New: Building Blocks in Google Slides

If you are like me, you may find yourself jumping for joy when you check out this new feature of Google Slides: building blocks. With little effort, you can upgrade the visual appeal, organization and interactivity of your slides.

where to find building blocks in Slides

Look at the variety of collections available, add them to your slide with one click.

categories of building blocks

Not only can it improve your slide decks, there are also lot of possibilities for student creativity and creation. Find more ideas for student projects on Matt Miller’s Ditch That Textbook site. https://ditchthattextbook.com/google-slides-building-blocks/

K-12 Digital Privacy: A Teacher’s Guide to Minimizing Student Risk

how to protect student data privacy

The Digital Tightrope: Balancing Tech and Student Privacy

We live in an age where technology is integral to education. From online learning platforms to digital tools that enhance classroom engagement, the benefits seem endless. However, educators must navigate a critical challenge: balancing the use of these technologies with the imperative to protect student digital privacy.

The Rising Tide of Digital Surveillance

It’s no secret that online activity is increasingly monitored. Government agencies and tech companies employ sophisticated methods to track and analyze online behavior, and students are not exempt. In fact, they may be particularly vulnerable. As educators, we must understand that the digital tools we use in the classroom can contribute to this landscape. Each platform students are required to sign up for:

  • Increases the amount of their data collected.
  • Presents complex terms of service that are hard to understand.
  • Creates more opportunities for data breaches.

Why Privacy Matters: More Than Just “Being Safe Online”

The implications of a student’s online presence go far beyond what they might realize. A single social media post, taken out of context, can have long-term consequences for their academic and professional future. We also need to consider the immediate impact on their well-being. Requiring students to juggle multiple online accounts can lead to:

  • Digital fatigue and overwhelm.
  • Wasted time spent on account management rather than learning.
  • Inequitable access for students lacking resources.
  • Eroded trust in the technologies we use.

Protecting Our Students: A Call to Action for Teachers

As teachers, we have a significant role in safeguarding our students’ digital well-being. This goes beyond basic internet safety; it requires a critical examination of our own practices. Here’s how we can make a difference:

  • Less is More: Before introducing a new platform, ask yourself: Is this absolutely essential? Are there alternative ways to achieve the same learning outcome? Does the district already pay for a tool that meets the same goal?
  • Prioritize Integrated Tools: Opt for learning management systems (Canvas LMS) or platforms that offer a variety of features in one place, rather than requiring multiple sign-ups. Ask your TIS, can Canvas do…?
  • Consider the Big Picture: Coordinate with colleagues and the tech department to minimize the total number of platforms students must use across all their classes.
  • Be Transparent: Explain to students (and parents) why a particular platform is necessary and what measures are in place to protect their data.
  • Empower Students: Teach students how to manage their online accounts responsibly, including creating strong passwords and understanding privacy settings.

Partnering with Your Technology Department

It’s important to recognize that school technology departments are also grappling with these issues. They are often tasked with both promoting innovative technology use and ensuring student data privacy. To navigate this balance effectively, reach out to your district’s tech integration specialist. They can provide valuable guidance on:

  • What platforms the district has already purchased or recommends.
  • Which tools align with district privacy policies.
  • Best practices for integrating technology in a safe and responsible manner.

By adopting a mindful approach to technology integration and collaborating with your technology department, we can harness its power without compromising our students’ privacy. Let’s work together to create a digital learning environment that is both effective and safe.

Did You Know? — Canvas Outcomes

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Tired of grades that feel more like a punishment than a reflection of learning? You’re not alone. Traditional grading practices often focus on points and compliance rather than mastery. But what if we could shift our focus to student growth and create a more equitable learning environment?

Enter Canvas Outcomes. This powerful feature within Canvas LMS allows teachers to define clear learning objectives, track student progress, and ensure that every child has the opportunity to demonstrate what they know.

Why Use Canvas Outcomes?

