Google Workspace for Education Plus

 The District recently purchased an upgrade to our Google platform, called Google Workspace for Education Plus.  This inexpensive update could provide some handy improvements  for those using Google Classroom.

This includes Class Analytics, which is found under your 'People' tab.  It can be used to get a measurement of student engagement and activity in your class.  Simple click on Class Analytics within a class to view.

Another new feature includes Add-ons.  This is found under the Classwork tab.  Create an assignment, post material, build a quiz, or whatever you would like in a Google Classroom thread.  As you build, you should be able to see add-ons listed below your post.  Check out the list to see if there are resources that would be a good fit for you. This list of add-ons can be customized for our District.  

Please reach out if there is a resource that you use with Google Classroom you would be interested in adding.

For a broad overview of features, click here to learn more. 

Savvas and McGraw Hill single sign-on for 24-25 SY

We have many core courses either being taught or piloted this school year that use either McGraw Hill products or Savvas products.

McGraw Hill products include:

• 5-8 Math 
• 5-8 Science
• 9-12 Science

Savvas products include:

• 9-12 Math
• 9-12 Science
• K-8 ELA pilot

All teachers and most students (see below) will log into their coursework through their ClassLink portal.
On iPad, this will be through the ClassLink App.  On laptop, it will be through the website launchpad.classlink.com, which should be bookmarked.

Users sign in to Classlink with their school Google credentials. 
(K-2 students do not have these credentials, so they will use printed Quickcards instead.)

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High School Student Login to Savvas:

How should my students access their Savvas Realize content?

IF you use Google Classroom, you may connect your classroom Savvas account for your students.  With it, all assignments you set up in Savvas will pass down to students' Google Classroom assignments.  

If you will be using Google Classroom with Savvas, then students will NOT use ClassLink to log in.  They will simply use their Google Classroom portal.

The Google Classroom connection may be set up in your Savvas class settings.

Please let me know if you have questions about this.

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Bonus Note:

Does your ClassLink portal look cluttered with apps that you don't use or in an arrangement that doesn't work very well for you?  All users have an Edit Mode in ClassLink.  Create folders, move apps around, customized the theme, and more.  Make it fit your workflow.

Right click on any app icon to move it to one of your folders

Google Classroom for 24-25 SY

 If you use Google Classroom, your classes for the 24-25 school year should appear in your teacher panel.  They are fully rostered and synced daily with Infinite Campus.

Below are a few important notes:

1.   You may want to Accept only your first trimester classes and take care of the rest later. 
      You may 'decline' the classes that will not be using Google Classroom.

Once Accepted, the class will appear in your students' Google Classroom portal. 
No class code is then needed for students to 'enroll'.

2. These classes are named from Infinite Campus.  Once, accepted, I would strongly recommend changing the name to one that makes sense for both you and your students.  See images below that show you to make this update.  

The Settings button is found in the upper right corner.  Note the arrow in the image.
You may customize the background, too - that is found by clicking on the Customize button.  

I recommend using a naming convention like either one of these:
"Integrated Math 2A  Pd. 1 Tri. 1"     OR  "Mr. Gruman 10th Math Pd. 2"

3. I have this set so that students are only added from Infinite Campus.  If a student is removed from your class list, you will have to manually remove them from your Google Classroom roster.

4.  Assignments from previous classes - such as those from last year - may be imported into these 24-25 classes.  Look for the prompt 'Reuse Post' to bring in those assignments.  Refer to the image below on how to import assignments.

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- You may still create your own classes as desired.  Rosters will not be synced though.
- Grades are not synced.  This is only a one-way pass of data from Infinite Campus to Google
- You may add a co-teacher in Google Classroom.
- Please do not delete your classes at the end of the school year.  It's best practice to simply archive them.

Please let me know as you have questions about this.

Classroom Audio Systems

 We continue to extend the widespread use of audio amplification systems in our classrooms. 
There are more than 50 classrooms across our District using a product sold by Lightspeed.  They provide a robust and even sound in the classroom with any digital media played and a paired classroom microphone.

