ClickNotes
The Technology Services Department is excited to introduce ClickNotes! This site will serve as another avenue for sharing the amazing uses of technology around our district and communicating any district technology updates.
ClickNotes will provide monthly highlights of classroom technology integration, useful resources, support links and tools to support and enhance learning.
Technology Integration Around BPS
Want to share how you are integrating technology? Send a photo or video clip (10-60 sec.) with a description to allewellyn@birmingham.k12.mi.us
asl_vid.mp4Mr. Finn's high school American Sign Language students use Flipgrid to record their signing. Mr. Finn and classmates can view and reply via video recording through the Flipgrid app (which is free). In this example, students created a story using "seasons" and "days of the week" words and wrote it in English. They then recorded the story in ASL. What a great way to share and document growth over time.
Mrs. Levitt's 5th graders at GREENFIELD Elementary learn about the Declaration of Independence through the interactive features of Nearpod. Student answers are immediately available. The lesson can be done self-paced or as a whole group.
Sarah Sindelar, DERBY School Librarian, collaborated with Cally Marcuson and the Engage class to begin creating student Google Sites course portfolios. Students learned how to properly incorporate images with Creative Commons licenses, cited their images in Noodletools, and started working on designing and creating their personal digital spaces.
Mrs. Passarelli's SEAHOLM and GROVES United Legacy ESports students were interviewed and filmed by FoxSports News. They used the Clevertouch board to dislpay a map of the game, League of Legends, and annotated the map discussing strategies. Look for the 5 minute segment Saturday, March 16th!
Ms. Schowalter, Mrs. Pettaway and Mrs. Zibell's Kindergarteners at BINGHAM FARMS use Seesaw to record and display their learning. Parents can see and comment on student postings. They are using Seesaw in all subject areas and the Kindergartners are becoming proficient in recording, drawing, and manipulating icons around the screen. This is a great way to share what's happening in school and to document learning over time!
Mrs. Butzin and Mrs. Frishman's 3/4 students at BCS use Google Classroom and Google Docs to organize their research. They include pictures, text, and links. Students have access to their research 24/7 and teachers can check in as they work, in real-time. They are growing Mint, Thyme, Parsley, Chives, Terragon, Oregano, Coriander, Dill, Marjoram and Basil without dirt through a verticle aeroponic growing system. Students are also utilizing Seesaw to record and share observations. The classes are able to grow plants in less than 3 square feet, indoors with grow lights!
News From Tech Services
Self Service Password Manager -New Tool from Technology Services!
Technology Services is always looking for ways to help our users get their issues resolved as quick as possible. One of the most common requests we get is to help staff members reset their passwords because they have been forgotten or expired. This is especially common when users go away from the district for an extended period of time, like the upcoming Midwinter Recess. To help with this we have implemented a tool that will allow you to reset, unlock, or change your password on your own!
Like many other tools it can rely upon you setting up and answering verification questions or even utilize your cellphone to receive a secure PIN to use during the reset process. This will empower our users to take this task into their own hands and complete this process whenever it is needed or convenient!
We currently have 323 of our users successfully using this service!
The tool can be found by visiting this website from anywhere in the country, including your mobile phone.
https://password.birmingham.k12.mi.us
You will need to enroll yourself in the service before you have a need to use it. We recommend doing this as soon as possible. Directions to complete the enrollment process can be found here.
You may receive an email from the Helpdesk reminding you to enroll after 60 days if you have not completed the process. You will also now begin to receive emails from the Helpdesk 2 weeks before your password is set to expire reminding you to change it.
If you have any questions or concerns please let us know by contacting the Helpdesk or your building TOA directly.
Be Alert!
- Many of our district users are still receiving phishing attempt emails requesting network credentials, health information and in certain instances gift cards or money. Please be diligent in your inspection of the emails you receive and keep in mind that any emails that begins with our new message (see below) only displays from external senders.
- As our technology services team members move throughout the district we often notice users computers not locked when left unattended. Always keep in mind that this leaves you and the district vulnerable to individuals gaining access to areas of the network that you have unique permissions for or even our student information system PowerSchool. The fastest way to lock your Windows desktop or laptop is to hold the windows key and press the letter L or Ctrl-Alt-Delete and select Lock.
District Technology Support Resources
In an effort to provide on-demand district technology we are continuously adding valuable support documents, videos and links to resources specific to the technologies we provide for our BPS staff. We encourage you to take some time to review these resources and check back regularly for additions.
Click here to access the BPS Technology Services Department webpage.
Powtoon: Create animated videos and presentations. A library of characters, styles and backgrounds are available for use. Create tutorials, presentations, info-graphics and more. Communicate your ideas in an interactive, engaging manner through animation. (Click image to see example)
Mentimeter: use Mentimeter as an interactive component in any lesson and/or presentation. Create polls, surveys, open response questions, etc.. Results are displayed live. No downloads needed. Participants answer through a shared code. Answers can even be displayed as word clouds with higher frequency responses displayed in a larger font. Great formative assessment tool and discussion starter.
Nearpod: K-12 interactive lessons that provide real-time data. All subject areas including Digital Citizenship and virtual field trips are available. You can download lessons and modify for your needs or create your own from scratch. Embed video, images, text, polls, etc.. Student responses are immediately available and archived. Another wonderful formative assessment tool.
PD in 3! is another way to share resources, tools and integration ideas from staff across the district. A maximum of 5 presenters (Building Technology Resource Coaches) will each showcase a resource or tool they have integrated into their instruction. Each presenter will have only 3 minutes to demonstrate.
Tune in and watch LIVE at the above link and watch recorded sessions posted to the BPS website.
How do you like PD in 3! as another avenue to share technology integration across the district?
Feedback is welcome: allewellyn@birmingham.k12.mi.us
March 28, 2019 7:00 PM (3 minutes/demo.)
1.) Epic! Reading for Elementary Research & Self-Selected Reading (Elisabeth Stayer)
2.) YouTube: A teacher's best friend (Billy Jackson)
3.) Useful Google Extensions (Sherri Levitt)
4.) Follett Destiny Collections (Mignon Claybourne)
5.) Create reusable grading rubrics in Microsoft Teams (Pauline Roberts)
April 11, 2019 7:00 PM (3 minutes/demo.)
1.) Google Extensions for ALL students (Rebecca Daugherty)
2.) Create/set up an interactive notebook using Google Slides (Chelsea Gacki)
3.) Lan School- How to share teacher and student screens (Kimberly McManaman)
4.) Signing up for a free Autodesk Fusion360 education account (Mat Brown)
5.) Using Class Dojo for parent communication, helpful classroom tools (Heidi Keith)
Digital Citizenship In Action!
Elisabeth Stayer, Media Specialist at Harlan Elementary school
This month at Harlan Elementary, first graders learned about footprints that cannot easily be erased like those left in the sand or in the snow—their digital footprint. Using Nearpod to present the Common Sense Media lesson, “Follow the Digital Trail,” students acted as detectives trying to learn as much as they could about two animal characters posting information about themselves on a fictitious website. Students evaluated the posts made by the two animals to determine which had created the larger digital footprint. They came to understand quickly the different between personal and private information and the importance of using the internet in a safe, responsible, and respectful way that was mindful of their own digital footprint.
