On June 30th, Flipgid announced the all new Flipgrid with updates during their biggest annual educator celebration: FlipgridLIVE! Every change to Flipgrid is driven by your ideas, your stories and your feedback.
These Flipgrid updates will launch starting August 5 and continue monthly into the fall. Check out the full FlipgridLIVE broadcast and keep reading for a look back at Flipgrid’s biggest updates: https://blog.flipgrid.com/news/flipgridlive2020
John Sowash is a former HS biology teacher and principal who helps teachers use technology to improve instruction. A few links he has posted on his blog https://www.chrmbook.com/blog/ are shared below along with his commentary.
As Wayne RESA continues to develop new ways to support literacy across Wayne County, they are sharing their first Wayne County Summer Learning Blitz. The Learning Blitz consists of free webinars offered daily in August from 3:00-4:00 pm.
Although the focus is on implementing essential practices in remote settings, technology integration within face-to-face settings can be used to enhance current practice – making these sessions applicable no matter the school model for the coming school year.
To provide synchronous and asynchronous options, sessions will be recorded and emailed to all who register. These recordings will also be archived on the Literacy Learning Network website.
In addition to the webinars, interested coaches and instructional leaders are invited to join a 30 minute facilitation debrief, immediately following most sessions. During this time, participants will be provided ideas and facilitation resources to support the delivery of this learning within their own school setting. The goal is to empower literacy coaches and staff responsible for professional development within their individual districts.
All webinars are grounded in early literacy and all educators are welcome. There is no cost. See the attached flier for topics and registration links.
Simplek12 offers each week free access to various of their popular 30 minute webinars one of which is Using Zoom Video Conferencing Tools for Student Engagement. Some folks may want to check it out as it covers…. ** How to start taking your online learning experiences to the next level with Zoom ** Directions on using breakout rooms, the whiteboard tool, and digital annotation ** Tips on using Zoom in a way that allows for enhanced student engagement
Tuesday | July 28, 2020 5 pm – 5:30 pm
Thursday | July 30, 2020 10:30 – 11:00 am OR 12:00 – 12:30 pm
For those interested in reviewing the confirmed digital subscriptions for the coming 2020-2021 school year, please check out the dynamically linked spreadsheet below. It will be updated with any new information should changes or new subscriptions be adopted. This sheet will be published via the Home Teaching Hub as well. If you need additional support please connect with a Tech Integration Specialist at tis@pccsk12.com
Summer is here and we want to remind you that we’re here to support your personal and professional learning over the summer. We know that next year is going to look a bit different with all of the challenges of Covid-19 and re-opening schools and we want to support you in any way we can! There are some opportunities we’re creating to support you as you think about next year and we will be announcing them via The Home Teaching Hub, Tech Blog, and Professional Learning Calendar.
Please note, we have summer 1:1 appointment hours available Monday through Friday. Just navigate to our Calendly link to schedule time with a Tech Integration Specialist. We can help you with specific tech tools or planning for a blended or virtual learning environment or assist you with other tech integration wonders: https://calendly.com/tis-pccs/15min
Consider also adding the professional learning calendar to your Google Calendar so you can get updated directly on your Google Calendar of any newly released learning opportunities. To do so, see guidance below.
As staff end their year with students, there are several recommendations to consider. You can read more, watch a video, or listen to the podcast from Eric Curts here: controlaltachieve.com/2019/05/classroom-cleanup.html
Here are the top tips to consider:
Tip #1 – Return all student work
Tip #2 – Unenroll students from old classes
Tip #3 – Archive old classes*
Tip #4 – Remove old class calendars
Tip #5 – Move old class folders in Drive
*Keep in mind that archiving the classes will remove access for students, so if students still need access for some reason, wait until later in the summer to archive. Once the school year has ended, there are some important steps you should take in your Google Classrooms. It’s important to archive finished classes so students don’t see older classes in their dashboards when they login to Google Classroom. Remember, you can use posts/materials from older classes or copy those classes completely for next year.