Canvas Outcomes provides a framework for aligning your instruction and assessment with specific learning goals. Here’s how it works:

  1. Define Learning Outcomes: Instead of just assigning points to assignments, identify the specific skills or knowledge you want students to acquire. These outcomes should be clear, measurable, and aligned with your standards.
    • Example: “Students will be able to analyze the main idea of a text and support it with evidence.”
  2. Align Assessments: Link your assignments, quizzes, and rubrics to these outcomes. This ensures that your assessments are directly measuring what students should be learning.
    • When creating a rubric, you can align specific criteria with an outcome, clearly showing students what they need to demonstrate.
  3. Track Student Progress: Canvas provides tools to monitor student progress toward mastery of each outcome. This data can inform your instruction and help you identify students who need additional support.
    • The Learning Mastery Gradebook provides a visual representation of student achievement for each outcome.
  4. Focus on Learning, Not Just Points: By aligning your grading with outcomes, you shift the focus from point accumulation to demonstrating mastery. This helps students see the purpose of their work and encourages them to take ownership of their learning.

Getting Started

Ready to give it a try? Here’s a step-by-step guide:

  1. Define Your Outcomes:
    • Go to the “Outcomes” section in your course.
    • Create your desired outcomes, ensuring they are specific and measurable.
  2. Align Outcomes with Assessments:
    • When creating or editing an assignment, quiz, or rubric, you can align it with the outcomes you’ve defined.
  3. Use the Learning Mastery Gradebook:
    • Enable the Learning Mastery Gradebook in your course settings.
    • Use this gradebook to monitor student progress on each outcome.
  4. Communicate with Students: Clearly explain the outcomes to your students and how their work will be assessed in relation to those outcomes.

Benefits

  • Increased Transparency: Outcomes make learning goals clear to both students and parents.
  • Improved Student Motivation: When students understand what they are working towards, they are more likely to be engaged.
  • Data-Driven Instruction: Canvas provides valuable data on student progress, allowing you to tailor your instruction to meet their needs.
  • More Equitable Grading: By focusing on mastery, you create a system that is more fair and less susceptible to bias.

Did You Know?

  • Canvas Outcomes can be aligned not only to individual assignments but also to entire rubrics, allowing for a more holistic assessment of student learning.
  • The Learning Mastery Gradebook can be customized to display different levels of achievement, such as “Exceeds Expectations,” “Meets Expectations,” and “Does Not Meet Expectations,” providing a more nuanced view of student progress.
  • Outcomes can be shared across courses and departments, promoting consistency and alignment in learning goals across the institution. Reach out to a TIS for more information on how we can support Outcome sharing.

Take the First Step

Integrating Canvas Outcomes into your classroom may seem daunting at first, but the shift towards focusing on learning objectives is well worth the effort. Start small, focus on one or two key outcomes, and gradually expand your use of this powerful tool.

Cybersecurity Notice: Fake CAPTCHA Attacks Targeting Trusted Websites

CAPTCHA examples

Many websites use CAPTCHA prompts (those small prompts asking you to confirm you’re not a robot) as a security measure. Unfortunately, malicious actors are now mimicking these prompts in a new method of attack that can compromise your computer with just a few keystrokes.

These fake CAPTCHA attacks are becoming more common and are quite effective because they often appear on websites that users trust, such as news and educational websites. The goal is to trick users into unknowingly run commands that install malicious software.

How the attack works

A user visits a legitimate website that has unknowingly allowed a malicious advertisement to be displayed through a 3rd party ad server. When the ad appears, the user is redirected to a maliciou site displaying a fake CAPTCHA. After a user clicks the CAPTCHA checkbox, a prompt appears asking them to press a combination of keys like WIN+R, CTRL+V and Enter (example below). 

fake captcha

These inputs launch a script on the user’s machine that silently downloads and installs malware. Because this attack mimics routine behavior and comes from sites that we normally trust, it can be quite deceptive. 

What should you do?

If a CAPTCHA prompt ever asks you to press keyboard shortcuts like WIN+R or CTRL+V, DO NOT follow these instructions. A legitimate CAPTCHA will never require keyboard input beyond clicking a checkbox, selecting images, typing characters or sliding. 

If you encounter any unusual prompts or website behavior, report it to technology right away. Quick reporting allows us to take immediate action and helps protect our staff, students, and community from these malicious actors.

In case you were wondering, (Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart).