If you have multiple classes assigned to you in the same hour (E2020, K-8 split class, ASD classroom), you don’t have to take attendance in each class separately. See the link below for directions.
Classwize is a cloud-based classroom management software designed to help teachers monitor and control student devices in real-time. It provides a comprehensive set of tools that allow you to guide your students’ online activities, keeping them focused and engaged during lessons. This is available for grades 2-12. These features work for district chromebooks and laptops with students logged into Chrome with their P-CCS account. It will NOT work for phones or iPads.
– Increased Focus: By managing distractions, you can keep your students engaged with the lesson material.
– Personalized Learning: Use activity reports to tailor your teaching approach to individual student needs.
– Time-Saving: Spend less time managing behavior and more time teaching.
– Peace of Mind: Ensure a safe online environment for your students.
Dig into more options with the Classwize Guide.
This year, you’ll no longer have to go to two different places to submit a tech request and a maintenance request. They are both housed through Master Library. It is conveniently located in the waffle (Google Apps Launcher). Scroll down to find the green “M,” it will launch the site and automatically log you in with your Google credentials.
Please note, accessing through the “Waffle” is the recommended pathway! Getting to MasterLibrary through the direct link and signing in with Google credentials may not work if you have not first visited through the waffle.
When you submit a new request you’ll have the option to choose:
From there the options and procedure are similar to our previous systems.
To reiterate, staff members should raise maintenance and technology service concerns/requests by either clicking on the Google apps launcher (aka waffle) and selecting the green Master Library Work Orders icon (preferred way) OR browsing to https://helpdesk.pccsk12.com/ (feel free to bookmark) and signing in with their district Google credentials.
Finally, please note, some information you initially enter can be saved to your profile so that it auto populates when you return to the site.
More resources:
We’re excited to announce that our district is transitioning to Google Meet as our primary video conferencing platform. To streamline operations and enhance our digital learning environment, we will no longer be utilizing paid Zoom accounts.
Google Meet offers a user-friendly interface, seamless integration with Google Workspace, and robust collaboration tools, making it an ideal platform for our classrooms. Whether you’re hosting a live lesson, meeting with families, or collaborating with colleagues, Google Meet provides the features, including breakout rooms, polling and more, you need to connect and engage effectively.
We understand that this change may require some adjustment, but we believe that Google Meet will work well for our needs.
Please review our Google Meet Teacher Guide for information on how to set up and use Google Meet. Canvas offers an integration with Google Meet that allows for easy student access, when needed. The guide will also show you how to set up a Meet with students without the Canvas integration. We recognize that your Google Meet use cases may be with families or colleagues, so the guide shows you how to set up a Meet through Google Calendar or creating an instant meeting.
If you have questions about Google Meet, please submit a tech ticket.
We’re excited to let you know that your Canvas courses will soon be visible and ready for action. Canvas is designed to simplify your teaching journey and provide you with a user-friendly platform to engage with your students, organize course materials, and foster a dynamic learning environment.
To assist you in creating an engaging and effective online learning space, we’ve prepared comprehensive resources for the course template. These resources include step-by-step guides, video tutorials, and best practices for setting up your Canvas courses. Whether you’re a seasoned Canvas user or a first-timer, these tools will ensure that you’re making the most of Canvas’s features. Using the Canvas template ensure students and families have a more consistent experience in Canvas. We have also updated the template to reflect the move to Google Meet rather than Zoom, reduced the Course Navigation Menu options, and included an assignment template for easy duplication.
Looking for courses from previous years? Rest assured, they may not be on your dashboard, but they are still there. If you navigate to https://pccsk12.instructure.com/courses and scroll to the bottom of the page, you’ll see such courses under “Past Enrollments.” Past enrollments (such courses) are in read-only format. If you would like to make some edits and updates to your course(s) for current or future usage do the following. Click on the course under Past Enrollments, go to Settings on the Course Navigation Menu and click the “Copy this Course” button.
You can easily copy previous Canvas courses into your 25-25 course shell. However, if you have been keeping the same content from year to year, some unused content might be slowing you down. Last spring, we invited you to reflect on and revise your course instead of copying the whole thing over (linked post). Below, you will find steps to import Canvas content into your new course shell (once generated automatically through the MiStar integration).
Just getting started with Canvas or wanting to start anew? Check out this new Canvas Quick Start Guide. It might be helpful even if you plan to import previous content! It has links to crosslisting directions, template homepage information, button templates, and more!
