.
For the students
to view them, go to Group Shared, and click on Favourites. All
of the sites will be listed as direct links. One click sends them
to the site.
Virus
Hoaxes
Almost as prevalent as the actual
viruses, are the virus hoaxes. Almost all of you have probably
received a warning in your e-mail warning you of a new virus
that has struck a friend of a friend, and telling you to
look for a file and delete it immediately. Some of these
hoaxes are annoying, but harmless. Others tell you to delete
files that are essential for the proper use of Windows. Any
time you get a virus warning, even from a friend, check it
out. A good place to look is Semantec's Virus Hoax Page.
Assigning
Web URLs - Windows and Mac
at
the beginning of the address, and hold the mouse button down.