Students: Technology to LEARN Online

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WORK at Learning to LEARN Online

In contrast to our normal face-to-face classroom, learning online requires hard work because you need to learn:
- New classroom rules
- New ways of interacting with your teacher
- New ways of interacting with your fellow students
- New academic requirements
- And many other new challenges
Therefore, you should expect that adapting to this new environment will require you to constantly be learning new skills and creating new ways to understand, organize and communicate knowledge.

Study Tips to SUCCEED as an Online Student

Here are quick summaries of various strategies you could use to make your time and effort at studying more efficient and therefore less time consuming and more effective and satisfying for you.

The first two videos are very simple overviews (each are 2 - 3 minutes long).

And the last two videos give a fuller explanation and more helpful tips (each are 6 - 9 minutes long).

DEVICE Set Up

Select Your BEST Electronic Device

- Though your cell phone can be a wonderful academic tool, yet it is better to select an electronic device that has a much larger screen and full and easily-used keyboard.
- If possible, use a separate keyboard and position it so that your arms are bent at a 90 degree angle.
- You are now able to lift up your monitor so that it is at eye-level and will prevent straining your neck by constantly bending your head down.
- If possible, use a separate mouse so that put it at a comfortable position for your hand.

PRINTER

- Seek to obtain access to a printer with sufficient blank paper.
- At times, it will likely be a great benefit if you are able to have a hard copy of critical notes/references on which you can physically write instead of having merely a soft copy on your screen.
- A picture of these notes may be graded for participation. If you are unable to print the notes/references, then you will need to create your own notes on a blank sheet of paper and do your best to capture the most important information.

Obtain Reliable INTERNET and WiFi Service

- Comcast is providing two months of free internet access to your home.
  - Eligible households without internet access are encouraged to apply online at Internet Essentials by Comcast.
- Xfinity WiFi hotspots in out-of-home locations will be available for free for anyone.
  - They are both indoors and outdoors in places like shopping districts, parks, businesses, and train stations will be open.
  - Hotspots located in customers’ homes are not opened to the public.
  - How to find and connect to public Xfinity WiFi hotspots (English, Spanish)
- Comcast is also giving all their customers Unlimited data for no additional charge.

Internet CONNECTIVITY Tips

- Completely shut down your device at the end of the day by turning off the power which is different than putting it into sleep mode or closing the lid.
- Clear the cache each morning. On a PC, this may look like an EASY button. On a ChromeBook, it is the red SIGN OUT button.
- Make sure you are using the Chrome browser, and that you are signed in using your District account. This video speaks to teachers, but it also applies to students.
- Some students are experiencing faster internet speeds when using a PC or tablet in comparison to a ChromeBook.
- Try using an incognito window (see video below).
- Instead of your internet speed, the problem might be with the speed of site you are accessing. Typically from 11 am to 3 pm are the most difficult times to connect to educational sites as both east and west coast schools are in session.
- Run a speed test for your home's WiFi.
- Close other non-essential tabs on your computer.
- Turn off other non-essential devices that are also using and slowing down your WiFi.
- If you are using a device other than a Chromebook, make sure that other people are not signed into that the device.

incognito window.mp4

How to Open an Incognito Chrome Window

SIGN into Your CHROME Web Browser

- When you log into a Chromebook, you are also automatically signing into the Chrome browser with you District Google account.
- But if you are using your personal device, you will need to take specific steps to do this.
- Make sure that you are using Google’s Chrome browser and not another browser such as Microsoft’s Edge or Internet Explorer.
- If the face icon at the very top right of your Chrome browser window is not your own, then click on it.
- At the very bottom of the drop down menu, click “Add”.
- Type your first name and then also “District” to identify this profile as your school account and click “Add”.
- Click on your icon at the very top right of the window, then click on “Turn on sync…”.
- Sign into your District Google account by entering your student email address of “s________@stu.palmbeachschools.org”.
- Click on “Log in using the District Portal”, then sign into the District portal in the normal way of using “s” and your student number and your District password.
- Accept the prompt to link your data between the Chrome browser on this particular computer to your District Google account.
- The video below speaks to teachers, but it also applies to students.

