As the school year moves forward, we understand that everyone gets busy and sometimes details get lost in the mix. In particular, the Tech Department would like to remind everyone that it’s important to secure both your teacher devices and student cart-based devices when not in use, and especially over night.
Please secure your district-provided device in a locking closet, cabinet, or desk, and make sure the student device carts have all of their devices in them and are locked each night. We all want to protect these valuable investments!
Additionally, with the colder weather coming, it’s important to remember that district devices should not be left in cars in that cold weather. When a computer/ipad is brought from consistent cold temperatures into a warm building, its ambient temperature change causes condensation internally; condensate (water moisture) in turn can cause damage to the system board and other electronics. Everyone knows how important our computers are to us on a daily basis and we don’t want anything to happen to them so please help keep our devices from experiencing “temperature swings”! Thanks.
John R. Sowash is a former Michigan HS biology teacher and principal who has been helping teachers use technology to improve instruction for many years. One way he has been doing so is by writing a fantastic blog about all things Chromebook. Bookmark it and enjoy learning!
21Things4Students is Project-Based Curriculum for Grades 5-9, supports MiTECS competencies
The REMC Association’s 21Things4Students (21T4S) project just keeps getting better! Over the summer, the project-based website was updated and moved to its new URL https://remc.org/21things4students.
21T4S provides free activities to integrate technology into middle school (grades 5-9) classroom curriculum. It’s a valuable tool to help students build knowledge and acquire 21st century technology skills. Students also learn to be safe and secure while online.
“This learning with technology resource provides teachers with project-based activities to help students build technology knowledge and skills for the 21st century,” according to Carolyn McCarthy, Project Manager and Educational Technology Consultant, Shiawassee RESD.
The 21 Things are “21 big ideas” such as Basics that features tips and shortcuts for various computing devices, browsers and operating systems, along with email etiquette.
My Digital Life that explores digital learning preferences, customizing and overcoming barriers with technology, and getting organized.
Each of the 21 Things is broken down into smaller learning units called Quests. There are over 145 Quests and each includes an Introduction, Key Vocabulary, I Can Statements, Steps with Tutorials, Student Checklist, and Quiz. Teacher resources include lesson guides for each Thing, digital badges and awards to use, accommodations suggestions, bank of assessment questions, and an Index to content and activities.
21Things4Students has been awarded the Seal of Alignment by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). The site is managed by a dedicated team of Michigan educators and advisors who provide annual updates. REMC Association Project Managers Melissa White or Carolyn McCarthy provide day-to-day content management. Feel free to email Melissa or Carolyn if you have questions or need additional assistance with 21Things4Students.
The Regional Educational Media Center Association (REMC) of Michigan promotes the transformative use of technology and provides Michigan schools with access to educational resources to help teachers increase student success. They’ve just released their October Connect newsletter with info on the 21Things4Students project-based curriculum (https://remc.org/21things4students), fall learning opportunities, upcoming free virtual courses, and more.
And finally, a link should you want to subscribe to either (or both) of their once monthly electronic mailings of the Connect Newsletter AND/OR on upcoming and available free virtual courses!
The Read&Write for Google WEB Toolbar can be used to access web pages in the Chrome browser. Students and staff can use supports like text to speech, word prediction, talking and picture dictionaries, study skills highlighters and more.
If this does not resolve your issue, please submit a service request.
Original Post
If you ran into the issue with Gmail this week, you know who you are. From time to time, Google’s Sync technology that allows your browser to save your bookmarks, passwords, form data, etc., seems to get a bit glitchy. This week, it appears to have kept some of you from being able to access your Gmail.
Fortunately the fix is easy and can get someone back up and running in a snap. So, if you have an issue with one or more Google apps and you hear the suggestion that it might have something to do with your profile (or you just want to try this and see if it helps), here’s what to do:
Remove your “profile” and then add it back to the browser. After doing so, you will want to choose “Link Data” when you are adding your profile back so that it syncs important things like bookmarks, passwords, form data, etc. See elaboration on these steps below:
Remove a person or profile
After you remove someone from Chrome, their bookmarks, history, passwords, and other settings are erased from the computer.
On your computer, open Chrome.
At the top right, click Profile .
Click Manage people.
Point to the person you want to remove. For this exercise you want to remove yourself.
At the top right of the person (aka you), click More Remove this person.
Confirm by clicking Remove this person.
Once you have removed yourself, you can add yourself back as well and re-sync or link your data again. See below for the steps to add yourself back to the Chrome browser.
Add a person or profile
On your computer, open Chrome.
At the top right, click Profile .
Click Manage people.
Click Add person.
Choose a name and a photo.
Click Save. A new window will open and ask you to turn on sync.
