MetBlogger - Information Technology in Education

Firefox Add-ons for Teachers

How to Turn the Firefox Web Browser to a Powerful Research Tool

By: Eric Durrand

In January 2004, only 5.5% of web users have used the Mozilla browser, with almost 85% using Internet Explorer. In July 2006, 25% of web surfers have used Firefox, Mozilla’s latest free web browser, and only about 60% used the various versions of Internet Explorer. The reason usually offered to why so many are moving to Firefox as their main browser is speed, better features (like tabbed browsing), and better security.

But a big part of the Firefox appeal has long been its expandability. Firefox, unlike Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, is an extensible open source product. That means that any programmer who wishes to, can write extensions and additions to Firefox, and release them freely to all users on the Firefox network.

Whether you’re at home or at the office, a teacher or an administator - finding the right additions to your browser can completely transform your web surfing experience, adding long sought functions and often undreamt of possibilities. In this article we will present our recommendations for the best Firefox extensions for teachers, so that you can turn your browser into a lean, mean, researching machine.

Google Extensions for Firefox: Google offers a few extensions to the Firefox browser, including an enhanced search toolbar, protection from spyware and pop-ups, and more. Other extensions include bookmark synchronization across different computers, immediate blogging with Blogger, and more.
URL:  http://www.google.com/tools/firefox/

Firefox Search Engines: Firefox includes a search engine field, and as a default uses Google. But now you can add other search engines and databases to your Firefox search, including Merriam-Webster dictionary, Amazon bookstore, the Internet Movie Database, and Wikipedia. Searching directly from Firefox has never been easier!
URL: https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/search-engines/

Sage: As a sophisticated RSS news reader, Sage collects and displays all the newest headlines from your favorite online sources directly from a single menu! Have you ever wished you could design your own newspaper with all your favorite sections of other publications? Now you can, directly on your Firefox.
URL: http://sage.mozdev.org/

Answers: With this useful extension, every name or word becomes a window to new exploration possibilities. Just press Alt while clicking on any word in a page, and Answers will give you a definition, explanation, and links to more relevant information.
URL: https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/735/

 

Del.icio.us: Once you find an interesting website using the other tools, you’d like to bookmark it. This delicious little add-on does just that. You can bookmark any website according to categories and keywords, access it from any computer, and even share it with friends.
URL: https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/2354/

 

 ScrapBook: This is a great research tool for teachers and educators: it allows you to save pages or whole websites onto your computer, quote and save snippets with reference of their source, organize snippets into categories, and more – directly from your browser!
URL: http://amb.vis.ne.jp/mozilla/scrapbook/

 

 Hundreds of extensions in various areas exist and can be downloaded from the Firefox Add-ons Web Site. Others are available on CNET’s Download.com. Firefox, like most open source software, is a work in progress. By keeping it updated and adding the best extensions you’ll enrich your surfing experience, make your research experience simpler and more exciting, and do more with this wonderful free browser.

MS-Word Tips for Teachers

The Little Things That Make a Big Difference

By: Eric Durrand 

Microsoft Word is the most popular word processor on the planet. It’s used by PC and Mac users alike, and has become the standard in most offices and schools. Whether you want to write a paper, prepare reading materials for class, or design a quiz or a test – you are likely to be using Microsoft Word. It’s important, therefore, to know how to utilize this powerful tool to suit your needs.

If you’re like most users, for instance, you’ve been using the mouse to navigate between the many commands in the various menus and toolbars. There are, however, many shortcuts that can save you time and speed up your work: Ctrl+C, for instance, copies the highlighted text into memory, and Ctrl+V pastes it back into the document where you want it. Ctrl+X cuts the highlighted segment, and Ctrl+Z undoes the last action. Ctrl+A selects all the text in the active window, and Ctrl+W closes the current document window.

 Word can also make your documents livelier by integrating colored designs and graphics. Under Insert -> Picture -> Clip Art you can access a great number of clip arts designed by Microsoft and suitable for many purposes. Just type in a keyword in the search bar, and browse through the results. To incorporate a clip art into your document just click it, and then drag and resize it to your liking. If you want to add a drawing of your own making, just go to Insert -> Picture -> New Drawing, and use the special drawing toolbar to create shapes, color them, and add text tags.

 Microsoft’s Office Online web site is a great resource for teachers who want quick and effective results. Search for additional clip arts, photos, and templates, and easily customize them to your needs. A search for the keyword QUIZ in the templates section, for example, brought up several ready made templates including a multiple-choice test, an essay test, and a general test template. Other templates include a school-year calendar, absence form, classroom supply list, and more.

 You can also design a template of your own, to be used later on. Simply design it as an ordinary document, then go to File -> Save As, and then below under Save as Type select Document Template. If you save it in the suggested Templates folder, you will be able to create a new document based on that template, simply by selecting File -> New, and selecting the proper template from your template collection.

 Microsoft Word has many useful features for teachers, from an Equation creator, to graphs and flowcharts, to built-in research tools. A teacher who does not learn this basic tool is giving himself a serious handicap in producing classroom materials. To learn more about Word and how it can help teachers do more, see Word Workshop for Teachers, or any of the many guides to Microsoft Word available in your nearest bookstore.