Calling Long Distance from Your Classroom

The cost of long distance in our classrooms is prohibitive. Here are two alternatives to walking down to the office to find a phone that calls a long distance number, though this will remain an option.

Link right to Calling with Google Voice

Link right to Calling with Google Hangouts

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

http://voice.google.com

An explanation of Google Voice can be found here.

What you'll need to set up Google Voice

• 1) Google Account
• 2) Touch-tone phone, with a U.S. number
• 3) Computer, with Internet access

Directions and support from Google can be found here.

Google Voice even has educational uses

• Vocabulary building
• Use the speech-to-text feature to post to social media or your blog
• Kids with dexterity issues can get their thoughts into text through the speech-to-text feature
• Have students practice fluency and compare their recordings over time to see growth
• Audio study guides by teachers or students (check out Brent Coley's studycasts)
• Foreign language practice
• Have students create an audio journal on field trips
• Have students record podcasts since the audio files can be downloaded as mp3s
• Use the custom greetings for groups of students or parents
• Use recordings as reflection on content and concepts
• Make announcements or audio newsletters
• Record your plans for guest teachers

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Google Hangouts is a communication platform. It includes instant messaging, video chat, SMS and VoIP.

http://hangouts.google.com

What you'll need to use Google Hangouts

• 1) Google Account
• 2) Computer, with Internet access
• 3) Headphones with a microphone

Make a call from Hangouts on your computer

1. Open Hangouts at hangouts.google.com
2. Click the phone tab .
• Type a phone number or name in the search box.
• If you are calling a phone number that has an extension, enter the extension using the dial pad .

3. When you've finished the call, close the Hangout window, or click the call end icon .

Google Hangouts has educational uses too

• Bring experts into your classroom through the video feature
• Have students practice speeches on their own, then in smaller groups
• Foreign language practice with students from another country
• Use recordings as reflection on content and concepts
• Make announcements or video newsletters
• Collaborate with kids around the world
• Record your plans for guest teachers and post it for the students too
• Record directions or screencast an example in a hangout; Embed it in a Schoology course

Repair, Replacement, and Refresh for Technology

Every school has a repair and replacement budget based on classroom count. We love principal approval to spend out of this fund. Once this district allocation is spent, you’ll need to use your building dollars to repair and/or replace.

Repair defined: Faulty and failing devices outside of warranty can be repaired through the dollars in this budget if you wish. Some repairs are not covered by warranty (eg: broken screens).

Replacement defined: When it’s more expensive to buy a new device than repair it you can replace it with these funds. You are encouraged to use these funds to replace consumbles for your technology too. This might include projector bulbs.

Refresh defined: The district has a separate fund to refresh the technology in your buildings. This includes teacher and other devices in your building. Our refresh cycle does not currently include SMARTboards, phones, or printers, those will need to come out of your repair and replacement budgets.

We’re here to help! When you want to order replacement equipment or accoutrements, please follow these directions.

1) Get approval from the building administrator for the order and estimated cost.

2) Send a message to Beth <<bbuehler@fgsd.k12.or.us>>, Enrique <<epinon@fgsd.k12.or.us>>, and Corin <<crichards@fgsd.k12.or.us>> stating what you'd like to purchase. If you are not the building administrator, please include them in the message.

3) We'll clarify that the building admin has approved the purchase and that they'd like to use the repair and replacement budget. If you'd like to use a different budget string, you're welcome to do so, we'll simply need to know what that is.

4) Beth will order the item(s).