Author: PCCS TIS

Common Sense Education is considered by many educators to be the gold standard when it comes to digital safety, reviews of edtech software, and digital resources for teachers. Common Sense has teamed up with edWeb.net to provide timely monthly webinars that explore innovative technologies, digital citizenship strategies, formative assessments, the development of critical thinking skills and more.

Both companies have also archived and posted all previous webinars which can be viewed anytime for free. Check out the site to watch previous webinars.

ISTE stands for International Society for Technology in Education. Each year they hold a conference in the summer that brings tens of thousands of people from all over the world to learn about innovative educational technology and its impacts on education. This year in Philadelphia, ISTE wanted to highlight the 50th anniversary of the moon landing. Nearly 20,000 educators engaged in their NASA Playground which included 2D and 3D modeling, augmented reality and other innovative technologies. Check out this article!

Noteworthy Resources:

Be A Nasa Scientist Poster w/ QR codes

NASA resources: A universe of learning at your fingertips (Tons of NASA Resources)

Almost since the beginning of the P-CCS adoption of the Google platform (Google Apps for Education/G Suite for Education), we have had access to a great resource originally referred to as Synergyse and later as G Suite Training. You know, that little question mark at the top right corner of your Google Apps next to your profile picture?

Well, Google is phasing it out as of September 30th, 2019. Our beloved little question icon will go away and with it the at our fingers training and support that it offered. If you still want access to great resources for learning how to use Google tools and have relied on G Suite Training, there is hope. Here are some of the top resources you can still rely on:

What other resources are available?

Additional training and support resources are available at:

• G Suite Learning Center
• GSuite Training Center
• G Suite YouTube Channel
• G Suite Support
• G Suite Administrator Help Center

Additional education specific training resources available at:

• Google for Education Teacher Center
• Google for Education YouTube Channel
• Google Applied Digital Skills

Until September 30th, there’s still time to check out GSuite Training embedded within your Google apps.

Go to the G Suite service you want to learn.

Click the Training menu (Training for G Suite menu) for a list of relevant lessons, or use the search feature to find a particular lesson.

Select the lesson and follow the onscreen instructions.

Access the G Suite Training Video Library

If you are curious about the training that is included in this extension and available through September, you can also simply explore the video library. Here you can access all of the videos, categorized by application. Gmail alone has over 100 video tutorials! Most of which are about 30 seconds to two minutes long. Just in time learning!!!

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning continues to inform educational technology. This includes Google’s Autodraw which uses A.I. to predict what you draw and Grammarly which helps and supports grammar and word usage.

The web-based Quillionz, dubbed as the “World’s first AI-powered platform for creating questions, assessments, and quizzes” lets teachers import any text (journal article, website, etc.) and create question ideas based off of that text. Generated questions can come in multiple formats including; short answer, multiple choice, and fill in the blank. Teachers can choose from specific keywords, and all questions are editable based on DOK level.

To find out more about Quillionz (they do have a free version), click on this link from posting by Richard Byrne. Posting

As you might already know, Book Creator (we have their IOS app installed on many district ipads) is a simple tool that can be used to create awesome digital books. It allows teachers to create their own teaching resources or have their students take the reins.

Combine text, images, audio and video to create:

• Interactive stories
• Digital portfolios
• Research journals
• Poetry books

Most recently, Book Creator added New “Magic Ink” and Autodraw Tools for Making eBooks. Check out Richard Byrne’s breakdown of what’s new: https://www.freetech4teachers.com/2019/06/book-creator-adds-new-magic-ink-and.html

For those using Chromebooks, learn more about how it works on those devices and consider if their limited free version (1 library with 40 books) might be of interest.

Many companies that have education technology tools time their announcements of new tools as well as new feature adds to coincide with, and be announced at, the annual International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Conference.

One such company, Seesaw, has come out with many new features that are highlighted in this post from Richard Byrne. Features include importing Google Classroom rosters, collage creation, Chromebook optimization, and video and audio integration. Click on the link also shown below to read more.

https://www.freetech4teachers.com/2019/06/5-new-seesaw-features-for-teachers-and.html

Seesaw is an installed IOS app found on most of our district ipads. Seesaw can also be used on Chromebooks and students can find and install it through the Chrome Web Store.

Check out EduPaths which has 285+ FREE Professional Development courses (& FREE SCECHs) for educators.

EduPaths is a FREE professional development portal for ALL Michigan Educators. EduPaths courses are designed to expand understanding on a wide variety of topics and help educators share best practices. Courses are available online and are completely self-paced and intended to help educators personalize their own learning plan anytime and anywhere.

It is FREE to register for an account, and once registered you will be able to access an ever expanding set of FREE courses. Here’s a snapshot of the courses now available for SCECHs.

CleverPDF is a FREE online service that anyone can use to convert a PDF into/from the following file types: Microsoft (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Apple (Pages, Numbers, Keynote), assorted image file types and ePub files. In all, there are 27 different ways the service can work with PDFs including the aforementioned converting AND merging, splitting, watermarking or encrypting.

https://www.cleverpdf.com/

Please note, while their terms of use and privacy policy suggest the site only temporarily retains uploaded files, we nonetheless caution against sensitive materials (ones with personally identifiable information) being submitted for conversion.

This August, our district will change the Chrome policy around what apps and extensions students may use from the Chrome Web Store.  

We will be shifting…

FROM:   ALLOWING ALL apps and extensions EXCEPT for the ones we actively BLOCK

TO:   BLOCKING ALL apps and extensions EXCEPT for the ones we actively ALLOW.

Also in August, we will reduce the number of force installed apps and extensions for students and will relocate some of those apps/extensions to the district section of the Chrome Web Store to allow students the choice of whether or not to install them. Students may need assistance in installing apps and extensions desired by instructional staff (see this support page for some guidance).

Students and staff may request to have apps or extensions unblocked and/or made available on the district section of the Chrome Web Store by using the form linked below.

http://links.pccsk12.com/requestforapporextension