How to set your Google Chrome to English - forever!

Many of you had/have problems (Chrome popping up in Korean, no matter what you try)

Here is how to set your Google Chrome to English (once and for all!)

It involves 5 steps:

1.

In your Browser, paste the following URL:     chrome://settings/searchEngines

That will open the preferences for search engines

2.

You will see a window that looks like this:

3.

You will need to ADD the English Google option in the lower Box ("Other search Engines")

You can do so in the very last line:

Copy paste (in this order) the following (exactly!) in the 3 boxes:

    Google in English         Google.com                https://www.google.com/webhp?source=ig&hl=en

4.

Now you will have to make this newly added Search Engine your DEFAULT one (so it sticks!)

Scroll in the list, and find the one you just added (look for Google English!)

And then make that the default by clicking the light blue setting when you have your mouse over the last part.

5.

When all went well, the top line in the Window should now look similar to this:

That would do the trick! Close your Browser windows, close Chrome and re-open.

Test it, and be happy!

Of course (!) you need to check the general language settings as well:

Click the advanced settings to see the options:

Check the Language settings, and make sure that English is the top

(and maybe only) choice:

That should do the trick! Make sure that you add the Google browser as

https://www.google.com/webhp?source=ig&hl=en

Only then you will be able to make it the default!

Happy surfing again!

SketchFab - show your 3D model in real 3D on-line

Using Sketch? Want to show your design in 3D? Stunning 3D view? Rotate, zoom, the whole lot? Head over to https://sketchfab.com/ upload your object and try it out! The service has a free option (small ads, no big deal) and would be great to use for showing some objects, the results of a class project etc. They made a Video explaining the features. Here is an example of an embedded 3D model (uploaded and hosted on Sketchfab)   

Maison d'artiste from Klaas Nienhuis on Sketchfab.

Newsela: a promising new startup -> supporting ESOL readers

Newsela is a new kid on the block (in Beta). It's free (so far). It allows teachers to create classes (upon signing up as a teacher one will get a "classcode"), and students can join the classes created.

Lessons are based on news articles and one can select different reading levels (lexile based).

Quizzes can be attached to news articles, and there is a "gradebook" management tool available (linked to Common Core standards)

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="525"] Class/Student management[/caption]

Best is to try this out, and see if you like it. This startup company has hit the press a lot already, and funding is secured. Free for now, that might change later (you know that pattern)

2 great collaboration and advanced Clicker Apps for the iPad

Many of you - who did not yet! - are using Socrative, the easy to use web solution

on www.socrative.com to create quick polls, quizzes for a class, where students can use 

any device (laptop, mobile, iPad etc.) to answer the questions.

If you want a bit more than just a quick polling, there are now 2 more - pretty advanced - solutions to go for,

NearPod and LectureTools. Both are free (as is Socrative), and allow to create (or use existing)

rich lesson content. Students can add notes and opinions, and you can test their skills.

NearPod (www.nearpod.com)

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/nearpod-teacher/id523540409?mt=8

"Design enriched multimedia presentations and course materials with the Nearpod Content Tool – simply upload a pdf and add interactive features such as quizzes, polls, videos, drawing activities and more" 

Nearpod uses a 4 step tool set:

and

LectureTools

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/lecturetools/id521133554?mt=8

"LectureTools is a student response system that also allows students to take notes linked with the slides and videos presented in class, answer instructor generated questions and pose questions to the instructor. All notes, questions and activities are instantly synchronized with the LectureTools web application. It could be used as an advanced "clicker system" 

Somebody states: "iPads in class: now it's a no-brainer"

Well, we are getting there, no doubt. It is still a teacher who needs to create the content,

and those new tools have not developed any sharing facilities yet. Socrative allows

to share tests and quizzes, but there is no search function. Let's keep mentioning that

to those developers. Teachers want to collaborate too!

Marcel Ideler

Chadwick International

IT Integration

3D design ideas

Using Macbooks and iPads, students at Kings Christian College in Australia (Grade12) did some terrific work: they planned parts of their school.

See the amazing results here at their Tech Blog Website;  http://kingscc.it/students-designing-classrooms

(and, while you are at it, they have more great examples of students work on-line. That's what you get at an established 1:1 Mac school, that is even being recognized as an Apple Distinguished School all-together!)

Here an overview of the Software they used:

Archicad

https://www.myarchicad.com/

Free versions available for Students & Teachers

Artlantis Studio

http://www.artlantis.com

3D rendering software (Mac, free for educators and students)

iVisit 3D

iPad 3D viewing of Artlantis objects

Alternatives:

It would be also possible to use Google Sketchup (Pro), as is has a plugin for the Artlantis rendering software.

And having discovered this: I was asked to help find possible Tech options for an Art project: creating a virtual museum, that can showcase students work from 2 different campuses (as it's the case here at Chadwick International). Way to go???

Getting crazy, or Setting your Browser language back to English!

Living abroad? Like me in Korea? Always get your Google home page in Korean, no matter what?

You might have set your Google location to, e.g. New York. You thought that should give you English, right.

Well, that might have worked. 

More often, it will not. In my case, using Google Chrome as my browser, the home page

keeps switching back to a Korean version, making me *%$*^%$*%^ one more time, after I scroll to

the bottom of my page, where I can switch to English (again)

Enough is enough!

Here is the solution:

You will have to change not so much your location (I tried, believe me), but you will need to change 

your default home page settings!

This is done under the Basic settings (preferences). If your default is Google.co.kr, then you know

who is causing you trouble!

You cannot easily change that default however. Scroll down the list, until you see Google.com, select

that one, and then (magic), you can click "make default"

Do so! Ok, one more step (who said it's easy?), and DELETE the Google.co.kr, that is still sitting there, 

ready to cause more trouble.

Now it should look like in the picture.

That will work, keep you sane, and bring back your love for Googling stuff.

Take my word for it!

Marcel

What to do without Quicktime Pro?

Recently I was asked how one can flip a video, as PhotoBooth might do an automatic flip of your video and you just discovered that your precious recordings now look rather bad. Instead of re-recording, you want to flip the video back to normal!

In case you didn't know, the Auto Flip in Photobooth can be set as follows:

In the old days, there used to be a Pro version of Quicktime, allowing you to quickly rotate the video, and save the movie again, problem solved. Quicktime Pro isn't there anymore though!

Solution:

BitPlayer is there, a free download from http://www.tanjero.com/bitplayer/

It can do all those good things from old Quicktime Pro. 

Flip, Rotate, Export in a variety of options. Create playlists and more.

A time saver, and a very helpful 5* App to add to your collection!