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Fresh Tech Gazette

Instructional Tech Newsletter

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Chrome Corner�

💻 Techie Tidbits �

💡 Strategies & Sources

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UDL 💚 Tech💜 Connect💙

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🎉 PD & Prizes

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February 2023 Fresh Tech Gazette

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Tab History in Chrome

  • Too many tabs open? Can’t find the tab you need or were last reviewing?�
  • Try long pressing (holding) your browser’s back button to see a short history of your last visited websites on that tab�
  • Select the website you need!
    • 📺 Video tutorial�
  • Additional Chrome hacks and tips

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Updated Interface in Gmail

  • You may have noticed that your Gmail has a new view, or layout�
  • Gmail updated to the “new” interface from late January through February 3rd
    • The layout cannot be reverted back to the original, traditional view�
  • In the new layout, you can access Google Chat, group conversations known as Spaces, and open or create Google Meets on the fly
    • Customize which of these apps you would like to see by clicking the settings cog in the top right corner of your Gmail account�
  • More information on the update

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Sign in to Canvas with Google Account

  • Did you know you’ll use your BCSC Google account to access Canvas?
    • Canvas will replace itslearning as our district-wide LMS in the 23-24 school year for all staff and students
      • When students have Canvas, this means they will not need to enter their username/password again; when they are signed in to their chromebook, they are signed in to Canvas!
    • Staff have access to Canvas in 22-23 in order to train�
  • Canvas Sign in Guides → Elementary, Secondary�
  • There are 3 options to sign in to Canvas; open Chrome web browser to begin
    • Option 1: Click the bcsc.k12.in.us bookmarks bar
      • Select Canvas → Voila → you are signed in!
        • You must be signed in to Chrome browser
    • Option 2: Click the Google apps menu
      • Scroll down and select Canvas (not Canva)
        • Hooray → you are signed in!
          • You must be signed in to Chrome browser
    • Option 3: Visit bcsc.instructure.com
      • You must be signed in to Chrome browser first

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eLearning Reminders

  • First 3 school closures will automatically become eLearning days
    • Closures beyond 3 days will be added on as additional days at the end of the school year; change in state legislation required these changes; we have used 1 day so far�
  • Expectations/helpful reminders:
    • Lessons/objectives posted on itslearning by 9 AM
    • Staff available to answer questions, provide guidance between 9am - 3pm
    • Students should use itslearning messenger to connect with teachers
    • Implement UDL in your eLearning lessons by providing students with options in learning materials and activities�
  • BCSC eLearning website (for the public)
  • eLearning Course Readiness Checklist

eLearning website

Readiness Check

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Canvas LMS Updates, Reminders

  • BCSC is moving to Canvas district-wide in 2023-24 school year
    • Itslearning remains as our district-wide LMS in 22-23�
  • Instructional staff will receive Canvas training on Feb. 20th district-wide PD day
    • BCSC Tech Titans will receive training in semester 1, ‘22
    • Canvas timeline, reminders�
  • To prepare for Canvas, we’ll share 1-2 tips each month
    • Tips won’t require you to access Canvas-just helpful info
    • If you want to tinker in Canvas, you can create a free educator account with a personal email, and anything you build can be copied (exported, then imported) to your BCSC Canvas account/profiles (in a few clicks)�
  • Quick Canvas tip of the month: Rich Content Editor (RCE)
    • Throughout Canvas, staff and students have access to the rich content editor (RCE), a toolbar of features similar to the itslearning rich content toolbar.
    • The RCE in Canvas provides the ability to support multiple means of representation with the options to add links, record/upload audio/video, insert images, add tables, embed Google Drive files, and more!
    • Rich Content Editor details / 📺 Rich Content Editor tutorial

Info slides on Canvas, timing

Canvas Rich Content Editor tutorial

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Itslearning to Canvas: Prep Tips

  • Semester 2 itslearning courses will be created in the first few days of the start of winter break; students will not be enrolled in the courses until the teacher work day Jan. 6th�
  • Itslearning content will be migrated to Canvas by BCSC Tech in late May/early June 2023
    • Itslearning supports a mass migration of content, logistically it is ideal to do this at the end of the year vs. multiple times during the year; there is not a feature or option for staff members to export their own courses or content themselves (with exception of itslearn quizzes)
    • We will send out numerous reminders; courses that are marked active on our migration dates will be migrated over
    • Make sure the content you want moved is in an active course�
  • Prepare for migration in a couple of different ways
    • Start organizing your content to prepare
    • Consider building more content in Slides, Docs vs in the rich-text editor/page tool on itslearning�
  • Review this slide deck for details on what content can be migrated and which content will not migrate

Information on migration

Info slides on Canvas, timing

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EduProtocols: Worst Preso Ever

  • Worst Preso Ever is an EduProtocol activity from Book 1�
  • Jump start presentation (preso) skills in your students by giving them the opportunity to recognize best-and worst-practices�
  • Show students a version of the “Life After Death by PowerPoint” video
    • Always preview a video first - tips from the authors:
  • Watch the video and pause after each presentation “no-no” to give students the time to take notes, discuss and reflect upon what they should not do in presentations�
  • Then, put students into small groups and each group opens a blank Google Slides presentation
    • The group picks a random topic of their choice for the deck�
  • Each group member creates a slide in the deck where they show one of the bad, no-no’s from the video (break 1 rule per slide)
    • Student lists the rule being broken on the slide�
  • Present the slides and laugh! Bonus - have groups present another group’s deck for an added twist�
  • Bonus tip: preview this activity by creating the “worst” presentation you can create and launch the lesson with these terrible slides-watch students’ faces as they realize how confusing poorly designed slides can be!