There are two styles of lightweight microphones in use, worn on a lanyard by the teacher.  They are paired with the systems via Bluetooth, which has shown great reliability.  The batteries have done well to hold power for a full day of teaching after being charged overnight.  They seem to get about 3 years of good use before needing replacement.

There are 3 models of Lightspeed Audio System in our classrooms:

Redcat

This is a portable unit that works well in classrooms that do not have a suspended ceiling.  They are used at some of our elementary buildings, and are often placed on a shelf.   They are also helpful where portability is needed.  This unit does need to be plugged in.  However, a rechargeable battery pack may be added.

 

TCQ, paired with a 975 amplifier

 This model is best used in classrooms where there is no power in the ceiling.  This would include our K-2 classrooms that use Promethean Display Boards at both Bailey Park and Fairview.  The amplifier is tucked out of the way and plugged into a wall outlet.  

 

Topcat

These are best used in classrooms with a ceiling-mounted projector, such as the middle school or high school.  These are the easiest to install and maintain.  They are plugged into a ceiling outlet.  

These classroom units have been an integral part of many teachers' daily routine.  They provide a universal accessibility for all students by adding 'round' sound to the room, balancing a normal tone throughout the room and reducing the need for more volume... and the stress that goes with it.  This stress is two-fold:  the physical stress and fatigue on the teacher working to extend their voice in the room and the student stress of having a teacher using a loud voice much of the day.  It is a benefit for every student, including those who have learning barriers, both diagnosed and undiagnosed.

Objectives and Mentality:

Our objective with teacher audio is to create ‘round’ sound in the classroom and not ‘loud’ sound.  We want the audio of the teacher’s voice to reach evenly around the room, regardless of which way they are facing or where they are in the classroom.  If the teacher can hear their own voice or if there is a squeal of audio feedback, then the speaker is turned up too loud.

Using a classroom audio system is a universal accessibility feature, that is, it is a benefit for every student in the classroom, including those who have diagnosed and undiagnosed learning challenges.  It allows teachers better reach to students and reduces the need for proximity placement for some. 

The audio systems in our district are manufactured by Lightspeed.  Click here to learn more from the manufacturers website.

Please reach out to me as you or your team would like to learn more.

Microsoft Stream for your streaming video

 It has been a while since I wrote about some of the different options we have for video streaming.  Click here if you want to take a look.  There have been some nice recent updates with one of the resources, Microsoft Stream.

Microsoft Stream is a video streaming service that we can upload our original content to.  Unlike YouTube, it is not a social media platform.  Videos may be uploaded and made available to our students or families.  They can even be downloaded.  Video access can also be personalized in the same way we are used to with YouTube.  They can also be embedded in websites and other applications.

This service is a part of our Microsoft Sharepoint Suite that our District subscribes to.  Every staff member has a Microsoft account, which uses the same login credentials as our Apple and Google accounts.  Many, but not all, of our staff have access to Microsoft applications such as Word, Powerpoint, and Excel.  For a number of reasons, they are not used nearly as often as our Google and Apple counterparts.

You check out Microsoft Stream by logging in at office.com on laptop or through the app on iPad, which may be found in Self Service.  The application has many similarities to the Clips app, which is often used on our iPads for video recording and editing.  A fundamental difference is in how videos are save to a cloud-based service called Sharepoint

Below is a quick infographic on how to create a streamed video.  
You may also upload one that has already been built.

Please reach out as you have more questions about Microsoft Stream - I can add answers to this post.

I look forward to learning about how you are trying it out, too.

Roster Server Classes for 23-24

 

Our Roster Server is now connected to Infinite Campus for the 23-24 school year.
I have classes built and synced daily for the resources below.

Please log in to your different teacher accounts and check to make see that these classes appear for you. 

If not, please submit a tech ticket and I will get them added right away.

