AI @ P-CCS: Part 1

AI @ P-CCS

Artificial Intelligence. It’s on Google, it’s on TikTok, it’s everywhere, including P-CCS! 

What is AI?

Artificial intelligence is about teaching machines to think and learn like humans, with the goal of automating work and solving problems more efficiently”. How does it work? AI learns by analyzing lots of data. The latest breakthrough in AI came when ChatGPT indexed much of the internet and then paired it with the ability to understand natural language. This advancement allows you to ask and get answers to questions much like a human interaction (Natural Language Processing- NLP). It can perform tasks like summarizing texts, creating captions, interpreting images, developing stories – in short, generating new and unique output to user prompts! We have entered the era of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI). 

AI & P-CCS

P-CCS aspires to have staff and students using technology to innovate and thrive. This includes AI. The Student and Staff Technology Acceptable Use and Safety policies were both updated at the February 27, 2024 board meeting with administrative guidelines to follow surrounding AI. We encourage you to read the policies and be aware of the guidelines. 

Some key points to be aware of: 

  • Staff are permitted to use AI/NLP tools to accomplish their job responsibilities as long as the use is ethical and responsible. The disclosure of personally identifiable information (PII) about students is prohibited.
  • For students, the general policy is that they are required to rely on their own knowledge, skills, and resources when completing school work.
  • Students are prohibited from using AI/NLP tools to complete school work without express permission/consent from a teacher. Students should ask their teachers if they have questions about using AI/NLP tools for a specific assignment.
  • Teachers have discretion to authorize students to use AI/NLP tools for specific purposes, such as:
    • Research assistance
    • Data analysis
    • Language translation
    • Writing assistance
    • Accessibility (e.g., text-to-speech for students with disabilities)

Engage Safely and Responsibly

As we enter into this conversation, we must expressly state a caution about using AI safely and responsibly. 

As with any technology, we need to be aware of the data and personal information we are sharing- especially when it comes to our students’ data. When using AI tools, students and staff should never share personally identifiable information (PII) about themselves or others – this can include first/last names, email addresses, or any other personal identifying information. If you have questions of what’s okay to share, reach out to a member of the TIS team by submitting a helpdesk ticket

It is also very important to be aware that responses generated from AI may contain biases and/or misinformation. Always review AI-generated content with a critical (human) eye. AI is a tool that gives us a starting point, not a finished product. 

First Steps

The district updated its policies in recognition that AI will be transformative.  We suggest educating yourself further on AI. Here are some resources from Common Sense Media:

This is the first post in a 4-part series. The next post will provide you with ideas and resources to see how AI might support you and some of your teaching responsibilities. In our final post, we will announce the release of an AI tool that will be made available to all P-CCS staff.

Don’t Just Copy-Paste: Reflect and Revise!

As the academic year winds down, it’s tempting to take the easy route and copy over this year’s Canvas course into next year. After all, why reinvent the wheel, right? But before you hit that “Import” button, consider this: What worked well for your students this year? What fell flat? How can you enhance the learning experience for everyone involved?

1. Reflect on Student Engagement

Think about what lessons went well and which units needed a lot of repeated explanations. Is there content you could add or modify in Canvas that would assist? Look back on assignments, were there several that were never completed?

2. Seek Student Feedback

Your students are your best critics and allies. Send out a survey asking for their honest opinions. What did they enjoy? What frustrated them? Encourage them to share their insights on Canvas navigation, content clarity, and overall experience. Their feedback will guide your revisions.

3. Evaluate Content Relevance

Consider the relevance of your course materials. Are there outdated resources or redundant content? Trim the excess and focus on what truly matters. If there’s material you haven’t used in several years, don’t bring it with you into next year.

4. Explore New Tools and Features

Canvas evolves, and so should your course. Investigate new features, plugins, and integrations like Google Assignments. Maybe there’s a better way to organize assignments (into Modules, not pages) or facilitate peer reviews. Perhaps you can start using Discussions as a quick exit or entrance ticket. You consider using New Quizzes for formative assessments.  Stay curious and open-minded.

5. Collaborate with Colleagues

Reach out to fellow educators. Share your successes and challenges. They might have brilliant ideas or solutions you haven’t considered. Collaboration fuels innovation.

Copying over your Canvas course is like reheating leftovers—it’s convenient, but it won’t satisfy anyone in the long run. Take the time to evaluate, tweak, and reimagine. Your students and their families will thank you for it!

Remember, teaching is an art, and your Canvas course is your canvas. Paint a masterpiece that inspires, engages, and empowers your learners.

Watch Out for Phishing Emails – A Warning for Teachers (and all others)

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Phishing is a form of cyber attack that has become increasingly common and sophisticated in recent years. As teachers, we need to be on guard against these malicious attempts to steal our login credentials, personal information, or install malware on our devices.

What is a Phishing Email?

A phishing email is a fraudulent message designed to look like it comes from a legitimate source, such as a company, bank, or even our own school district. The email may ask you to verify account information, login with your credentials on a fake website, or open an infected attachment or link.

The goal of the attacker is to trick you into divulging sensitive information or deploying malware on your computer or the school’s network. Phishing attacks rely on social engineering to exploit human psychology and tendencies to trust.

How to Spot a Phishing Email

While phishing emails can be quite convincing, there are some common warning signs to watch out for:

  • Emails creating a sense of urgency, fear, or panic to prompt an impulsive reaction
  • Misspellings, bad grammar, or inconsistencies in the email content or sender address
  • Requests for sensitive information that a legitimate company should already have
  • Generic greetings like “Dear User” instead of your name
  • Suspicious links or attachments

Remember, legitimate companies will never ask you to provide things like passwords or credit card numbers via email.

Stay Vigilant

As teachers trusted with handling confidential student data and accessing sensitive school systems, we must remain vigilant against phishing scams. Always scrutinize email sources, hover over links before clicking, and avoid opening attachments unless you are absolutely sure they are safe.

If you suspect a phishing attempt, do not respond and immediately report it to our IT department by clicking the phishing hook icon in our email. On mobile, it may be toward the bottom of the email and on a laptop it is off to the right. This will report the phishing attempt to the district.

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Protecting ourselves and our district from these cyber threats is crucial. Let’s do our part to identify and stop phishing attacks before they cause harm. A few moments of caution can prevent a major security breach.

Things I Wish I Would Have Known- Canvas Edition: Make Modules, not Pages

If you have been using Canvas for awhile (since 2021), you may have worked to build Pages in Canvas that had the plan for your day/week/month. They may also include links to other Canvas Assignments and resources. It may look something like this:

sample Canvas page

While this page made a lot of sense as you rushed to put together content for virtual days, you might consider making the shift to Modules. Over time, these pages have probably proved cumbersome to update and it can result in a clunky workflow for students. It may also feel like a double load of work if you also update some daily slide for the classroom. We’d suggest letting go of these Agenda pages in favor Modules organized by week or topic. Check out some examples below:

This set up may prove easier to update and blends nicely with the face-to-face learning environment, pointing students and families to exactly what they need to know.

Why Use Modules

  1. Content Organization: Modules act like a table of contents, allowing instructors to organize various course elements such as Pages, Files, Discussion Boards, Quizzes, and Assignments. By grouping related content together, Modules create a coherent flow for students.
  2. Interaction Requirements: Modules allow instructors to require student interaction with specific content before proceeding to assignments. For example, students might need to review a reading or watch a video before attempting a quiz.
  3. Centralized Management: Instructors can manage all course materials within a single Module. This streamlines the course-building process and keeps everything organized in one place.
  4. Flexible Structure: Instructors can structure Modules based on their natural course organization. Whether by unit, day, week, topic, or outcome, Modules adapt to the instructor’s preferred format.
  5. Visual Flow: Using indentation, emojis, and text headers in Modules enhances visual flow, especially when dealing with a large amount of content. Headers help delineate different sections, and instructors can even use emojis for quick scanning.
  6. Student Experience: By simplifying navigation (e.g., hiding unnecessary links), Modules create a better experience for students. Chunking content into digestible bits prevents overwhelming learners.

Protect Yourself and Our Students: Password Hygiene for a Safer School Network

In today’s digital world, our school’s data, from student records to email accounts, is constantly targeted by cybercriminals. One of the most important ways we all contribute to the safety of our school’s network is by practicing good password hygiene.

What is Password Hygiene?

Password hygiene refers to the habits and techniques you use to keep your accounts secure. Good password hygiene makes you a much harder target for hackers.

Why Does it Matter for Our School?

  • Protecting Student Data: Students trust us with their sensitive information. Strong passwords help prevent breaches and keep their details safe.
  • Avoiding Disruption: A single compromised account can spread malware, disrupt classes, and cause headaches for everyone.
  • Setting a Good Example: Students look up to us. By demonstrating good password habits, we teach them valuable cybersecurity skills for life.

