Getting my head around SharePoint

Wow! After spending the day working in a 21^st Century Classroom technology class centered around Fresno Unified School District's new website and collaboration tool, my head is spinning! SharePoint is a Microsoft product, and works like most Microsoft products…a bit more difficult than needs to be. Maybe it's just me, but I can't seem to separate the idea of "sites" and I can't seem to get my links and site permissions to show what I would like to be shown…oh well, if not for trial and error, progress would not be made. I hope to absorb more tomorrow and be ready with some pointed questions in order to "calm down a bit" and begin to use the tool for what it is designed to be, a collaboration and integration of all you do. Starting with this post, which I am using a Word blogging tool and I set both my MySite and Blogger account up. This should show up on my MySite RSS feed of this library blog. For any teachers that wish to use the new MySite, I suggest they sign up for some training. Go to: FUSD Instructional Technology Calendar

New Research Databases Available Now!

We have been able to purchase 3 new research databases for teachers, students, staff and parents to use. While we used EBSCO's Student Research Center last year, and it is a very good product; we will no longer use it this year. In place of this, the Library Media Center has purchased InfoTrac K-12 Student and Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center from Gale. This product will allow students access to the same type of content the EBSCO product offered, and the interface is similar so students should not have that hard of time adjusting. In addition to the Gale product, we have purchased the following digital databases from ABC-CLIO Social Science: American History, Issues, U.S. at War, World Geography, Ancient World History, and Modern World History. Finally, we are pleased to offer access to 7 of Marshall Cavendish's Digital databases that will give patrons access to up-to-date topics in Science, Medicine, Technology, and Social Issues. You can access all of these databases from any internet connection in the world using a user name and password. This information and direct links to each database are available on the Edison High School Library wiki. All links on this page will direct you to the EHS Library wiki. On a more personal note...summer is flying by! Take this time to look at the new resources available to you, and read up on things that interest you! Before you know it, a teacher is going to assign a "research project" and your choices may not be your own. Use this time to investigate those issues that you want to know more about, and you may be able to use it in the future!