Teacher Help for DL
9/15/20
Tech News for Today: 2 New Google Meet Features
In your Google Meets today, check out new Meeting Safety and Layout View Features.
1, Meeting Safety Panel: As the host, in the lower left of your screen you see a new blue shield that shows new Meeting Safety Features. You can limit or open chat and screen sharing.
2. Change Layout to Tiled: In the lower right of your screen, click on the 3 dots, click on Change Layout. Now, you have the option to choose the number of tiles you see. You can see up to 49 participants in your Google Meet.
6/15/20
Technology Question for the Week
On the last day of school, what do I do with my Google Classrooms and GoGuardian classes?
1. End of Year Procedure for Google Classroom: Before you leave for the summer, please archive your Google Classrooms. When a class is archived, it's archived for all students and teachers in the class. If you don't archive a class, students and teachers in the class continue to see it on their Classes page. To archive a Google Classroom, click on the 3 dots on each Classroom tile on the dashboard and choose Archive.
2. End of Year Procedure for GoGuardian: In GoGuardian, in the Active tab (default), locate the tile for the classroom that you would like to archive. In the bottom right of the classroom tile, click on the Archive button. Select Archive from the confirmation pop-up. Archived classrooms can be restored at any time.
6/8/20
Top Technology Questions for the Week
1. I may have some free time this summer. Are there any professional development opportunities that will help me improve my remote teaching
skills?
If you anticipate that you may have some time this summer, consider sharpening your remote teaching skills with one of two of the following online learning professional development opportunities.
ISTE Summer Learning Academy
Google Educator Level 1 or 2 Certification
Your free time + district-paid registration or exams = educators and students excited about learning!
It's a win!
1. Complete the ISTE Summer Learning Academy.
ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) recently announced its Summer Learning Academy (SLA) coming in July. The program offers micro-courses by national experts on the following topics:
Creating Community in Online Classrooms Designing Online Learning Experiences Assessing Learning in Online Environments
Ensuring Equity and Inclusion in Online Learning
The SLA is a 3-week program from July 13 - 31 that includes access to four ISTE U microcourses, daily webinars from experts, and a discussion community. There is also a final reflection that needs to be submitted for successful completion. It involves a minimum of around 15 hours of learning
time total. The entire program is just $20! You will have until October 31, 2020 to complete the SLA.
If you are ready to commit to the 15 hours of online coursework and completing the final reflection, please email your name and contact information with the subject: ISTE to Katrina Wicks (kwicks@windsorct.org) so the district can submit a purchase order on your behalf to pay the $20 registration fee. Sign up with a team of colleagues!
2. Earn your Google Educator Level 1 or Level 2 Certification.
The Google Certified Educator program is for educators and classroom teachers who wish to demonstrate proficiency in using Google for Education tools. The Level 1 status indicates that an educator is able to successfully implement G Suite for Education into their teaching practice in order to enhance teaching and learning. The Level 2 status indicates that an educator is able to successfully integrate a wider range of Google for Education tools and other technologies in order to transform their teaching practice. Access to the online content is free, but there is a fee for the exam. The Google Certified Educator Level 1 exam is $10 and the Google Certified Educator Level 2 exam is $25. To see an overview of both Google Certified Educator programs, click these links:
You pay upfront to take the exam, but when you successfully pass the exam, submit a copy of your digital certificate to get reimbursed for the exam fee. If you are ready to commit to completing the online coursework and the accompanying exam, please email your name and contact information
with the subject: Google Certification Level # (1 or 2) to Katrina Wicks (kwicks@windsorct.org) so the district can budget for your exam reimbursement. Sign up with a team of colleagues!
2. What is happening with student and staff devices over the summer? Are they being collected?
This summer, all students and staff who plan to remain in the district this summer and during the 2020-2021 school year will keep their assigned device during the summer. For staff who are retiring, or students or staff moving out of the district, devices should be returned to LP Wilson on a Tuesday(10-12) or Thursday (2-4). Click to sign up for a time:
https://www.myconferencetime.com/windsorpd/schedule/403705
3.The ClassLink dashboard has a new look. Are there any new features that make my life easier?
You've probably noticed that your ClassLink dashboard has new visual updates. New features include the ability to favorite apps, different themes, and much more. Simply right-click on an app and click 'Add To Favorites'. Favorited apps will have a star added to them and will appear on the dock at the
bottom of the page, to the right of the shortcuts. There is a new dock at the bottom of the page with shortcuts to common sections of My Apps like My Files, My Analytics, and Notes. Click HERE to read further about these new features.
