Google Docs: A New Tab on Efficiency!

Google Docs has just rolled out an awesome new feature that will revolutionize the way you organize your documents. Similar to the tabs you use in Google Sheets, you can now add multiple sections to a single Doc. This means less clutter, fewer files to manage, and a more streamlined workflow. See the image below to locate the feature.

location of doc tabs on menu

Whether you’re a teacher, administrator, or simply looking to boost your productivity, tabbed documents offer a world of possibilities. Imagine organizing lesson plans, student portfolios, or group projects into a single, well-structured document. You can even create separate tabs for different drafts of a research paper or compile past newsletters into a single resource.

If you want to take a look at how it looks, make a copy of this tabbed document demo made by John Sowash, creator of the Chromebook Classroom blog. You can read his post about this feature, here. While you are there, check out his blog, I just learned you can now add a star rating in Google Forms.

New Feature: Classwize Focus Library

focus mode options

Focus Plans are a new feature in Classwize that allow teachers to curate and save lists of online resources for students to use during class. This exciting addition to Classwize can help teachers create more focused and engaging learning experiences by:

  • Minimizing Distractions: Teachers can use Focus Plans to restrict student internet access to a specific set of websites, applications, or online tools relevant to the lesson or activity. This helps eliminate distractions from non-educational websites and apps, keeping students on track and engaged in the learning process.
  • Promoting Responsible Technology Use: By providing students with a pre-selected list of trustworthy and educational resources, Focus Plans encourage responsible online behavior and digital citizenship. Teachers can curate resources that align with their curriculum goals and ensure students are accessing high-quality, age-appropriate content.
  • Saving Time and Effort: Once created, Focus Plans can be easily reused across multiple classes and lessons, saving teachers valuable time and effort. This allows teachers to focus on delivering engaging instruction and interacting with students, rather than constantly managing internet access.

How to Create a Focus Plan:

Creating a Focus Plan in Classwize is simple and intuitive:

  1. Go to Classwize > Focus Library.
  2. Select Create Focus.
  3. Enter a Name for your plan.
  4. In the Resources field, start typing the website, application, or URL you want to include.
    • Classwize provides a dropdown menu with suggestions, making it easy to find and select the desired resource.
  5. Add as many resources as needed to your Focus Plan.
  6. Choose whether to have Classwize Open tabs for each resource or simply close all other tabs that are not included in the plan.
  7. Select Save Focus to save your plan or Save & Create New to create another plan.

With its ease of use and powerful functionality, the new Focus Plans feature in Classwize is a valuable tool for teachers looking to enhance their classroom management strategies and promote a more focused and productive digital learning environment.

Find more information about Focus Mode in our Classwize Tech Guide.

Consult Classwize’s guide to creating a Focus Plan and adding to your Focus Library.

NotebookLM: The AI Assistant Revolutionizing K-12 Education

Decorative blog

NotebookLM is an innovative tool that can greatly enhance teaching and learning in K-12 classrooms. This powerful AI-driven platform allows teachers to upload a variety of source materials, including Google Docs, Slides, PDFs, text files, and web pages. Once uploaded, NotebookLM generates a comprehensive guide with summaries, key topics, and thought-provoking questions to help students engage with the material.  By leveraging NotebookLM’s ability to synthesize information and provide insightful guidance, K-12 teachers can create a more engaging and effective learning environment for their students.

Not only that, but it can generate a deep dive conversation (sounds like a podcast conversation) to share with students. Take a look at the screenshot below that shows some of items Notebook LM can create.

Notebook LM capabilities

Be aware, due to terms of service students cannot interact with these notebooks. However, you can take the resources it creates and copy them to a Google doc. Audio overviews can be downloaded and shared with students.

Want to learn more?

Submit a tech ticket to get in touch with a Technology Integration Specialist if you have additional questions.