(updated 08/21/23)

So, what does this mean?

You have a teacher account for many online resources to use with your classes and your students.  For some of them, with just a couple clicks I can build your classes and have the rosters updated daily to match Infinite Campus.  This tool is called our Roster Server.

As an example, I just got Google Classroom set up this past spring.  Feedback has been all thumbs up so far.  Your classes will be named whatever Infinite Campus shows, but you can change it to whatever you want without 'breaking" it.  You can also import assignments from a past year as you likely have already been doing.

How are Courses different than Classes?

In Infinite Campus Math 6 is the name of a Course.  Each section then is a Class.  

Let's say I add Math 6 to Google Classroom.  Then all 4 sections will show up on the teacher's portal and every student will automatically be enrolled in the class. 

What other questions do you have?  I will post more details here as I get questions.

Again, please let me know if your 2023-2024 classes to not appear.  I should be able to get them added right away.

Can more resources be added to our Roster Server?

 Yes! 

News-O-Matic is a new online non-fiction literacy resource intended mostly for upper elementary and middle school students that can easily integrate in ELA lessons.  It is free to our district since it was purchased by the AEA and it includes many remarkable built-in accessibility tools.  I have classes built already for most K-8 reading classes already and it is available for students already via ClassLink.  Try it out at this link using your school Google credentials. 

Google Classroom is a widely used Learning Management System used mostly by our middle and high school classrooms. If this is a part of your routine, I can build all of your classes with just a few clicks and save you some very valuable classroom time. Just let me know what classroom you would like built.  I have more details about this setup on another blog post at this link.

XtraMath is set up and ready to go for all students in grades K-4.  From ClassLink, students will not need to type in a password to log in.  They just tap and go.

This, however, is not true for some widely used items, such as Prodigy or EPIC... for now anyway.  I can't use Roster Server for these, but I may be able to save you some valuable time.  Please reach out if this fits you.

And more notes:

-I can set up  quick logins, called single sign-ons, for many online resources either through our students' ClassLink portal or Google panel.  Let's visit if you have a resource that may be a good fit.

-Quickcards for student ClassLink account logins are available via each teacher's portal.  These are widely used by our younger students for easy sign-on to online accounts.  Teachers:  Click here to log into your ClassLink account using your Google credentials.  Click on the Class Quickcards icon to find your class.  Print out on heavy cardstock, and maybe even laminate them. 

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Please reach out as you have questions or notice something out of place.  
I can have a nice overhead view of our account data, but can't always see what you see.

-BG

 

ShortCut: Create a QR Code

iPad, iPhone, and laptop all have a built-in versatile resource called Shortcuts that may be an easier option for you.   I will highlight some of the useful quick-wins of this app, beginning with Creating a QR Code.

Using Shortcuts to Make a QR Code:

Steps:
1. Open the Shortcuts application.  

2. Tap on All Shortcuts

Even if you have never opened the app, there are some 'starter' shortcuts, including Make QR Code

3. Tap on Make QR Code

4. Select which task you would like to accomplish.  Most of the time I use 'Open Website'.

4. Paste in the web address.

5. Now Save/Send your new qr code to wherever works for your application.  

I most often send mine to Photos, where it is saved as an image.

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You can select from a Gallery of other shortcuts in the upper left corner.  

Tap the "+" icon to add to your list. 

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BONUS nugget on information:

Did you know that you can 'scan' a qr code without using the Camera?

Try it out with this link:

Scenario - you open a print publication, such as a pdf document that includes a QR  Code.  If you tap and hold on the image a menu will pop up which includes opening the link in Safari.

Check out the Gallery for other Shortcuts that may be useful for you.

Please give me a heads-up about what you find.  I would like to know what works for you.

Google Classroom Rostering now available

 

Do you use Google Classroom as your Learning Management System?

If so, you can now have your classes automatically built, rostered, and also synced daily with Infinite Campus.  Your classes will appear as they do now, but filled already with students who are automatically enrolled.  This may save you some valuable preparation time during the school year.  