6/2/20
Top Technology Questions for the Week
1. How can I make sure that my home internet is adequate to support a Google Meet?
A high-quality Google Meet call depends on several factors. The factors include the nature of the computing device, whether the computing device is up-to-date (discussed in last week's issue), and the internet connection speed.
To determine if your internet connection speed is adequate, check out the internet connection speeds from Netflix.
Notice that high quality Ultra HD video requires speeds up to 25 mbps. Right click on the link below to check in
a new tab your connection speed at Fast.com. When your result is displayed, click Show More Info to learn the details which will be useful to compare with Google's requirements below.
Below are the internet connection recommendations from Google. Notice that as more people join a call more bandwidth is required.
Standard definition (SD) video quality bandwidth requirements Latency should be less than 100 ms.
Outbound signals from a participant in all situations must meet a 1mbps bandwidth requirement.
Inbound signals depend on the number of participants:
1 mbps with 2 participants
1.5 mbps with 5 participants
2 mbps with 10 participants
HD quality video has greater bandwidth requirements.
2. How can I improve Google Meet quality if I discover I have a less robust internet connection?
Try the following during your Google Meet:
Ask students or participants when they are not talking to turn off their video.
Ask household family members who are streaming or using the wifi at the same time as your Google Meet to turn off the wifi on their
device. Reduce the number of simultaneous users of your home wifi.
When you run your Google Meet, sit close to your home router/modem where your home internet connection is the strongest rather than in a room or wing of your house with a weak internet connection.
3. If I am retiring or a student has told me that he or she is moving over the summer, how should a device be returned this summer?
All students and staff who plan to remain in the district this summer and during the 2020-2021 school year will keep their assigned device during the
summer. For staff who are retiring, or students or staff moving out of the district, devices should be returned to LP Wilson on a Tuesday (10-12) or Thursday (2-4). Click to sign up for a time:https://www.myconferencetime.com/windsorpd/schedule/403705
5/27/20
Top Technology Questions for the Week
More than 182 staff are using a device with an outdated operating system (OS) which will affect the performance of their district-issued device. See#1 below regarding how to the check your device's OS and update it, if necessary.
1. My device is running poorly. I think I need a new device. What are some steps I can take to keep my computer, Chromebook, or laptop running
optimally?
A. Check to see if the Operating System (OS) of your district device is up-to-date to version 83. On a Chromebook, click in the lower right on the CLOCK. Click on the GEAR. In the menu on the left, at the bottom, click ABOUT CHROME OS. If your OS, is not up-to-date, click RELAUNCH.
On a computer/laptop, in the upper right of the Chromebrowser, click on the "3 DOTS". Scroll down and click on SETTINGS. In the menu on the left, at the bottom, click ABOUT CHROME OS. If your OS, is not up-to-date, click RELAUNCH.
B. Sign out of and shut down your devices. Power down your home wifi. Turn it back on and reconnect.
2. How can I play a video for my students during a Google Meet?
You can play a video for your students during a Google Meet using these steps.
Prior to the meet, open the video that you want to share with your students in a NEW TAB.
During the Google Meet, when you want to share your video, click at the bottom of the window on PRESENT NOW.
Click on A CHROME TAB. Then in the list of your tabs, select your desired video, and click SHARE.
3. How can I more easily communicate with students who are in my caseload? (Gr. 3-8)
To facilitate easier communication between educators in Pupil Services and students in their caseloads, email for students in grades 3-8 has been enabled so that teachers and students can email each other. Students may not send or receive email to or from outside our windsorct.org domain.
More than 182 staff are using a device with an outdated operating system (OS) which will affect the performance of their district-issued device. See
#1 regarding how to the check your device's OS and update it, if necessary.
5/19/20
Top Technology Questions for the Week
1.How can I restore a tab that I accidentally closed?
It is easy to accidentally close a tab and lose the web
page you were browsing. But you can easily restore a
tab you just browsed in Chrome in a few different
ways:
A. In the tab bar at the top of the window, right-
click on the + and choose reopen closed tab.
B. Use the following keyboard commands:
Ctrl+Shift+T (PC) or Command+Shift+T (Mac).
C. In upper right of window, click on "3 dots",
click on History and see list of pages by
device under Recently Closed.
2. What's a creative way that students can show their learning?
We have a district license to Book Creator. Book
Creator is not just for elementary students. It is a
simple tool for creating awesome digital books in any
subject or grade level. Students can combine text,
images, audio, and video to demonstrate their learning.