Password Hygiene Best Practices

  • Uniqueness is Key: NEVER reuse passwords.  If one account is compromised, a reused password puts EVERY account using it at risk.
  • Avoid the Obvious: Don’t use your name, birthdays, street address, family names, or other easily guessable information in your passwords.
  • Get Creative with Passphrases: Instead of complicated passwords, try a passphrase. It’s longer, easier to remember, but harder to crack. Example:  “IRideMyBlueBicycle2School!”
  • Don’t Be Afraid of Complexity: The longer and more random your password, the better. Mix uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols.
  • Absolutely NO Sharing:  Your passwords are like your toothbrush – never share them with anyone, no matter how much they insist!
  • NO Common Passwords:  Lists of the most common passwords (like “123456” or “password”) are easily available to hackers. Don’t make it easy for them!
  • Password Managers: Consider a password manager – it stores and generates strong, unique passwords for each of your accounts.

Additional Tips

  • Change Passwords Regularly: A good rule of thumb is to change your critical passwords (network, etc.) every 3-6 months.
  • Enable Two-factor Authentication: If a website or service offers it, use it! This adds an extra layer of protection.

We’re all in this together!

By following these simple password guidelines, teachers and staff can dramatically improve the security of our school community.  Let’s all work together to create a safe and secure digital learning environment.

Need More Help?

If you have questions or need assistance with your passwords, don’t hesitate to submit a service request.

Meet your new ENHANCED CLEVER PORTAL!

Clever is a PCCS hub for resources and supports a single click for logging in to external resources like Brain Pop, IXL, Code.org and more! It’s a great place for teachers to place collections of links to give students.

🗓️ The Classic Teacher Portal will retire in July 2024 and the Enhanced Teacher Portal will become the official Clever Portal for all teachers! Learn more about the timeline and the portal here🗓️

You may still have access to the classic portal for now, but for the 24-25 school year,  you’re going to want to familiarize yourself with the new Enhanced Teacher Portal – which is helping teachers find resources 50% faster; so here are some resources to help!

QUICK NOTE: The student portal IS NOT CHANGING. Only the teacher portal. 

  1.  🗺️ Take a quick, clickable tour of the new portal
  2. ❣️ Find your Teacher Page faster by favoriting it. It will be the first thing you see when you log in!

Interested in learning more? 🏆 Qualify for PD credit when you become an Enhanced Teacher Portal certified educator.

Orbit Note Premium

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What is OrbitNote?

  • OrbitNote is a Google Extension made by the Texthelp company which also makes Read&Write for Google
  • OrbitNote makes PDF documents accessible!
  • OrbitNote can be used with PDF documents to:
    • Have text read aloud
    • Annotate on PDF documents
      • Type on documents
      • Highlight, underline, and circle words and phrases
      • Freehand draw on documents
    • Access speech-to-text
    • Access math tools built into the OrbitNote toolbar

Texthelp has agreed to provide all staff and students with FREE OrbitNote Premium until the end of the school year! Just make sure you are signed into Chrome with your P-CCS Google account.

Add the OrbitNote extension to your Chromebook or laptop and try out all premium features!

Check out the Ditch that Textbook blog post on 20 ways to use OrbitNote in the classroom.

Newsela: May Resources

image of may calendar

Did you know the district has access to premium Newsela? Open in it Clever or link up your class with Canvas. Newsela provides teachers and students with engaging, articles, videos, and text sets on a variety of current topics. You can print off an article, display it for the whole class to model reading strategies, or assign an article for students to complete individually. Ready to give it a try? Check out the May content calendar to find resources that are ready to go.

If you want to learn more about how Newsela’s content aligns with Michigan standards, check out their state-specific resources.

Great Summer Learning Opportunities

Check out the great, free summer learning opportunities offered by Wayne RESA.

CT in the D

Join us at the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) on June 18th and immersive yourself in strategies for helping your students solve problems creatively using computational thinking. Project Tomorrow will help facilitate the morning session as we take a deep dive into computational thinking and how you can integrate it into your curriculum. In the afternoon, DIA staff will take us on a learning walk throughout the DIA and connect computational thinking to art. Our day will conclude with a hands-on learning activity.

Register Here

Cultivate Creativity in Nature

Join us at the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge on August 6th to explore new ways to engage students with nature and learn in unexpected places. It will be a day filled with hands on learning activities.

Register Here

Google Read&Write Refresher

image of read and write toolbar

Did you know that all P-CCS students have access to Read&Write for Google? The toolbar is added in Chrome as an extension. Students likely notice the puzzle-shaped toolbar pop up on certain sites. If you would like to learn more about what tools are available, explore this interactive image or take a look at this toolbar tips sheet.

Additionally, if you have students with Dyslexia, you can look at this resource to see how it can help their overall performance. Elementary teachers, in particular, may find it useful for building listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in their students.

You might use one of these activities to help students learn how to use the tool or to explore it for yourself:

These tools can  help students as they work on year-end projects. Some of these tools mimic the digital tools available on M-STEP and other standardized tests.