When you have taken time to update the homepage and import previous content, you might not want to repeat those steps for multiple sections on the same course. If that is the case, take a look at the crosslisting guide. This will allow you to only update one course and the changes will be reflected in all sections.
You must publish your course in order for it to be visible for students and families. Rest assured, students cannot view course content until the term starts (check this under the course settings). Avoid unnecessary emails from students and families and set yourself a reminder to publish!
If you need assistance with any of these steps, please submit a tech ticket.
In Canvas, instructors now have the flexibility to assign modules to individual students or specific sections (this could be specific hours in a cross-listed course).
Sections are created automatically in a cross-listed course (P2, P3, etc) but you can also manually-create sections of students.
This feature allows for personalized learning experiences and targeted instruction. Here’s how you can assign modules to individual students or sections:
– Navigate to the desired course in Canvas.
– Click on the “Modules” tab in the course navigation menu.
– Select the module you want to assign.
– In module, click the Options icon (Tim Bits). Click “Assign to”
-By default, modules are assigned and visible to everyone in the course.
-Click the Individual or Section field to select a section or an individual student name.
-You can add multiple students and sections.
-Click Save
By utilizing the “Assign To” feature in Canvas, instructors can tailor their instructional materials to meet the unique needs of individual students or specific sections. This level of customization promotes targeted learning and enhances student engagement. See the Canvas guide for more information.
Looking to stay sharp this summer? The county is offering a daily, free professional development series throughout August. Each session will dive into a different education-related topic and will be held at 3 PM. They are also offering some asynchronous options.
This is a fantastic opportunity to learn from experts in the field, network with colleagues from across the county, and gain new insights to enhance your classroom practice.
Mark your calendars and take advantage of this valuable resource! Sign-up today.
The good news is, there isn’t much to worry about with Canvas at the end of the year. It will automatically convert your course to read-only for students and roll your course into Past Enrollments. When next year’s course shell appears you will be able to import last year’s course content with a few clicks.
There are a few things you can do if you’d like to make adjustments to your course over the summer or if you like to have a just-in-case copy. Peruse the items below for more information and/or save it at this link.
Artificial Intelligence. It’s on Google, it’s on TikTok, it’s everywhere, including P-CCS!
“Artificial intelligence is about teaching machines to think and learn like humans, with the goal of automating work and solving problems more efficiently”. How does it work? AI learns by analyzing lots of data. The latest breakthrough in AI came when ChatGPT indexed much of the internet and then paired it with the ability to understand natural language. This advancement allows you to ask and get answers to questions much like a human interaction (Natural Language Processing- NLP). It can perform tasks like summarizing texts, creating captions, interpreting images, developing stories – in short, generating new and unique output to user prompts! We have entered the era of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI).
P-CCS aspires to have staff and students using technology to innovate and thrive. This includes AI. The Student and Staff Technology Acceptable Use and Safety policies were both updated at the February 27, 2024 board meeting with administrative guidelines to follow surrounding AI. We encourage you to read the policies and be aware of the guidelines.
Some key points to be aware of:
As we enter into this conversation, we must expressly state a caution about using AI safely and responsibly.
As with any technology, we need to be aware of the data and personal information we are sharing- especially when it comes to our students’ data. When using AI tools, students and staff should never share personally identifiable information (PII) about themselves or others – this can include first/last names, email addresses, or any other personal identifying information. If you have questions of what’s okay to share, reach out to a member of the TIS team by submitting a helpdesk ticket.
It is also very important to be aware that responses generated from AI may contain biases and/or misinformation. Always review AI-generated content with a critical (human) eye. AI is a tool that gives us a starting point, not a finished product.
The district updated its policies in recognition that AI will be transformative. We suggest educating yourself further on AI. Here are some resources from Common Sense Media:
This is the first post in a 4-part series. The next post will provide you with ideas and resources to see how AI might support you and some of your teaching responsibilities. In our final post, we will announce the release of an AI tool that will be made available to all P-CCS staff.
If you have been using Canvas for awhile (since 2021), you may have worked to build Pages in Canvas that had the plan for your day/week/month. They may also include links to other Canvas Assignments and resources. It may look something like this:
While this page made a lot of sense as you rushed to put together content for virtual days, you might consider making the shift to Modules. Over time, these pages have probably proved cumbersome to update and it can result in a clunky workflow for students. It may also feel like a double load of work if you also update some daily slide for the classroom. We’d suggest letting go of these Agenda pages in favor Modules organized by week or topic. Check out some examples below:
This set up may prove easier to update and blends nicely with the face-to-face learning environment, pointing students and families to exactly what they need to know.