Students can make digital portfolios, interactive
stories, learning journals, comic books, books in
various languages, research reports -- the list is
endless. More adventurous students can embed G
Suite documents, forms, maps, and other interactive
content directly into their books. When finished,
students can share their books with family and friends
using a private link. Students are fantastically
motivated when they know they are writing for an
audience beyond the classroom! You can find Book
Creator in your ClassLink account. Just click on the tile
and choose Teacher and Sign In with Google. To see
how to get started, watch this 2 minute video.
https://vimeo.com/220782126
3.What is an easy way to show narration to Google Slides?
There is more than one way to narration to Google
Slides, but one of the easiest ways for both you and
your students to add narration is to use Online Voice
Recorder. Online Voice Recorder is free and can be
used on a Chromebook, PC, or Mac. Follow the steps
below to get started:
A. Go to https://online-voice-recorder.com/
B. In the blue rectangle, click on the white gear to
allow access to your microphone.
C. To record, click on the red microphone to start
recording.
D. To stop recording, click the red button again.
Then click SAVE to choose where to download
your file.
E. Watch this video to show how to use with
Google Slides.
5/13/20
Top Technology Questions for the Week
1. When presenting in Google Meet, how can I see both the tab with my students as well as the tab of what I am presenting when I only have one computer monitor?
The solution to this is to use the new Chrome
extension, Dualless. Dualless allows you to view two
tabs from one monitor when you are in a Google
Meet. Dualless means your are "dual monitorless".
Dualless is a window splitter. You can see the new
Dualless extension to the left of your face icon when
logged in to Chrome. To learn more about how to use
Dualless in Meet, watch the last 4 minutes of the
linked video clip. Thank you, Sage Park, for requesting
Dualless.
https://youtu.be/dw1rVmDc6mc?t=699
2. In Google Meet, how can I see all of my students?
The solution to this is to use the new Chrome
extension, Grid View. Grid View makes it possible to
see all of your students on-screen. It is also pushed out
to students but is not recommended for instruction
because it can interfere with students' ability to see a
large version of your presentation screen. However,
Grid View is useful for activities that are more social.
To learn more about how to use Grid View in Google
Meet, watch the first 4 minutes of this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=dw1rVmDc6mc&feature=youtu.be&t=699
3. Are your eyes tired from screen time?
To combat eye fatigue, staff can add the Blue
Light Filter Guard Chrome extension. The
extension allows the staff member to apply
low brightness and mild color filters, so that eyes
are less prone to fatigue.
Mode
1)Green:
Increase Comfort
2)Brown:
Increase contrast
3)Gray:
Decrease brightness
4. What is a creative way that students can show their learning?
Try FlipGrid. Your students can create short videos on
classroom topics. FlipGrid has pledged compliance
with CT student data privacy. After you create an
educator account with your Windsor Google account,
you can click on the link in ClassLink and tupe in your
Google login. Click to get started.
5/7/20
Tips for recording synchronous learning:
- Record each session of synchronous learning. Please keep in mind that students’ faces should not be recorded. In order to record a session without students, please PIN yourself. The pin icon
- is located in the top right hand corner of your google Meet screen. Please practice this before your first live session.
- Once recorded you can simply place the session in your Google Classroom for the students who were not able to attend. The entire session does not have to be recorded...be selective. Record parts of the session that you feel will enhance students' understanding of the content if they missed the session.
4/27/20
What is the easiest way to Live Stream a class? Use Google Meet integration with Google Classroom (click on this link for a video of the steps below.)
1. Navigate to one of your Google Classrooms.
2. In the upper right, click on the GEAR.
3. Scroll down to General, and see Meet.
4. Click GENERATE MEET LINK. This will create a unique meet for your class that you can use over and over. Notice that the toggle switch below turns blue to turn on the Meet link visibility for your students. They will now see the link on the STREAM and CLASSWORK pages.
5. Click SAVE in the top right.
6. When it is time to start your Meet with your students, just click on the new Meet link next to the join code at the top of your page in Classroom and then click JOIN. Run your Meet as your normally would.
7. When you are done with your Meet, make sure that all of your students have left the Meet before you do.
8. The Meet link in Google Classroom is special in that it does not allow students to access the Meet until you do, and if you are the last person to leave your Meet, your students cannot re-enter without you.
9. Only teachers can record Google Meets.
10. If you are recording the lesson for students who were unable to attend, focus on recording only the lesson to avoid recording specific students.
4/24/2020
Teacher Tips for Google Meet
How can I make a Screencastify video recording for my students?
