Microsoft discounts for students ENDS FEB 29th!

Last Chance to Save on Microsoft Products!

For several years, we have been able to provide students discounts on Mi­crosoft Office and Windows software for home use. (Ex­ample: Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2010, retail $499, discounted price $89.95). These discounts have been signifi­cantly less than what you’d find in retail stores. However, Microsoft has announced that all student discounts will end after Feb 29th, 2012. 

If you anticipate needing Mi­crosoft software for your home/ personal computer, order today to insure you get the best price possible. Orders can be placed online by going to http://www.JourneyEd.com/Select.   Note: All students can request this pricing, so parents of kindergartners could even order at these prices.

Q1.  Where can I place an order?  http://www.JourneyEd.com/Select

Q2.  Who made this decision? Do you think the offer will come back again?
The decision was made by Microsoft.  What we’ve heard from vendors indicates that student discounts will stop – and that any future discounts will not be nearly the quality of discount that is currently available.

Q3. Has the district researched other options that will enable us to continue to provide discounts to students/families?
Yes, we have talked with several distributors – but they are unable to offer student/family discounts as the program was discontinued by Microsoft.

Q4. Are there other alternatives to consider besides Microsoft Office?
Yes, the following alternatives are available…

Option #1)  Use the free online version of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint that are available to students through the Microsoft service called Live@EDU.  For more information, visit:  http://wp.me/p1JF02-3t

Option #2)  OpenOffice is a free productivity software package that is compatible with Microsoft Office documents.  More information at http://www.openoffice.org

Stop saying “Hand it in” and start asking “Have you published it?”

Instead of asking your students “Have you turned it in?” , we need to start asking “Have you published it?”

– quote from John Kuglin, @jkuglin

 

I love this quote.  We’ve all been in this scenario before, where you produced a paper, presentation or other product – only to turn it in to an audience of one, the teacher.  We’re looking for classroom examples where students are given the opportunity to publish to a larger audience. Use the comment boxes below to add your examples!

 

Sarah Bird,  Valley High School,  Twitter: @sarahlynbird

Students in her digital communication tools course participated in the the flat classroom, an international project that partners students from around the globe to work collaboratively on a problem. Students were assigned to work students from another country to work on a problem.  Their final products were broadcast online, and were narrated live by the students, as well as reviewed by instructors from other locations. A great example of true on-line collaboration as well as publishing to broader audience.

 

Adam Nidey, Crestview Elementary, Twitter: @mrnidey

Many classes already use Kidblog.org for their student writing and reviewing, however, his class took it a step further.  They read and provide feedback to other 3rd graders in Pennsylvania.  Their writings is also reviewed by the same class in Pennsylvania.  In case, you’re wondering, the class in Pennsylvania found his classroom through their classroom twitter account!

Zac Sinram,  Valley Southwoods, Twitter: @zacsinram
As part of Global Cultural Studies (GCS), his class has opportunities for various enrichment activities, where student selects select an activity of interest.  One of the options is a restaurant review, which isn’t turned into the teacher, it’s posted on-line at a number of popular restaurant review sites.   This helps students “own” the review, knowing that it will posted in the public eye, where reviews are commonly responded to.  To ensure the experience meets the goals of the class, he provides a list of specific cultural dining options to select from, a suggested framework for structuring your review, and guidelines for where to publish the review.