Author: PCCS TIS

Google Slides has launched a new feature to make presentations more accessible for everyone with automated closed captioning. When you present with Google Slides, click the CC button in the lower left corner or press the Ctrl or CMD+Shift+C shortcut to enable closed captioning. Then keep your laptop close by, and as you talk, your mic will pick up everything you say and add it as closed captioning on the bottom of your presentation. Here’s the Google Support page on this feature: https://support.google.com/docs/answer/9109474?hl=en

Google Slides closed captioning supports spoken English, using Google Chrome on a Mac or PC for now, and captions aren’t stored at the moment. You can, however, record your screen while presenting then save the finished video with your captions recorded as well. And soon, Google hopes to expand closed captioning to additional languages and devices to make all presentations more accessible. Check out 6 Ways to make the most of captions in Google Slides for more ideas on why this is so important!

This is PERFECT for a blended learning tool in your classroom! Using Screencastify or WeVideo to screencast automatically takes your whole group lessons and allows you to employ them in a blended or flipped learning environment. Want to learn more about Blended and Flipped learning, this site is a great place to start: https://www.blendedlearning.org/basics/

Google has partnered with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt to launch The Crown Jewels Caper, the first in a series of Carmen Sandiego games in Google Earth. It plays just like the old Carmen Sandiego PC games you remember: visit different landmarks, talk to the locals, and figure out Sandiego’s next destination from their clues.

Though the game is made for promoting the animated Netflix show, it’s still a great collaboration, combining the fun, adventurous aspect of Carmen Sandiego with the immense 3D map resources of Google Earth. 

While our youngest students under 13 do not have access to Google Earth on our network, it’s certainly worth checking out how you might use Google Earth as a resource on your interactive white board or SMART interactive flat panel in your classroom. If you haven’t visited Google Earth lately, you don’t know what you are missing!

The Be Internet Awesome curriculum gives educators the tools and methods they need to teach digital safety fundamentals. The materials developed by Google in partnership with iKeepSafe enable educators to bring the most critical teachings—and the excitement of Interland—into the classroom.

Included in the curriculum are lesson plans for the five topics, with activities and worksheets that were designed to complement Interland.

https://beinternetawesome.withgoogle.com/en_us/educators

Do you get eye fatigue? Would it be easier to read emails if the font was different or just a bit larger? Did you know that you can customize the settings on your Chromebook to make it easier on your eyes… Here is a short video on how to easily customize some features on your Chromebook to make it more eye friendly.   https://youtu.be/v-NfA4pHsUc?list=PL5aqr5w5fRe7QWzXhqxrilIVduWEmLHM2.

-Heather Weaver, Assistive Technology Consultant, P-CCS

Did you know that 76 percent of teens use Instagram? By contrast, only 47 percent use Twitter, but what about Facebook you say? Once the bastion of cutting edge social media, well, never mind, Facebook is for old people. Your students aren’t there. Get with the times people!

If you want to really connect with students, the fastest way to connect is to create an education only Instagram account for students – only classroom posts of course, and education posts – nothing personal, save that for FB or Twitter, or Snapchat. Wait, you know how to use Snapchat? Like, wow!

The fact of the matter, is that we are living in a picture and video based world and fluency in those mediums matter. It’s a digital literacy skill to be able to communicate in video and picture formats! Why not take advantage of this for the benefit of your students and their learning in your classroom?

Instagram is where students are, and it’s the quickest way to connect with them, whether for homework reminder, test reminders or anything related to the classroom. While Google Classroom is great, the Instagram feed is with them constantly, just like their cell phones. As much as you’d like them to, they are not scrolling their Google Classroom stream like they are scrolling on Insta.

But sorry elementary and middle school teachers, students need to be at least 13, so really this is only for high school students, well, maybe 8th graders too in the second half of their year…but that’s at your discretion and we would definitely recommend running this past your building admin before getting started!

But don’t just take our word for it, try it out! Use it to promote what is happening in class, use it for reminders, entry events, and teasers. For example, before starting Romeo and Juliet, post a picture of them, post a fight between men in the two feuding families, etc. Anything to activate prior knowledge or get kids interested in the upcoming topic in a creative way! Music teachers, you can even include videos of in class drills can be posted for student studying and reviews (in music, drills on learning a song, measure, etc)

The possibilities are endless! If you are unsure of how Instagram works and want some help setting it up, brainstorming classroom ideas, please submit a service request for Technology Integration and Matt Smoot or Rick Coughlin can get you Instagram savvy! Trust us, it’s on fleek, it’s rad. Bet!

Want to learn more and get more ideas? Here’s five simple ways to get started. Happy Instagramming!

1. Top 5 Apps to Add Text to Photos for Instagram
2. 10 Surprising Ways to Use Instagram in the Classroom
3. How to Use Instagram in the Classroom
4. How to Use Instagram (Video)
5. How to Use Instagram (The Cheat Sheet)

In short, the APs (or Access Points) are the white 10 inch square, 2 in thick boxes mounted in the classroom ceilings and hallways.  The APs are all labeled on the outside roughly using the following format   “AP-School-RoomLocation”. APs help create our wireless network by broadcasting a Wi-Fi signal in their designated areas. Wi-Fi enabled devices such as ipads and Chromebooks connect to our network via these APs.

Near the center of the APs is an indicator light. If it is dark or flashing put a service request in, and make sure to list the AP label and your room number. The dark or flashing light indicates that the AP is not happy and not working properly.  If the light is green, then the AP is happy and awaiting its first customer. If it is blue, it is happy and has at least one customer. Now you know, and knowing is half the battle. GI JOE!

This is a repost from Troy Patterson at Dearborn Public Schools and it is indeed a worthy and important read! (While our districts currently have different extension policies, the steps to review and remove Chrome extensions that are outlined remain the same.)

“Chrome extensions can be wonderful. These can add great functionality to the Chrome browser. Unfortunately, Chrome extensions can also be used by those with ill intent. Recently, we have seen a rash of employees having trouble with their browsers due to installing a Chrome extension. Many of these users didn’t even realize that they installed the extensions. For instance, I received this email just the other day:” Read more…

One of the earliest frustrations we had with Google Slides was the lack of audio support within a slide. There has been very few viable options or workarounds to embed audio into a slide…until now!

Scheduled for a gradual roll out starting on April 18th, 2019, we should see it available within out domain soon thereafter! Read more about how here…

“Become a Certified Innovator and join a community of more than 1,700 passionate educators in over 50 countries who are excited to grow professionally, advocate for innovative technologies and drive school transformation.”

“The program kicks off with an in-person three day Innovation Academy focused on helping new participants define, design and eventually launch a transformative project. After the Academy, Innovators stay engaged through mentorship, ongoing learning and development trainings, and special opportunities from Google to advocate for transformative technologies and practices.”

To learn more about the application process, please sign up for this webinar: Certified Innovator Workshop

To learn more about the Certified Innovator Program: https://teachercenter.withgoogle.com/certification_innovator