In Google Classroom:

- If a student leaves, you may may still manually remove them

-You may still manually add additional co-teachers as needed

-The class name will match what is in Infinite Campus.  You may change it as desired.

-You may import assignments from previous Google Classroom classes as you likely already do.

-You may still Archive classes once finished to get them off your Classroom dashboard. 

     

I just need a request from you to 'turn on' your classes.  They will  show up in your teacher management portal.  Please let me know if you would like a sneak preview of what this could look like for you this fall.

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Other notes:

- There is no district management of your classes.  It's still all in your hands.  

-Sorry, grades are not synced.  This would be true if we were using Canvas or Schoology.  

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You can import assignments from a previous Google Classroom using the following steps:

Select a single assignment or the entire previous course.  

Keep them in "Draft" form until you are ready to assign.

Please let me know as you have questions.

iPadOS Update to 16.3 or higher

 If you have not updated your iPad to version 16.3 or 16.4, here are some changes to expect:

	This update is now available for all staff and student iPads. All GMS students should install the update right away.  16.3 (or higher) is needed before the upcoming ISASP testing window.
	Air Drop settings will look different.  Accepting drops from 'Everyone' will only be available for 10 minutes. This setting may be found by swiping down from the upper right corner of the screen. This change does not affect Apple Classroom functions.  As a teacher, you may have your staff email added to your students' Contacts.
	Keynote, Pages, and Numbers apps will now have a menu facelift that will look much more like what you see on the laptop version. There is no more "+" menu in the upper right corner to add features.  The categories are now at the top middle of your screen.
	Freeform, a new digital whiteboarding application, will be automatically included.  It includes a canvas that works well for visual collaboration and includes familiar features already found in Keynote, Pages, and Numbers.  These 'Boards' may be a nice alternative to the Notes app, especially where a thought process is not linear, such as a mind map.  All Boards may be exported as pdf files. Freeform is also available on laptop for those at version 13.1 (Ventura) or higher.

I use these applications daily and have enjoyed the ease of use from the update.  Please reach out as you or your team would like to learn more.  I would be happy to help.

Upgrading to MacOS Monterey

This summer, 2022,  Mindy, our tech director, would like to ask all of you to update your laptops to macOS Monterey 12.4.   (New teachers will receive their devices already updated and can disregard.)

Before running the update:

Verify that you are backing up to iCloud: 1. Open System Preferences 2. Click on Apple ID 3. Click on 'Password and Security'     (this will have you verify your password) 4. Click on 'iCloud'  5. Click on 'Options' (to the right of iCloud Drive)  6. Make sure the box next to 'Desktop and Documents' is checked.  The Downloads folder is not backed up, so if you want to save items from this folder drag them onto the Desktop or into your Documents folder.  Once verified, wait 24 hours with your device connected to wifi to make sure all files are backed up to iCloud.

Procedure for Updating to Monterey:

1. Open Finder 2. Click on Applications Folder 3. Find macOS Monterey Installer - double-click to launch. 4. Follow all the prompts to get the installer started such as clicking "Agree," "Continue," "Enter Admin password (again your computer password)" 5. Device may ask you to restart it or it may do it on its own.  6. When the device restarts it will be on the black screen with the Apple and progress bar for up to 45mins and this is normal. 7. You will know it is complete when it is back on the login screen and the background is purple and pink.   8. In order to print you will need to reinstall printers. The district will be installing new copiers this summer so if you are not planning to print for a while you can wait on reinstalling the copiers until the new ones arrive.

Reinstalling printers from Self Service: 1. Log into your device 2. Open Self Service application 3. Find the copier for your building and click install, wait while it installs. 4. If you want to get rid of the old printers go to System Preferences -> Printers-> click on the 'old' printer -> click on the ' - ' sign at the bottom right.  This will simplify the choices when you go to print.