4/1/2020
All teachers who use Zoom: Beware of "Zoombombing".
Here is an article about it from EdSurge:
Here are some strategies that a Windsor High teacher is using to guard against this hazard in Zoom.
- use a waiting room
- verify it is the real student by using goGuardian and requiring chromebook usage.
- generating new meeting id for each meeting
- make sure guests cannot invite other guests (starting tomorrow-just found this option)
In addition, if you haven't already, you might also try Google Hangouts Meet. Google has been making updates to help teachers. To get started with Google Hangouts Meet, please check the links on the EdTech Distance Learning Tips website. Scroll down to the section on Google Hangouts Meet.
https://sites.google.com/windsorct.org/wpsedtech/distance-learning
Girls Who Code at Home
https://girlswhocode.com/code-at-home/
3/31/2020
SCHOLASTIC TrueFlix (Grades 3+) - FREE ACCESS through April:
https://digital.scholastic.com/site/launch/tfx?ucn=642726498
Nonfiction science and social studies ebooks.
Username and password are available here or you can email your librarians.
3/27/2020
World Language Teachers
All teachers: Over 1000 nonfiction interactive books available on Follett eLearning. Click HERE to access Follett eLearning. Link and passwords are on our Databases and Electronic Resources page. Shannon Miller's Blogpost explains how it works. Ask your librarians if you have any questions.
3/26/2020
Language Arts teachers, Scholastic has put together weekly resources for you. Check them out!
https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome/grades-6-12.html
World Language Teachers and teachers that use nonfiction picture books: you can send students links to nonfiction digital picture books. Students can read the books on the screen or have them read aloud. Click on the link to access the library. http://www.uniteforliteracy.com/?LangId Books can be read aloud in many languages, text available in English and Spanish.
Teachers and Admins, Google Hangouts Meet is now available for students.
To get started, please check out the links in 4th section down on the newly designed Educational Technology Department website>Distance Learning Tips for Teachers.
https://sites.google.com/windsorct.org/wpsedtech/distance-learning
3/25/2020
Language Arts Teachers needing a classroom set of audiobooks/ebooks can use Junior Library Guild for free. Click on Borrow Ebooks tab above.
3/24/20
Monitoring on Moby- Tips to help monitor your students while using Moby
Free Interactive Science eBooks for Grades 6-12
3/23/20
Check out Google Teach From Home for lots of online learning and teaching tools.
Here's how students can join a Google Classroom without access to email. You can email this Google Document link to parents: Students Joining A Class in Google Classroom without email.
Video Help
Here are directions (only 2 pages): How to save a video to your very own school YouTube channel so you can share it with families and students.
Video etiquette: You should avoid downloading and re-uploading videos to your channel that are copyrighted material. If someone else made the video, you should just link to it.
Uploading Videos to Google Classroom
If you have recorded a video of any kind that you want to share with students on Google Classroom, you do NOT have upload it to youtube first.
Simply create an assignment and attach the video like you would a document right in Google classroom.
However, it defaults to 'only those with a windsorct.org address can view.' in most cases. To fix so all can see (including students who log on with a personal account or parents who want to view):
-Click on the three vertical dots in top right after opening the video file in Drive
-Go to the SHARE options
-Click on ADVANCED in bottom right (its small)
-SELECT - 'anyone in public can view." Its not searchable, its not on youtube, so only those that have access to your Google classroom will realistically see it.
3/20/20
Please direct all questions related to distance learning to the Distance Learning Help Desk. Instructional Services will monitor the help desk.
There are distance learning guidelines and a presentation for teachers linked below (from Dr. Oliver).
Distance Learning Guidelines Google Doc WPS Distance Learning Guidance 3.20.20 Google Presentation
Instructional Services Team:
Santosha Oliver, Ph.D. - Assistant Superintendent for Instructional Services
Noha Abdel-Hady - STEM Director
Bonnie Fineman - Arts & Humanities Director
Katrina Wicks - Information and Technology Director
www.windsorct.org > Distance Learning
3/19/20
Have you set up a Google Classroom since training last Tuesday, March 10?
If so, you may have been struggling with the Google Classroom Guardian Invite error. Google is aware of this issue.
To resolve this error or glitch, the teacher must do the following:
- Delete your students from your Google Classroom roster
- Delete your guardians from your Google Classroom roster.
- Re-add your students to your Google Classroom roster or send them a Join code
- Then ask students to accept the invitation to your Google Classroom
- Then you can re-add your parent/guardian emails and send them an invitation to receive updates from your Google Classroom