Interested is some Zoom screen sharing tips? Check out this video for topics including: keyboard shortcuts (Alt+S) for sharing your Zoom screen, how to optimize Zoom screen sharing for video, how to share only a section of your Zoom screen, how to poll your Zoom participants, how to annotate your shared Zoom screen, and how to stop participants from annotating in Zoom.
In case your Google apps launcher (waffle) 
isn’t available or doesn’t show the app icons you were expecting, please consider browsing to your Google apps dashboard https://gsuite.google.com/dashboard instead or log in directly to the specific app, such as the three shown below, with the urls below.
CANVAS — https://pccsk12.instructure.com
FRONTLINE — https://login.frontlineeducation.com/sso/plymouthcanton
ZOOM — https://pccsk12.zoom.us/signin OR https://zoom.us/signin and click Sign in with Google
While not in the apps launcher, another app that some staff have asked for the URL is
RUBICON ATLAS — https://pccsk12.rubiconatlas.org/Atlas/Authentication/View/Login?idp=5
We will have this information and more app links: Browse to the DIGITAL TEACHING HUB and bookmark that site for future reference.
With many staff members 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 our Service Request ticketing system.
As we head into a new and unusual school year, we will appreciate in advance your patience with our department’s sometimes uncharacteristically delayed responsiveness as we are also spearheading the issuance and support of many student devices and family tech concerns. We will get to your ticket. Thank you!
To access the system browse to help.pccsk12.com
Once there, to log in, you will input your district GMAIL Email address for your “Username”.
For “Password” you will input your network password (not necessarily your Google password) – Your network password is the password you would use to log onto a district desktop computer.
Then you fill out the service form with the details that best describes your situation and support needs.
We expect a change sometime today to our district Zoom account that will likely “break” the urls of any meetings that were scheduled, but hadn’t yet occurred, prior to the change. The domain url we have been assigned will be changed from https://pccsk12-com.zoom.us to https://pccsk12.zoom.us. After that change happens, it is our understanding that “upcoming” meetings will likely need to be rescheduled and invites / postings about them, updated to reflect their new meeting urls. The Technology Department regrets any inconvenience that this url change may cause.
Richard Byrne operates one of the ed tech world’s best award winning blogs on using tech in the classroom, is a Google Certified Trainer, former teacher, and has been invited to speak on six continents. His blog is consistently one of the best resources on the web to get great tips and tricks, and learn about new tools that provide great opportunities for learning. In his own words: “Over the years I’ve reviewed thousands of educational websites and apps. In reviewing all of those resources I realized that all educational technology serves one of three basic purposes; discovery of information, discussion of information, and demonstration of knowledge. While demonstration and creating demonstrations is the most fun use of technology, the discovery and discussion aspects are just as important. The discovery, discussion, demonstration framework is the basis for all of my professional development webinars.
Get the FREE handbook and subscribe to his blog here: https://practicaledtech.com/free-handbook/
Learning a new software platform is challenging. We get that. We are learning them all of the time! Please know that we are here to help in the best ways we know how. Outside of the many learning opportunities below, please remember that you can also book a 1:1 appointment with a Tech Integration Specialist who can support you with instructional software like Canvas or engage in thought partnership with you for using technology in your instruction. If you have more technical and hardware challenges, please submit a service request. You can get to either link via the icons below.
What we all understand is that technology moves so fast, and in the shadow of what may become known of The Great Pandemic, our technology challenges have been many. Canvas will be no different. It will be a great challenge to be certain, but we know that Canvas will be powerful when it’s used with a keen eye toward supporting students with more personalized learning opportunities.
Approaching the platform of Canvas with our very core values at the center, and keeping in mind principles of the Triple-E Framework and Universal Design for Learning, along with focusing on creating a student centered virtual classroom, will allow us to transcend the challenges that we face. We all agree that learning happens in many ways, and we all won’t learn the same as we move into a new virtual school year, and Canvas offers a way to achieve what might seem impossible with any other platform. Below you will find 5 ways to get engaged with Canvas. Thank you for your patience and bravery at this time.
at the top right corner which is the “Help” for whatever part of Canvas course building you are in.
