February 2023

Tech Tips

Helpdesk

Instruction

Tech Tools

Skyward

Shout Outs!

Let's Celebrate Black History Month!

Welcome to Black History Month! This is a time for reflecting, learning, uplifting, and celebrating. We wanted to highlight a couple of resources to help you do just those things. First up, we have the collection Black History & Culture available through Google Arts and Culture. Google has collaborated with many museums and organizations to bring us a rich, interactive experience. From past to present to future, through history, art, pop culture, and more, there’s many avenues to explore in their collection. Another resource we would like to highlight is Google's Most Searched project. In this resource, icons and moment that have been search more than any other in the United States are highlighted and celebrated. You can watch the video to the right and read more about the project from the link below.

Black History & Culture curated by Google Arts & Culture

The Most Searched Project by Google

Helpdesk

Chrome as Default Browser

As a Google-focused school district, we spend most of our day in Google Apps, the Chrome browser, and Chrome OS. As such, Google Chrome is now the default browser on all Windows computers. We will not remove Edge or any other browser installed, but staff using other browsers may experience confusion as web links open in Chrome instead of Edge.

This will also help with a smoother transition when certificated staff receive their new Chromebook and want their desktop experience to sync with their Chromebook. Students should already be using Google Chrome and should not experience any issues.

See this help document for further details of transitioning to Chrome.

Turning Off Automatic Online (Teams) Meeting in Outlook Calendar Invitations

Is your Outlook Calendar automatically generating an online Teams meeting? Here is how to turn that setting off in the Outlook web-app!

Instruction

March 18th, 2023 - Auburn Riverside High School - 8:30am-3:30pm

$150 Stipend - 7 STEM Clock Hours - Lunch Included

Keynote Speaker - Jerome Morrison

We are very pleased to announce that the keynote speaker for Tech Connect 2023 is Jerome Morrison. Jerome is a former teacher and current design-technologist at Meow Wolf -- a place where art, storytelling, and interactive technology come together to create new worlds (imagine if Disneyland and an art gallery had a baby). He will talk about how everything is a design experience, from our lesson plans to our school buildings, and how we can use these experiences to provide greater autonomy for our students.

Check out Jerome's video for code.org to see his work in action!

Register Now!

Are you interested in attending Tech Connect 2023? Click the button below to sign-up. Later this month, we will send out a list of sessions and directions on how to build your schedule.

Tech Connect Registration

New Primary Digital Citizenship Resources

If you're a primary teacher, you're in luck! Both Seesaw and Common Sense Media have new resources to support you in engaging your students in Digital Citizenship learning. Seesaw Library has a series of lessons with activities called, "Digital Leadership with Bean." Each lesson provides you with standards aligned lesson plans and ready to go student-facing resources. Common Sense Media recently released their new series of K-2 lesson plans titled, "Meet the Digital Citizens!" These lessons are designed to help our littlest learners understand the foundational digital citizenship concepts. Visit the links below to explore the resources more.

Seesaw Library's Bean is a Digital Leader

Common Sense Media's Meet the Digital Citizens

Google Docs Smart Chips

Copy of Dropdown List in Google Docs - Google Docs.mp4

Have you ever wanted to make drop down boxes in Google Docs? You can use them so students can quickly fill in the blanks. You can use them to have students self-assess themselves on rubrics. The word boxes can even be different colors. There is a new feature in Google Docs called Smart Chips. Watch the video or look at the help doc to learn more about Smart Chips.

Thanks to ITSS Thomas Olson for this great Tech Tip!

Tech Tools

Canva for Education

Do you wish you were a graphic designer, and could make amazing-looking graphics for your classroom, presentations, and documents? Canva is a tool that can make that a reality, and the premium education version is now available for all Auburn staff and students!

Simply go to www.canva.com and sign in with your Auburn Google account to get started designing your next project, whether it be a poster, whiteboard, presentation, video, or even a website.

Look for further training sessions on Canva in the near future, or contact your Tech Coach for more information.

Response Validation

Google Forms is continuing to expand the features available to teachers. Response validation is an option for short answer, paragraph, or checkbox in which a form creator can set parameters of what answers progress a participant through a Google Form. Questions can have a variety of drop down menu options that allow for a specific condition to occur. (i.e. If asking 7x6, only the answer 42 would progress the participant to the next question). This also includes an avenue to put a maximum or minimum character count in paragraph and short answer responses. Incorrect responses can also receive a custom error text to guide them in their acquisition of the needed response. Let the escape rooms commence!

Skyward

Print your W2 from Employee Access

If you opted out of a printed W2, you can review and print yours from Employee Access. Just log in and click on the tile.

Secondary Teacher Grade Changes

Teachers, do you need to make changes to Semester 1 grades? You can unlock a closed grading period and add grade changes.

Have you automated missing assignments? Learned how to lock your grading column? These videos and other secondary grading help documents can be found on our Google help sites.

Immunization Records Translated

School office staff, nurses and health techs can use the newly created Immunization Records Translation Request form to send in Immunization Records that need to be translated. Just fill out the short form and upload a copy of the immunization record that needs translation. Please allow up to two weeks for processing.

Shout Outs!

Girls Who Code at Alpac

In 1995, 37% of computer scientists were women. Today, it’s only 24%. It is the mission of Girls Who Code to provide opportunities to combat this trend by providing clubs for students to explore coding in a fun & friendly environment. Participants are able to join a sisterhood of supportive peers and role models using computer science to change the world. With the support of their school community, Alpac Elementary is offering a Girls Who Code before school program to students in 3rd-5th grades. Way to go All-Stars!

Cubetto

Cubetto is one of the robots available for checkout. Geared toward primary students, it's cute as a button and instantly engaging. Its unique form of physical coding keeps students active while teaching coding, problem solving, and computer science skills. Here are some pictures of Cubetto in action in Ms. Monroe's classroom at Chinook.