Create a Screencast in Google Slides

introducing Google slides

Google recently added the ability to make a video recording of your Google Slides directly with in their platform. You can record up to 30 minutes, but keep in mind that viewership and attention go down significantly after 6 minutes! After recording you can choose to Re-record or Save to Drive.

Location of record button

Record a slideshow

Important:

  • There’s a 30-minute limit to every recording.
  • Information about Slides recordings isn’t available in Revision History.
  • If you exceed your Drive Storage quota, you can’t create more recordings.
  • You must have edit access to the slides in order to create a new recording.
  1. To open your presentation, go to Google Slides.
  2. To record your slideshow, in the top right, click Rec  and then Record new video.
  3. To start recording, in the middle, click the red record button.
    • To start over, pause and click Re-record.
    • To save your recording, pause and click Save to Drive.

Find your recording

  1. On your computer, go to Google Slides.
  2. Open the presentation where you created the recording.
  3. Click Rec .
  4. Select your recording from the list that appears.

Tip: Recordings are saved into a My Drive folder called Slides recordings.

Slides recording options

Share your recording

Recordings can be shared to collaborators on the document immediately after creation.

  1. On your computer, go to Google Slides.
  2. Open the presentation where you created the recording.
  3. To share your recording, click the title of the recording from the list.
  4. The video in the full-screen player layout appears.
  5. In the top right, you can find the option to share.
    • Select the user, audience, or URL visibility rules.

Tip: Alternatively, you can share a recording like you would share any file in Drive. Learn how to share files from Google Drive.

Student & Teacher Usage Ideas

  • Record yourself giving directions that you would give the same way to the entire class
  • Record yourself going through your daily agenda slides and post for absent students
    • Tip: If you post the link in Canvas, make sure you click the spacebar so you have a clickable link! Avoid this unclickable link:

An unclickable link

  • Have students insert a picture of their work on a slide and record themselves reflecting on their work
  • Students can record a presentation they created for class

Tip: If you want to embed videos in Canvas, then Canvas Studio is a better option. Canvas Studio Guide – Instructure Community (canvaslms.com)

Classwize–Devices not Connecting?

wait for connection

Are you using Classwize to help you manage student devices in your classroom? If so, you may notice that some student tiles show “Waiting for Student Activity.” What might be going on with that?

Classwize will try to connect to your students’ devices while the class is in session. When Classwize doesn’t get a response from the students’ device, their student tiles will display “Waiting for student activity.”

Some of the reasons why you’re seeing “Waiting for student activity” may include:

  • You haven’t started your class.
  • You’ve just started the class and Classwize is still connecting to your student’s device.
  • The student:
    • Is unavailable, offline, or having issues connecting to the school network or internet
    • Has left their computer on idle for at least 90 seconds
    • Is using a browser that blocks third-party cookies
    • Is on macOS and hasn’t allowed Classwize to monitor their screen
    • Is using a device that doesn’t have the Connect Linewize extension (reminder: Sign into Chrome! and see below for what to look for)
      • ✔Many students don’t seem to realize they are in Safari or Edge
      • ✔ If they are on a personal chromebook, they can’t be logged into their personal account. They need to logout of the device and log back into the device with their school credentials.
    • Is attempting to circumvent the school’s filtering by logging into their personal Google account, using Guest or Incognito mode, or hotspotting on a mobile network.
      • ✔ BYOD students might be unsure how to get on the proper wifi and have resorted to going on a hotspot. Students may need these directions to learn how to login properly. https://tech.pccsk12.com/wifi/

 

Note for district Chromebooks not connecting: Remove the student’s user profile from the Chromebook and then have them sign in again. Video directions.

If you feel like you have investigated these potential issues to the best of your ability, please send a diagnostics log to Classwize with the following steps:

  • Click the Linewize extension.

location of extension

  • Click the gear icon in the bottom right.

location of gear to access settings

  • Send diagnostics to Classwize.

command to send diagnostics log

  • Finally, please submit a P-CCS tech ticket naming the student(s), date, approximate time, and class/teacher. When we get this information, we’ll reach out to Classwize to follow up.