Signing into Portal and Chrome.webm

How to Sign Into Your Chrome Browser

Create Personal BOOKMARKS in Your Chrome Web Browser

- Personal bookmarks allow you to easily get to your commonly used websites.
- Create a bookmark folder for each of your classes and place into them the Google Classroom and other websites that you will commonly be using for each of those classes.
- Right click and “Pin” tabs that you don’t want to accidently close.

Manage TABS in Your Chrome Web Browser

- Ctrl + Tab to switch between individual tabs of your current window.
- When you have more than one tab open in a Chrome browser, you can tear off a tab to put it into its own separate window.
- Alt + Tab to switch between open windows.

Create a SPLIT Screen

This allows you to view two different windows at the same time.

Chromebook TIPS and TRICKS

- Attach a wired mouse to give you greater control over the pointer, especially when drawing in Kami.
- To open the “right-click” drop down box, simultaneously tap two fingers lightly on the mouse pad.
- Full screen of your current window: On a Chromebook, push the top-row button which is above the number 5 button or on a laptop or desktop Windows environment, push the top-row F11 button.
- Zoom entire Window: Ctrl + “+” or “-” or “0” 100%
- Zoom document View: Ctrl + Alt + “+” or “-” or “[” Fit
- Chromebook keyboard shortcuts (click the link to show an entire listing of them)
  - - CTRL + / (same key as the ?)
      - to open the Keyboard shortcuts window while in Google Docs, Slides or Sheets.
    - Basic Keyboard Shortcuts
      - CTRL + Z = Undo
        CTRL + X = Cut
        CTRL + C = Copy
        CTRL + V = Paste

Take a SCREENSHOT

- On a Chromebook
  - Your screenshot is automatically saved as a PNG file. To see this file, open the “Files” app and go to the “Downloads” folder under “My files”. This file can be uploaded into a Google Classroom assignment or attached to an email. Regularly delete old screenshots from your “Downloads” folder to prevent slowing down your Chromebook.
  - If you want to paste a screenshot into an application (e.g., Gmail, Google Doc, Google Slides, etc.), you must first click “COPY TO CLIPBOARD” in the message box that appears at the bottom right of your screen immediately after taking a screenshot.
  - See video tutorial below.
- In Windows 10
  - Your screenshot is automatically copied to your Windows clipboard and is available to be pasted into another application. Note that your clipboard only holds your most recent screenshot.
  - If you want to create a PNG file that can be uploaded into a Google Classroom assignment or attached to an email, open the Paint program (included with Windows) by opening Search (the magnifying glass at the bottom left of your screen) and typing “Paint”. Then paste your screenshot and save this PNG in a convenient location from which you can upload it.
  - See video tutorial below.

Upload a PICTURE of Your Paper to Google Classroom

- If your teacher wants a picture of your written work, the easiest way is to use your mobile device (e.g., an Android or iOS cell phone or tablet).
- Install the Google Classroom app onto your mobile device.
- Touch the menu icon at the top left to ensure you are signed into your District account or “Add Account”.
- Go to the particular assignment for which you want to upload a picture of your work.
- Slide up from the bottom of the “Your work” tray and select “Add attachment”.
- If you’ve already taken a picture, then touch “File”. Otherwise, touch “Take photo”.
- “Add a private comment” if you’d like and then touch “Turn in”.

VIDEO Conferencing

Create a Webcam COVER

- Create a physical cover over your camera that can be easily removed and replaced.
- In order to protect the privacy for both you and your family, it is recommended that you leave your camera physically covered except for those particular times that you want to use it.

Test Your WEBCAM and Microphone

- During video conferencing, you will need to use both the webcam and the microphone of the devices you will be using.
- If you are using a desktop computer, it is especially important for you to set it up and test it beforehand.
- One way to test them is by going to https://webcammictest.com/.

Obtain EARBUDS or Headphones

- When you are speaking in a video conference, your voice will be clearer if your audio comes through your earbuds instead of through your speakers.
- Note that even if your earbuds have an embedded microphone, your Chromebook/laptop will continue using your Chromebook/laptop’s microphone and your desktop will continue using your webcam’s microphone.