Archiving classes is important so that students do not see old classes in their Google Classroom dashboards when they login. It also declutters your own active Classroom dashboard. Remember, you can always go back and look at archived classes and copy them or use posts/materials/assignments from them. They are not gone forever.
How to View and/or Restore Archived ClassesCopying a Class
Copying a class creates a copy of the class with all of the materials and assignments in DRAFT status and with no students. It’s highly recommended that you do this from year to year instead of dumping students out of last year’s classroom and adding new students in.
To Copy a ClassPast Google for Education newsletters have alerted educators to many resources and opportunities. Google’s latest issue #29 (June 2020) is no exception. Pasted below are some of its snippets for your review.
Discover the New Google Teacher Center
Discover free technology training and resources for educators of all levels in the new Teacher Center. We’ve updated the Teacher Center with guide pages for our core products, an updated hub of teacher resources, a communities page to connect you to experts and other educators, and more.
VIA20 Google Certified Innovator Academy
Want to solve a global challenge in education? Applications are now open for the 2020 Google Certified Innovator Academy, which will be delivered online to a Global Cohort. Apply before July 10.
Getting Started with Google for Education
New to Google tools and not sure where to start? Register for our 8-week “Getting Started with Google for Education” email series to receive 10-minute, video-based lessons on the Tuesday of each week. Content is available with subtitles in over 18 languages.
Make Remote Learning Work for Everyone
On May 21st Google celebrated Global Accessibility Day. Learn more about how to make remote learning work for everyone.
Google Play’s Change The Game Design Challenge
For all kids 13-18: Submit to the Design Challenge today! Participants will score an online game dev workshop with other game changers. Clock the entire course to earn a certificate of completion and a new Chromebook!
Remote Reading Support from Rivet
Access remote reading support with one click now that Rivet’s library is available on the web. Includes 3,500+ free, leveled books across 14 kid-friendly categories and word help on every page in addition to recently added books in Spanish.
“Learn Anywhere” with Google Arts & Culture
Created with home learning in mind, 11 Learn Anywhere lesson plans launched on TES. Flexible enough to use in the classroom or for students to work through on their own, they cover a range of subjects, from Dinosaurs to Bauhaus.
Make Remote Learning Fun with Applied Digital Skills
The new Digital Art & Games collection from Applied Digital Skills features 10 at-home lessons to help your students express their creativity and have fun, all while learning digital skills. Students can create a meme with Google Drawings, make a word game in Google Sheets, write an emoji story in Google Docs, and more!
A Guardian’s Guide to CS First
This how-to guide for parents and guardians helps you and your kids get started with CS First, an engaging video-based curriculum that teaches coding through hands-on activities. A great activity to use over summer!
Navigate the Digital World with this Guide
Parents and Guardians can use this Digital Wellbeing Guide to help them spark productive conversations, practice healthy habits, and identify engaging activities with their families.
Instructional staff, before leaving for your well-deserved summer vacation, please comply with the directions of your principal and main office to turn in or secure all classroom technology equipment such as document cameras, microphones, interactive pens, and remotes. Please leave any Ethernet and USB cables / whips in place, but off the classroom floor. On your last day in your school, would you please also power off all electronics including projectors, interactive flat panels, sound amps, and desktop computers. Please leave printers and copiers plugged in and powered on.
Please also secure or take home all District-assigned devices (laptop, Chromebook, iPad, etc.), as well as all personally-owned devices.
For those that have a classroom cart with student devices (iPads or Chromebooks), please lock your cart after ensuring that all of the devices in your classroom are inside and connected to charge. On a sheet of paper, please print your name, room number and the number of devices contained inside and tape the sheet to the top of your cart. Please make sure that the cart is plugged in to charge and leave it charging in the classroom (unlike past years, please don’t take it to the media center). Please hand the cart key to your building secretary (or in some cases, your principal) and make sure that they have recorded that you turned it in.
District-assigned devices should be brought back when you return to school in the fall OR upon separation of service from the District (retirement, resignation, lay-off, etc.) (please see this document if you are separating from service).
Thanks for your cooperation in helping safeguard district tech!