Hour of Code Resources in your Clever Portal

Hour of Code begins this month and we’re happy to share resources for our students to engage with Computer Science programs. You can easily participate in an Hour of Code and help our students discover coding apps via the Clever Library or by checking out available options at https://hourofcode.com/us/learn. For teachers who use Clever with their students, if your students do not have already have access to a coding app, simply log in to the Clever Portal and visit the Clever Library to search and install a few on your class pages.

For those unfamiliar with Clever and how you might use it with your students, check out the Clever Academy to learn about its benefit for you and your students.

HOUR OF CODE, FAQs:

What is the Hour of Code?

The Hour of Code started as a one-hour introduction to computer science, designed to demystify “code”, to show that anybody can learn the basics, and to broaden participation in the field of computer science. It has since become a worldwide effort to celebrate computer science, starting with 1-hour coding activities but expanding to all sorts of community efforts. Check out the tutorials and activities. This grassroots campaign is supported by over 400 partners and 200,000 educators worldwide.

When is the Hour of Code?

The Hour of Code takes place each year during Computer Science Education Week. The 2019 Computer Science Education Week will be December 9-15, but you can host an Hour of Code all year-round. Computer Science Education Week is held annually in recognition of the birthday of computing pioneer Admiral Grace Murray Hopper (December 9, 1906).

Why computer science?

Every student should have the opportunity to learn computer science. It helps nurture problem-solving skills, logic and creativity. By starting early, students will have a foundation for success in any 21st-century career path. See more stats here.

How do I participate in the Hour of Code?

Start planning here by reviewing our how-to guide. You can organize an Hour of Code event at your school or in your community — like in an extracurricular club, non-profit or at work. Or, just try it yourself when Dec. 9 arrives.

Who is behind the Hour of Code?

The Hour of Code is driven by the Hour of Code and Computer Science Education Week Advisory and Review Committees as well as an unprecedented coalition of partners that have come together to support the Hour of Code — including Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Boys and Girls Clubs of America and the College Board.

Only Use Rechargeable Batteries for Handheld Classroom Microphones

Using any non-rechargeable alkaline batteries will leak and corrode the metal terminals in the microphones. That’s BAD news for the microphone and it’s bad news for anyone who gets battery acid on their hands.   So, it’s imperative that ONLY rechargeable AA Nickel based batteries with max output of 1.5v (aka the most common rechargeable battery) are used. Tech integration specialists have had good luck with the Amazon Basics and Eneloop rechargeable brands and consequently recommend them when asked.

Amazon: Eneloop

Amazon Basics

Please keep in mind that battery replacements, as well as the microphones themselves are considered consumables and thus local building budget items, so please consult your building leadership when and if interested in obtaining new batteries or replacement microphones.

Remember To Please Submit a Service Request if/when seeking Tech support

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 to access this system.

Go to links.pccsk12.com/helpdesk

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 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.

Alternatively, to locate the service portal…

  1. Browse to the PCCS Website: http://www.pccsk12.com
  2. Hover over Staff
  3. Click on Technology Service Request

If you might submit more than one service ticket during the year, consider bookmarking the Service Desk url by clicking the Star on the right side of the address bar (see pic below), so that it is easy to locate the page again.

A Preview of two January G Suite Updates: Send emails as attachments in Gmail & More Options Menu in Gmail Calendar Invites

Email as Attachment

Starting in January G Suite users will be able to attach emails to other emails in Gmail without downloading them first. For some situations attaching emails might make more sense than forwarding separate emails, like wanting to forward multiple messages related to a single topic. With this new functionality, you can do exactly that. Sending emails as attachments allows you to write a summary email message to your recipients, and attach the set of supporting emails that recipients can directly open in their mail client.

How to Attach an Email
To insert emails in a new thread, drag and drop them into the draft window.

 

Or Forward as attachment
Another way to insert emails in a new thread is to select the emails and then from the overflow (three-dot) menu select “Forward as attachment”.
Via Pop Up Reply
To reply to an existing thread, you can pop-out the compose window and then drag and drop emails to it.

You’ll know this feature is available to you sometime in January when you see the “Forward as attachment” option in the three-dot More menu.

