March 2018

Drive File Stream

The Department of Technology has rolled out Drive File Stream to all district PCs to allow you to sync the contents of your cloud Google Drive to your computer. Google Drive File Stream is for Windows PCs and laptops only. (Your Google Drive and Team Drive are still accessed via Chrome on Chromebooks.) Google officially retired Google Drive for My PC, the previous syncing tool, on Monday, March 12th.

What can Drive File Stream do for you?

Open and Save files directly to the cloud using the “H: Drive”
Open non-Google files (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, .pdf, etc.) using the correct application instead of a viewer
Browse and organize your Google files using Windows File Explorer
Access files from My Drive and Team Drive
Avoid time consuming data backups and restores when your PC needs to be reloaded or replaced

If you did not choose to download Drive File Stream when it was pushed to your computer, you may still do so. To load Google Drive File Stream on your PC, please click on the up-arrow in the bottom right-hand corner next to the clock, click on the Google Drive File Stream icon (blue with a white triangle) and sign-in. Click "ALLOW" and the download will complete on its own. Answers to common questions about Google Drive File Stream can be found here.

Tech Tips

Improved Accessibility

In January, Google announced improved accessibility features for Sheets, Slides, and Drawings. These improvements include adding Braille display support for Sheets and screen magnifiers for Slides and Drawings.

Click here to learn how to use the Braille display.

Click here to learn how to use the screen magnifier.

Credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sunraven0/5451897212/

Online Modules Feature: Teachers and Students Can Use Google Sheets

Don’t forget clock hours are available for anywhere, anytime learning through Online Modules! Grow your knowledge base and learn how to become more efficient in your workflow and instruction. We have 21 different online learning modules with recent additions in STEM and Inclusive Technology Integration. Take on Google Sheets to grow your and your students' skills in use of data. In this module you will learn and be able to teach students how to enter and organize data; use the formatting toolbar; create charts and graphs; employ basic formula functions; sort and filter data; and incorporate add-ons of interest. Contact your ITSS to help get started and join your colleagues in this self-paced professional development!

Instruction

Embed from the Web in New Google Sites

Google recently added the ability to embed code in the New Google Sites. This allows you to embed media into your site with a simple copy and paste of the embed code. Embed videos, Twitter feeds, publications, and much more. To get started, select Embed from the Insert menu and choose Embed Code. For more details, visit the Help Center.

Classic Google Sites will be going away in Fall 2018. To get a jump start on creating your teacher pages in new Google Sites or learning how to integrate Google Sites into lessons with students, please contact your building ITSS, Michael Fitzgerald (wfitzgerald@auburn.wednet.edu), or Jen Classen (jclassen@auburn.wednet.edu).

Adobe Spark

Adobe Spark is a free online and mobile Graphic Design tool and app that teachers and students can use to easily create videos, single web pages, and images. Students and teachers can easily create content for any project or assignment such as book trailers or reviews, advertisements, timelines, and much more. Students can even quickly voice over specific parts of a video or embed their own videos.

Note: At this time Adobe Spark should only be used with students 13 years of age or older. Adobe did announce that starting Fall of 2018 they will be opening up an account that is free to teachers and students and removes the age of use restriction.

Data Security

Between attending NCCE in February and/or #techconnect 3.0 at the end of March, you may be discovering new tools and resources that you want to use in your classroom. Prior to using a tool, please refer to the User/Data Agreement Inventory to see if a tool has been reviewed. If the tool or resource you would like to use is not listed, please fill out the Terms of Service Request form and we will get it reviewed as quickly as possible.

Shout Out!

Digital Citizenship: Internet Safety Presentations at Mt. Baker M.S.

The Auburn School District is partnering with the Auburn Police Department (APD) to discuss Internet Safety with students and parents. As part the of Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, the APD and their detectives are presenting information to students to help them protect themselves online in the present and in the future. Evening presentations to parents help them to know what to look for and how to start conversations with their kids. Shout Out to Greg Brown, Mt. Baker Middle School principal, for bringing this valuable presentation to his community. If you would like to bring the APD and the ICAC presentations to your school, please contact Doug Gonzales.

Community Involvement: Merrill Gardens support

Shout Out to Dave Hoskin, librarian at Pioneer Elementary School, who is volunteering at Merrill Gardens, a senior living facility in downtown Auburn, to help organize the collection of books offered at this Auburn senior community. Merrill Gardens requested assistance from our experienced teachers to catalog and archive literature in support of their efforts to provide exposure to expansive text beyond the classroom.

Report abuse