Please work on your list of accomplishments, and if you are not motivated to work on your computer today, please work on finishing up (or for most of you, starting) the ITAcademy Windows 7 Client course.  This will take you a few hours.

Tomorrow (like every Day 1 from now on) is "work on your culminating activity day".  Please bring all your resources with you.

Please remind your parents that tonight is Parent's night, and that if they would like to speak with me, I'll be in the

This is some pretty cool tech...check it out!
http://geekbeat.tv/asus-transformer-tablet-uses-keyboard-dock-for-easier-writing-and-longer-battery-life/

After you have set-up your computer and installed both the Operating System and drivers, please install the benchmarking utilities that will be provided on CD.

I will walk you through the procedure on how to benchmark your computer, in preparation of system tweaking and optimization next week.

Don't forget that starting this week Day 1s are for your culminating activity.  Please let me know if there is anything that I can do to help you prepare.

A brief reminder that anyone wanting to have their computer scenario assignment marked that the "drop dead", "the train has left the station", etc deadline is today at 12 noon.  I am always available via email if you are having issues and/or questions about what is expected.

Since I am away today (coaching the Reach for the Top Team), you are NOT allowed to work on your machines today (safety concern).

Today, you should

1) finish any assignments that you still owe me (incl. the Scenarios)

2) work on your Microsoft IT Academy courses (Windows I, II and Client Roll Out)

3) add to your blogs

You ALL have a lot of work to finish, so there are no excuses for you not to be busy for the entire period.

Today we will walk through the installation of Windows 7.

Please make notes as we go.  It is impossible to review each step over and over again for those who DO NOT take the time to record their learning.

Scenario projects are now overdue.  Make all efforts to have them in by the end of the day.

Your blogs will be evaluated for the first time tonight.  

Hopefully you enjoyed your extended March Break.  With the snow days, we
are VERY far behind, and I suspect all of your skills will be a little rusty.  Time to shake off the holiday and get back to work. 

These things need to be accomplished today:

1) all those who still have not passed the test, need to do so today.
2) you need to hand in your case study assignment for evaluation
3) we need to have all your computers set up and "good to go" so I can walk you through setting up your BIOS
4) we need to discuss the role of drivers and how they work with an operating system
5) you need to start loading an Operating System on to your machine (we are going to work with Windows 7 and a Linux-variant (probably Ubuntu)
6) IT Academy Windows 7 PtI and PtII need to be finished

Just because today was a snow day, doesn't mean that you can't be working on your ITAcademy courses from home (assuming you have an internet connection).

We will need to speed up tomorrow in order to stay somewhat on "track".

Your options are simple :)

Work on your ITAcademy course work, making sure that you have Windows 7 Essentials (I and II) done for Friday.  You also have your computer system scenarios assignment due on Friday as well.

If you complete all of the above, and have passed the quiz, come see me and I'll get you started on the process of installing Windows 7 on your system.

It's simple.  You pass the quiz with 80% and you continue on with your system.  You fail, and the system stays locked up (for your safety and mine) until you pass the quiz.

Today, I would like to cover the BIOS and Operating Systems information that we did not get to yesterday.

Today we will discuss the role of the BIOS, setting the BIOS, and tweaking the BIOS.

We will also look at operating systems, and start the process of loading Windows 7 on our computers.

Please reassemble your system, and have me check everything over BEFORE you turn it on.

Hopefully, we will have enough times to talk about how to set up the BIOS, and prepare the computer to have an operating system loaded on it.

ITAcademy accounts will also need to be verified today as well.

Since this is a very short period, because of the early dismissal, we will have to move to accomplish the following:

1) Introduce ITAcademy (and review Dreamspark), making sure that everyone has access to the sites.

2) Finish the reassembly of our computers (have Mr. Perry double check everything before you try to turn the machines on).

You are to complete the following (while I am away at a meeting at the Board Office).  A reminder...the inability to finish the book-work lead to an inablity for the class to move forward towards the hands-on opportunities.

Based on the lecture yesterday on Hard Drives, complete the attached sheet.  Make sure you justify all your thinking.

Any time that is left, students are encouraged to work on their blogs, taking the time to fill out this self-evaluation rubric.  Formal evaluations of the blogs/websites will take place next week.