Monday 27 December 2010

Wet day wonderings - planning for 2011

It is essential to try tools not previously used to assess ease of use and possible outcomes before using with students. Prepare well, practise, then use confidently. We are all learners first and teachers second. I needed to try the newspaper snippet creator, so here are my reflections on an unusually wet and windy day.

Newspaper snippet generated at http://www.fodey.com/generators/newspaper/snippet.asp


Tuesday 7 December 2010

MWSnap and Snipping Tool

During holiday breaks I enjoy finding the tools that make life easier. I've used MWSnap for several years to take screen shots for documents and in house publications.

It is a free download with a comprehensive range of tools that include a colour picker and an on screen ruler. I like the simplicity of the interface and the ease of use, but occasionally it has collapsed and I've had to reload the software. There are plenty of on screen editors embedded in web browsers now but I still prefer this simple tool to save my images.

Screen shot of MWSnap using the Snipping Tool from Windows 7
Recently I've moved to Windows 7 and just found the Snipping Tool from the Accessories menu which has limited functionality but has earned a temporary spot on my task bar just for quick accessibility. It has simplified taking this shot of the MWSnap window without having to use the Print Screen option or employ another third party tool. Only time will tell if it retains its spot on the valuable Task Bar real estate.

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