This is a list of some of our favourite tips, tricks and tools.
It is not a definitive list, not in any particular order and will
change over time!
Quicklaunch icons |
Use Quicklaunch bar to access most commonly used programs AND the desktop. |
Alt-Tab keys |
Quick way to access any open window / program. |
Open in New Tab |
Improve your access to web pages. Use new tabs to open web pages within the same window, rather than over-writing the current window or using multiple windows. |
Keyboard Shortcuts |
Speed up your work by learning to use keyboard shortcuts rather than menus for commonly used functions. |
Right mouse click |
Use the right click button on your mouse or touchpad to quickly access a range of functions. |
Function Keys |
Using Function and Fn keys will avoid more trackpad / mouse work through menus, etc. |
Outlook Exchange |
Use Outlook Exchange Server to access your Edumail - much quicker and more functional. |
MS Communicator |
Use for voice and video call and instant messaging. |
Microsoft One Note |
Fantastic place to keep notes and manage your files. (Need Office 2007). |
Personalised Homepages |
Use a personalised homepage so that current information from your favourite web sites is delivered to you automatically. Saves you time visiting all the pages separately. e.g. iGoogle, Pageflakes |
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Quicklaunch icons
Right click on the taskbar.
Select Toolbars.
Select Quicklaunch toolbar.
Customise your Quicklaunch bar by re-arranging icons in the order you like and by adding other shortcuts from your desktop.
To add other program shortcuts, add them to your desktop first and them copy them to the Quicklaunch bar.
Finish by removing any unnnecessary shortcuts from your desktop.
Alt-tab keys
Hold down the Alt key with your left thumb.
Now use the tab key to flick through all the windows that you have open.
Release the Alt key when you reach the window that you want to use.
(Great for toggling between two windows as it always takes you back first to the previous window you used).
Open in New Tab
When browsing Internet pages, use the right click button to "Open in New Tab". This saves you losing the page you are on and avoids opening lots of new windows. Easy then to flick back and forth between web pages.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Save heaps of time using your keyboard instead of the mouse.
Windows examples include - Ctrl+S (Save), Ctrl+C (Copy), Ctrl+V (Paste), Ctrl+Y (Undo last action), Ctrl+B (Bold text), Ctrl+U (Underline text), Ctrl+[ (decrease text size), Ctrl+] (increase text size)
Mac examples often use the same letters with the Cmd key.
Extensive list on Wikipedia - XP, Vista, Mac OS - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_of_keyboard_shortcuts
Task - learn 5 new shortcuts per week.
Right Mouse Click
Use the right click button on your mouse or touchpad to quickly access functions such as editing / formatting functions, display settings, taskbar settings, accessing Internet pages.
Put the mouse pointer over different areas of your screen and within different programs then right click the mouse / touchpad button to see what optins are available.
Function Keys
The F1 - F12 keys are also useful shortcuts. What they do depends on which application you are using.
Useful Function keys include:
F1 - Help screen for the application you are in.
F5 - Refresh the page in Internet Browser or Run slide show in PowerPoint
Full list available on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Function_key
Fn + Function Keys
Use the Blue Fn key with a range of the F keys. Have a look at the blue symbols on the F keys - most are self-explanatory.
Useful ones include:
Fn+F7 - Toggle between laptop screen, data projector or both
Fn+F8 - Modify you trackpoint and touchpad settings
Fn+F12 - Hibernate (saves on battery power campared to standby)
Fn+Page Up - turns on / off the laptop light
Fn+Home / End - Increases / decreases display brightness
Full list of Fn+Function keys on http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/MIGR-62714.html
Outlook Exchange Server for Email
Outlook is a much more efficient and functional way to use and manage you Edumail account.
ALL teacher notebooks should be set up with Outlook by the technician at your school. If not, please let us know.
Outlook synchronises your email so that you can work on your laptop rather than having to access the Edumail web-site.
Heaps of advantages with Outlook, including:
- Able to read, organise and compose emails offline
- Auto-completion of recipients' names in new messages
- The mail is stored on your laptop, so you don't have to refresh pages or wait for mail, folders, pages to load from the web.
- Outlook can be left 'on' and messages will come to you - you don't have to login in or refresh you inbox throughout the day.
- Much easier to create and manage contacts and distribution lists (e.g. for teams in your school)
- Can store mail messages offline in archive or personal folders (saves oin your mailbox space)
- Personal and / or shared calendar options
- Manage your tasks using the task function
MS Communicator
This is a free program to DEECD employees and allows you to use voice and video calls and instant messaging with colleagues. (Similar to Skype but through DEECD). Great if you don't have phone contact between rooms. Some teachers have allowed students to use it for video conferencing, e.g. with studnets / teachers in other grades or even with the school principal.
If you use Outlook for mail, Communicator integrates with you contact list, so you can see who is online, rather than sending them an eMail and not knowing when they will check it.
Download from the Edumail Support page - accessed from the Edumail login page https://www.edumail.vic.gov.au/exchweb/bin/auth/owalogon.asp?url=https://www.edumail.vic.gov.au/mail&reason=0
One Note (in Office 2007 package)
Brilliant!!
Record and manage notes, files and information in you own electronic note book and filing cabinet. Great for record keeping on your students.
You can even record voice and video straight into One Note.
--> Have a look at our introductory video to One Note. One_Note_Intro_video.swf This video was created on a teacher laptop using the free Jing software.
Personalised Homepages
Setting you Internet homepage to an account sucg as iGoogle or Pageflakes will allow you to see information from your favourite websites at a glance on a single page. You can then choose which ones to go to, rather that having to go to all of them each time.
You need to open an account with the provider that you choose. These sites are now developing more into social network sites as well.
Overview of personalised homepages on cnet T http://www.cnet.com.au/start-page-smackdown-netvibes-pageflakes-igoogle-and-live-com-339286371.htm
iGoogle introductory video - http://www.ehow.com/video_4441944_sign-up-igoogle.html
Pageflakes
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