The latest 2009 Switched-On Schoolhouse® brings an up-to-date look into your classroom. Today's digital natives become excited when they can personalize their computer settings. Many of these students are already familiar with social media like Facebook where they can add their own avatars.

What is an avatar? An avatar is a type of cartoon-assigned profile. It is a movable icon representing a person in cyberspace or virtual reality graphics. In layman's terms, it is an image which identifies the interests or characteristics of someone.

Allowing students to add additional avatars into their Switched-On Schoolhouse desktop can be a valuable motivational tool. A digital native teacher who is very knowledgeable about folder structure will be quite comfortable completing the following steps. If you do not feel comfortable, here's a good opportunity to learn folder structure!

STEP 1: In your own document folder, create a folder called Avatars within My Pictures. The path will likely be  C:/Documents and Settings/Owner/My Documents/My Pictures/Avatars. Choose the path which is easiest for you.

STEP 2: Perform a Google search for Christian Avatars. If you don't have time, here are some good links to consider.

• Christian Profile

• Christian Avatar Index

• Christian Avatars

• Christian MySpace Icons and Avatars

• Forums Extreme

• Christian Avatars: Animated Avatars

STEP 3: From the links above, double-click on the image(s) you wish to download to open in full screen.

STEP 4: Right-click and choose Save Image As. Save the image to the My PicturesAvatars folder.

STEP 5: Avatars used in Schoolhouse must be .jpg format. If they are not .jpg, convert them using the photo-editing software of your choice.

STEP 6: The avatar path in Switched-On Schoolhouse is probably hidden. Here's how to make it visible:

• Choose Tools-Folder Options-View.

• Under Hidden Files and Folders, click on Show Hidden Files and Folders.



STEP 7: Adding avatars must be done on each student's individual machine. You may be able to copy the avatar files to each student's avatar path in SOS through Network Places when logged in as administrator. If the network is not available, continue to step 8.

STEP 8: Copy all the .jpg images to a flash drive into a folder called Avatars.

STEP 9: Insert the flash drive into the student's computer USB port. Highlight the pictures on the flash drive and choose Copy the Selected Items.



STEP 10: Move down to the Switched-On Schoolhouse Avatars folder and choose Copy. The new avatars will need to be copied into this path: C:/Documents and Settings/All Users/Application Data/AOP/Switched-On Schoolhouse 2009 School/Avatars.



Avatars can be used as an incentive for students to achieve your desired academic requirements.

Here are some suggestions:

• Quarterly Privilege: Completion of 13 units by the end of the quarter

• Quarterly Privilege: Completion of 13 units by end of the quarter with a minimum B average

• Monthly Privilege: Completion of 5 units by the last day of the month

Of course, failure to achieve the academic requirement in the following period will result in removing the avatars from the student's SOS avatar folder.

Enjoy! Be sure to get to know your students' interests and thoughts about themselves. Doing so will allow you to select avatars which will be their motivational "hot button."

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