Video Conferencing ETIQUETTE

- In order to show your respect for your teacher and classmates and to also help you shift your mindset from entertainment to education, wear the same quality of shirt that you would at school.
- Please turn on your webcam during our live classes.
  - It helps us to connect together as a learning community.
  - It gives your teacher immediate non-verbal feedback which allows him/her to adjust the presentation to better meet your needs.
  - It gives you a greater sense of accountability and thereby makes it easier for you to pay attention and to actively participate and not be distracted by doing other activities.
- Before entering the meeting, mute your microphone.
  - Since only one person can speak at a time and to prevent your background noise from distracting the meeting, keep your microphone muted until you need to say something.
  - Have a pair of earbuds/headphones available to use in order to actively participate in group discussions without creating reverb between your speaker and microphone.
- Using Chat:
  - Ask your teacher if he/she will be monitoring the chat to receive your questions and/or comments.
  - Ensure that your messages are appropriate and useful for educational purposes.
  - Everything you type into the chat box becomes school property and can be traced back to you for disciplinary actions when necessary.

JOIN a Google Meeting Using ANY Device

- Your teacher must be the one who initiates the Google Meeting.
- If you are using a desktop, laptop or Chromebook:
  - Ensure you are signed into your Google Chrome browser with your District Google account.
  - For a particular scheduled meeting, follow the link given to you by your teacher.
  - For a regularly occurring Google Meet, go to the Google Meet home screen and type in that teacher’s ongoing meeting code (Mr. Evans’ meeting code is “evansgeo”).
- If you are using a mobile device (cell phone, iPad, tablet, etc.):
  - Go to your device’s app store and install the Google Meet app.
  - Touch the menu icon at the top left to ensure you are signed into your District account or “Add Account”.
  - Follow the link given by your teacher.
  - Or enter the meeting code given by your teacher (Mr. Evans’ meeting code is “evansgeo”)

Select the SPOTLIGHT Layout in Google Meet

OTHER Userful Technologies

Edit a PDF Using KAMI

- Kami is an extension in your Google Chrome browser that allows view and edit PDFs.
- PDF is a file format that freezes the document into an image that looks like a printed document.
- In your Google Chrome browser, open a new tab and search for “Chrome Web Store Kami”
- Click the blue button “Add to Chrome”, then “Add extension” and notice that the Kami icon now appears in the top right of your browser.
- When you open a pdf file and hover your pointer to the top of the page, you can select the blue button “Open with Kami”.
- Click “Allow Google Drive” and select your District Google account.
- Once you annotate the document and when asked, allow Kami to save to your Google Drive.
- When using the drawing tool, you can gain greater control by clicking “Zoom” at the top right of the window and magnifying the document.
- When working on a PDF obtained from an Assignment in Google Classroom:
  - If you are not yet finished annotating the PDF, it is OK to close that browser tab. You can return to your annotated file by refreshing your Google Classroom browser and opening that PDF again.
  - When you are finished editing the PDF, click “Turn In” at the top right of the Kami window and close that browser tab. Your Assignment in Google Classroom has now been automatically marked as “Turned In”.

Kami Annotation and Presenting Tips.webm

Use Kami to Annotate and Present a PDF

Create Video Tutorials Using SCREENCASTIFY

Watch the Screencastify tutorial video and then install its extension into your Chrome browser.
Create a screen video in which you explain each step of this problem.
In the new Screencastify tab that appears after finishing your recording, click the blue “Copy shareable link” button.
You can now paste that link into such things as your assignment in Google Classroom and/or an email.

Find Your Assignments on KHAN Academy

Click the Khan Academy logo at the top of the page (see screenshot below).
Click Assignments under our class period.
Click the "Past" tab to view Assignments that were previously due.
At the bottom of this page, click "Next" if there is another page of assignments that were previously due.
Click the blue "Start" button for the assignment that is at the bottom of the list.
Whenever you'd like, you can return to this list to restart an unfinished assignment or to start the next one in the list.

Join Your Teacher's SMART Lesson

- Your teacher must first initiate a SMART Lesson.
- Ensure that you are signed into your Google Chrome browser with your District Google account.
- Into the omnibox of your Google Chrome browser, type “hellosmart.com”.
- Bookmark this page for future use.
- Click “SIGN IN”.
- “Sign in with Google” and select your District Google account.
- “Join a new class” and enter your teacher’s Class ID (Mr. Evans’ Class ID is 767 201).

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