Adobe has assembled resources and learning opportunities to help educators engage remote students through online learning. Check it out at https://edex.adobe.com/distance-learning
Some of their resources include:
K-12 projects — https://edex.adobe.com/distance-learning/k-12-projects
Social Justice projects — https://edex.adobe.com/social-justice
resources for young learners — https://edex.adobe.com/young-learners
resources for welbeing — https://edex.adobe.com/distance-learning/wellbeing-for-educators
One of the main tools they reference is Adobe Spark, its suite of tools for helping users create visual content. Spark enables non-graphics experts to design professional-looking graphics, mix text and images and create animated videos simply and quickly. As a reminder, all P-CCS staff and secondary students have access to Adobe Spark for Education, a premium, yet free, version of Spark which is made available to schools and colleges.
Spark supports live collaboration through the web. It comes in multiple languages, including French, Italian, German, Spanish and Portuguese. Adobe has added or will soon be adding project commenting; real-time, synchronous co-editing; mobile project sharing; and “support for multiple brands” for users who participate in more than one team.
Note, there is a Canvas integration. To create Spark assignments in Canvas, check out https://helpx.adobe.com/enterprise/using/canvas-integration.html#educators // students to complete a Spark assignment in Canvas would want to check out https://helpx.adobe.com/enterprise/using/canvas-integration.html#students.
When you are ready to get started with Adobe Spark, you can log in by following the instructions at http://links.pccsk12.com/adobespark. For a quick tutorial on how to use Adobe Spark, we encourage you to watch this tutorial video from Richard Byrne. You may also want to look at Adobe’s Spark Edu guide.
Canvas Resources to Help Educators
Canvas Support Livestream Schedule: Helping Educators Self Serve Top Support Issues
Hello PCCS Staff,
We hope you are having a fun, relaxing, and safe summer. To support the rollout of both Zoom and our new district-wide LMS, Canvas, the technology integration specialists will be offering a number of optional virtual trainings during various dates in the month of August. While there will be a 6-hour PD on September 1st that will include workshop time with colleagues, we know that many teachers and staff want to get started right away. Here is what you can look forward to in the coming weeks:
*Please create a free account and use your __@pccsk12.com account email: https://www.instructure.com/canvas/try-canvas (we have confirmed that any content created in these accounts will be able to be transferred to your district account when it becomes available).
To access and add these virtual trainings to your Google Calendar click: http://links.pccsk12.com/aug2020techpd
We have also included a number of other trainings in our calendar, and if you would like to subscribe to our calendar simply click: http://links.pccsk12.com/subscibetotis
Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns,
Matt and Rick
Interested in Zoom training this weekend?? SimpleK12 offers a free 30 minute webinar at 10 am on Saturday, August 8th entitled Using Zoom Video Conferencing Tools for Student Engagement.
The following blog post was initially shared this past April and remains relevant for a growing number of district laptop users…. At some point you may see a blue alert window declaring Your Windows license will expire soon; You need to activate Windows in settings. There is no need to panic.
Our laptop’s Window licensing usually renews automatically through the district server, however you need to be on our network for that to happen and many haven’t been for long enough to trigger this warning. To reset your license for another 180 days of use, when convenient within two weeks of first seeing that warning, head to any district building with your laptop. You don’t need to actually enter the building, you just need to be close enough to have the laptop connect to the district Wi-Fi. It’s even possible at some of our locations to remain in your car and still be close enough to get a signal. While remaining connected to the district Wi-Fi (either PCCSK12- Secure or PCCSK12-Staff), completely restart the laptop, then log into it and make sure it completes the log in process. Surf somewhere on the internet to confirm that you remained connected. Doing this should suffice to reset the license counter for another six months and you’re good to leave, mission accomplished.
If you still cannot get the alert to go away after doing the above, please submit a service ticket and our department can assist you with other steps to take.