Also available starting sometime in January, you will be able to propose a new meeting time or add a note to Calendar invites directly from Gmail. When you open a Google Calendar invite in Gmail, you’ll see a new “More Options” dropdown menu, allowing you to propose a new time for the meeting or add a note to your RSVP. Selecting either option will open the respective event section in calendar.google.com, where you can make those updates directly.

GMail Calendar Invite More Menu
Note that this feature  will only initially be available for Gmail on the web.

Printing Large PDFs from Rubicon Atlas or Elsewhere? Read this.

Chrome is a great browser for many things, but it’s come to our attention that it doesn’t handle some of the larger pdfs that teachers and staff need to print, particularly the large curriculum pdfs from Rubicon Atlas, and it thereby affects your ability to print via the browser.  By default and for convenience, Chrome opens the pdfs in your browser, but it’s best when dealing with larger and longer pdf files to click the pop-up menu (^) next to the downloaded pdf file in the Chrome browser. See below, and please submit a service request if you are having trouble with the process.

 

How can students use Read&Write for Google in Google Forms Quiz while in locked mode?

Students wishing to use Read&Write while in locked mode simply need to launch Read&Write BEFORE entering the locked Google Form.

Premium users will have access to the most common accessibility and productivity tools such as Text to Speech, Word Prediction, and Talk&Type dictation. Some features, such as the ability to collect highlights, build vocabulary lists, and web search, will be disabled due to the nature of the locked mode. 

RW4G Locked Mode in Forms Quick Reference Guide 5.2019

RW4G @ P-CCS weblink

Finite Resources – Secure 1:1 Classroom & Media Center Devices

As the tech department works throughout the district and observes all the wonderful things being done with technology to support student learning, we are reminded that we have a precious resource in our technology-rich environment.  Because resources are finite, we are reminding all classroom teachers and staff to remain vigilant in securing the 1:1 and cart-based devices in our classrooms and media centers. As you know, these are highly desirable devices and given that our buildings are often very much open to the public, we need to secure the devices each afternoon before leaving for the day, and during intervals in between when the devices are unattended.

If you are aware that there is an issue with the locking mechanism on a cart, or a key has been misplaced, please submit a service request immediately, and make sure your existing key is in a safe place that is not easily accessible when not in use.

Black Friday Phishing

Phishing to avoid

Ah, there’s nothing like phishing on Black Friday. The sun breaking over the horizon, the water gently lapping.

Oops. Phishing, not fishing. Phishing is bad.

This is an example of a phishing email. The scammers have used the Amazon logo. They have included “deals” that seem reasonable. However:

  • The sender’s email does not match with Amazon
  • Hovering your cursor over the link in the actual email will display a link to a site other than Amazon
  • There is some odd wording

Please be aware of phishing attempts and scams.

A few things to remember:

  • Just because it has a logo, doesn’t mean it comes from the company. It is easy to copy and paste the Amazon logo, the Apple logo, etc.
  • Watch out for things that are “time-sensitive”
  • Do NOT use the link within an email to log in and fix an issue. Type the URL you know into the URL bar yourself
  • Watch out for “tracking numbers” that claim to come from UPS, FedEx, etc.
  • Be wary of promised Gift Cards for completing a survey (almost all of these are fraudulent).

Also:

  • Reputable companies won’t ask for your Social Security Number/Bank Account Number/Credit card to prove who you are
  • Remember that phishers are trying to get information (either log in information, credit card numbers, or personal information)
  • You can click on the 3 dots (More) to get a menu of choices for the email and are encouraged to select Report phishing if you determine it is a phishing email to help train the system and help others avoid the trap (and if instead it is spam and didn’t go into your spam folder, consider doing likewise to help train the system). You can also click “Show Original” to see the actual header and often it clues you in that something didn’t come from whom it purports to.
    • click to report email issue

Reprinted and adapted from this Dearborn Public Schools’ blog posting.

ON A SLIGHTLY RELATED NOTE: Please consider checking your Google security settings here https://myaccount.google.com/security and run the security checkup https://myaccount.google.com/security-checkup?continue=https://myaccount.google.com/security especially with an eye towards revoking access to apps you no longer use.