(Optional) Turn sync on in Chrome with a Google Account for the new profile. Their bookmarks, history, passwords, and other settings will automatically sync.
Technology can be the spark for wonderful things, but its real value comes from empowering users – in the workplace, at school or at home. To get the most out of the Texthelp products, we offer three main areas of support.
Courses – From learning the basics to integrating into instruction, Texthelp short courses bring together strategies and best practice. Each course has simple instructions, videos, and great examples to help you become experts in Texthelp software. You can gain achievements along the way!
Certification – Here is a chance to show what you know with two levels of certification: Level 1 Certified User requiring passing an assessment and Level 2 Role-Specific Practitioner requiring passing and a project. Earners receive badges and certificates.
Resources – Why recreate the wheel? We have plenty of checklists, lesson plans, strategies, help/tip sheets, presentations, and ideas to get you started and keep you going. Many are contributed by educators just like you.
Every 90 days, your P-CCS network password is set to expire, and you are automatically prompted to create a new password. [Each time, we urge you make it a “strong” one. See here for guidance.] While this may seem frustrating at times, it keeps our network AND your data safe. There are some specific ramifications that occur when this process happens. Once you reset your new password on your P-CCS ProBook, desktop, or other district-provided laptop, it is important to IMMEDIATELY also reset your password on any personal devices connected to the Staff WiFi network. The illustration below highlights the systems and devices that are affected when changing your password:
If you DO NOT change your password, your other devices, such as an iPhone or Android might well continue to “knock on the network door” with your OLD PASSWORD multiple times, thus locking you out of your account and causing frustration. When dealing with iPads, iPhones, or Androids, it’s a good idea to also tap “Forget Network” first before entering your new password for the network WiFi. See the links below for further assistance in this regard.
Due to a continuing concern around the impact on security and functionality of a constantly changing set of available apps, extensions, and browser themes in the Chrome Web Store, P-CCS students will only be permitted to download and install VETTED and approved Chrome apps/extensions/browser themes. Staff will still be able to add apps/extensions/browser themes via the Chrome Web Store just as they have done in the past.
On the following dates Chrome apps, extensions and browser themes that have not been vetted/approved will be uninstalled/removed from student accounts AND students will no longer be able to add apps, extensions, and browser themes, apart from those that are district-approved:
September 12, K-5 Elementary School students
September 12, 6-8 Middle School students
October 1, 9-12 High School students
We realize that this may pose an inconvenience for some teachers and support staff, as well as frustrate some students, but this policy change is designed to keep our network safe, eliminate extension conflicts otherwise on the rise for our Chromebook users and reduce the myriad of distractions for our learning community being added to the Web Store daily. Seriously, we know how much everyone is going to miss Ncage, the extension that turns every picture on any website into a picture of Nicholas Cage.
Nick Cage, love him or despise him. His extension is gone.
But we digress. Moving forward please note that there are now about 80 approved extensions/apps that are available for both staff and students to explore and install via the P-CCS landing page of the Chrome Web Store: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/category/for_your_domain
When logged into a Chrome browser, both students and staff will be taken to the P-CCS landing page where you will see the list of approved extensions and apps.
We also recognize that new and amazing educationally sound apps will be developed and in some cases already exist, so the process for requesting approval for Chrome apps and extensions mirrors the process we have in place for iPad apps.
Please use this form to request a Google Chrome App, Extension or browser theme that isn’t otherwise already available for your students . You may wish to bookmark it for future reference: https://forms.gle/tQdYz7icMhmqRmo36
A review of the requested app, extension, browser theme will go through our core departments (technology/technology integration, curriculum, ELL, and specialized student services). If approved the app, extension, or theme will be available for download in the Chrome Web Store by the last Friday of the following month. While we will try and expedite the first wave of requests to be available much sooner, in general this process cannot be rushed, so please plan accordingly when submitting your item for review. Please also note at this time we will not be accepting requests for any paid apps or extensions, only those that are free.
As always, if you have any questions regarding tech integration, you can email tis@pccsk12.com or in case you need technical or integration help, you can submit a service request.
With over 2,000 staff members and over 15,000+ devices to support, it’s important to have a system to track issues, document trends, and assign support to the appropriate technicians or tech integration specialists. If you are needing assistance with anything technology related, we ask that you use the Service Request ticketing system. There are a couple of ways of accessing the system.
Once there you will use your GMAIL Email address for your “Username”.
For “Password” you will then use your network password (not necessarily your Google password) – Your network password is the password you would use when you might log onto any district desktop computer
Then you fill out form that best describes your situation.
Once on the site, consider bookmarking the Service Request url by clicking the Star on the right side of the address bar, so that it is easy to return to the page if needed.