We appreciate your partnership in launching this new tool at P-CCS.

 

Google Jamboard now View Only

Google Jamboard End of life, try lucid for education

Reminder: As of October 1, 2024 your existing Jamboards are view-only. On December 31, 2024 you will no longer be able to access the Jamboard app or your Jam files.

What should you do? P-CCS recommends Lucid for Education as a Jamboard replacement. They offer a tool to import your Jams to Lucidspark. Lucid also has strong integration with Canvas, you can embed a collaborative board directly on a page or you can assign each student their own copy of one of the existing Lucid templates.

Resources to Help:

miGoogle Conference on November 5

miGoogle Northville

miGoogle banner

Each year, the “Google expert of Michigan.” John Sowash puts on a conference called miGoogle. This has been hosted in several locations and this year it will be at Northville High School. Even better, it takes place on November 5th, a non-school day. The day will feature workshops led by local educators on a variety of Google topics related to education. Lunch is also included. The keynote is Dave Stuart Jr. speaking on “The Will to Learn: Cultivating Student Motivation in a Hyperconnected, AI-powered Age.” The keynote topic is described as:

“Students only learn when they do work with care. Whether that work is listening, or writing, or reading, or creating — the work, done with care, is what produces transformation. So, here’s the question: as we continue teaching in an AI-powered, hyperconnected age, how do we cultivate a genuine, strong care for learning in our students’ hearts? In this keynote, we’ll explore the Five Key Beliefs and how to cultivate them in the classroom.”

While the district is looking into ways to send some P-CCS educators, if this feels like a “can’t miss” opportunity then you might consider submitting a proposal to present at the conference! Approved speakers can get free admission to conference and a t-shirt, plus a bag full of goodies. Submit your session proposal by October 1. https://www.miedtech.com/rfp/

Learn more here: https://www.miedtech.com/

 

Reminder: Connecting to WiFi

This time of year you may be encountering several students or staff having trouble connecting to the WiFi. Please direct them to this resource for the most updated information on how to do so.

[How-To] Connect to the P-CCS Wi-Fi Network

Main Points:

  • Staff: Connect to the PCCSK12-Staff network using your network account credentials (not Google/Chromebooks).
  • Students: Connect to the PCCSK12-Students network using your network username (without @pccsk12.com).
  • District Chromebooks: Connect automatically to PCCSK12-Devices network.
  • Disallowed Devices: Home assistant devices like Google Home, Amazon Echo, and Apple HomePod are not allowed.
  • Network Frequency: Most areas offer only 5 GHz WiFi. Devices needing 2.4 GHz won’t connect.
  • Connection Guides: See the provided guides (from the link above) for specific device connection instructions.

FAQs

Staff:

  • How do I find my network account credentials? Answer: This is the same information you would use to login to a district laptop or desktop. If you need a reminder, submit a tech ticket.
  • What if I forgot my password? Answer: Submit a tech request
  • Can I connect my AppleTV or Chromecast? Answer: Yes, but it needs authorization through a form

Students:

  • How do I find my network username? Answer: This can be found in MiStar student connect, it is the first part of your school email (without the “@pccsk12.com”)
  • Can I connect my phone or device to the Staff network? Answer: No, student credentials only work on the Student network

General:

  • Why can’t I connect to the WiFi? (Answer: Check if your device supports 5 GHz or consult the connection guides)

Action Required: MiStar Gradebook SetUp

Middle and high School teachers, please ensure that your MiStar Gradebook setup is complete. If just one of a child’s teachers has not completed this step, students and families will not be able to view assignments in MiStar.

Go to the grade book and locate the Configurations area. Make sure you don’t see red Xs or yield signs in the first three columns. If you do, go to the specific area to see what is missing in set up.

Locations for MiStar set up

For more information about using MiStar, see this training guide.