In these 169 tech-centric situations, you get an overview of pedagogy—the tech topics most important to your teaching—as well as practical strategies to address most classroom tech situations, how to scaffold these to learning, and where they provide the subtext to daily tech-infused education.
Today’s tip #60–How to Add Shortcuts to the Desktop
Category: CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT
Sub-category: PCs, Chromebooks
Q: How do I create a shortcut on my desktop so I can find programs easier?
A: On PCs, there are two ways to do that
- click the icon on the start button and drag and drop it to the desktop, OR
- right click the icon on ‘all programs’ (click start button; select ‘all programs’) and select ‘send to’, then ‘desktop (create shortcut)’
This is a great tool for students so they can easily access the programs they use most often. If students are in fourth grade or up, let them do this themselves. They’ll feel empowered and they’ll add shortcuts you didn’t consider.
Chromebooks: Add to Chromebook’s Shelf (which is the convenient toolbar at the bottom of the screen) by going to the webpage’s Menu Icon>More Tools>Add to Shelf.
For more on making programs easy to find, check out Tip #53.
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Jacqui Murray has been teaching K-18 technology for 30 years. She is the editor/author of over a hundred tech ed resources including a K-12 technology curriculum, K-8 keyboard curriculum, K-8 Digital Citizenship curriculum. She is an adjunct professor in tech ed, Master Teacher, webmaster for four blogs, an Amazon Vine Voice, CSTA presentation reviewer, freelance journalist on tech ed topics, contributor to NEA Today, and author of the tech thrillers, To Hunt a Sub and Twenty-four Days. You can find her resources at Structured Learning.