Worst preso ever example

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Black History Month Resources, Local Events

Teaching and learning resources

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Nacho Problem

  • Featured in the EduProtocols: Math Edition, but, adaptable to many other content areas, subjects, and grade levels�
  • Provide students with a problem or question stem/prompt�
  • Below the prompt, provide an “incorrect” answer
    • For math problems, best to include the “steps” used to reach this answer�
  • Students are given the opportunity to correct the incorrect answer, show their work, and then explain their reasoning�
  • Explanations can be written, typed, recorded, or discussed with a peer in a turn and talk activity�
  • Google Jamboard template from book author Lisa Nowakowski�
  • Google Slides template from Indiana educator/coach Nadine Gilkison

Google Slides template

Jamboard template

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StoryVoice

  • Take your reading activities to the next level with StoryVoice�
  • Bring in authors, read-alouds, and virtual field trips via StoryVoice�
  • StoryVoice is a free website that provides educators with the opportunity to join virtual events to spark interest in reading and deepen passion for popular children’s books�
  • Sign up for free and gain access to the StoryVoice calendar�
  • Calendar includes a variety of events :
    • Talks with famous authors
    • Book read-alouds with authors and celebrities
    • Virtual field trips
    • Hundreds of recordings from previous events

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80+ Graphic Organizers in English, Spanish

  • Graphic organizers are helpful resources for organizing thoughts in the prewriting phase, note-taking, connecting ideas, summarizing concepts, visually representation, more!
    • Supports options for perception, comprehension, action and expression, and more�
  • Check out this collection of 80+ graphic organizer templates
    • Written in both English and Spanish
    • Most designed using Canva, a graphic design tool
  • See a template you like? Click the template and its yours!
    • Print copies for students OR
    • Give digital access by clicking the share button and giving them a template link from the “share” options menu

80+ templates

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Flip Cultural Exchange

  • Flip (formerly known as Flipgrid) is providing a free virtual pen pal opportunity for any classroom throughout the month of March
    • Recruiting interest, boosts relevance/authenticity, supports multiple means of action/expression�
  • Classes will be matched with other classrooms across the globe to share histories, cultures, and more!
  • Haven’t used Flip before? No worries-it’s free!
    • Flip is available on the web and on mobile devices�
  • Use your BCSC Google account to set up your account and students can use a link/code to join your class

Register today!

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Reading Strategies

  • Capture student engagement and provide scaffolding during a variety of reading and writing tasks with a combination of pre-reading, during reading, and post-reading activities
    • Supports sustaining effort and persistence, language and symbols, comprehension, executive function, more�
  • Check out tips with descriptions: Reading Strategies�
  • Pre-reading: Preview the text, pre-teach vocab/concepts, frayer vocab, speed-chatting, relate�
  • During reading: Visualize, re-read, ask questions, annotate, research�
  • Post-reading: Summarize, describe, discuss, make an illustration, connect, use it

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Multisensory Scaffolding Tips

  • Scaffolding are temporary structures or resources provided to students to support their progression towards a goal; similar to building scaffolding, they are gradually removed as the building nears completion�
  • For all learners, including ELLs-as noted in the WIDA Essential Action Series (Gottlieb, 2013) -scaffolding is critical for helping learners access grade level content and achieve academic goals�
  • Check out the Scaffolding Guide for tips, resources�
  • Consider providing scaffolding in 3 areas:
    • Sensory scaffolding: Engages the 5 senses
    • Interactive scaffolding: Uses social interactions
    • Graphic, visual scaffolding: Uses charts, graphs, tables, graphic organizers

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Make & Take: Exit Tickets

  • Make & Take PD sessions are back for 2022-2023!
    • Designed to be quick, bite-sized PD
    • Focus on creating a resource in the session (make) and sharing creations with other attendees so all learn (take)
    • Leave with a resource you created
    • Leave with resources/examples from others�
  • Make and Take March: Homepages in Canvas
    • Tuesday, March 28th, 3:30-4:00 PM, via Zoom
      • Learn tips, tools, and more for exit tickets or reflections. We’ll share ideas and templates!
        • PGPs available; all sessions will be recorded�
  • Access January ‘23 exit tickets recording and others

Check out the recording of January exit tickets session!

Make & Take Calendar

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Indiana Learning Lab

  • Grow your technology skills, pedagogy, classroom management toolkit, and more by signing up with your BCSC Google account to the Indiana Learning Lab�
  • The Indiana Learning Lab is a free professional development portal from the Indiana Department of Education, led by the digital learning team�
  • The website contains on-demand and live PD on a variety of topics-with the ability to earn PGPs:
    • Science of reading
    • Google workspace for education tools
    • Digital textbook tools
    • Discussion strategies, ideas, templates
    • Assignment, project ideas, templates

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Past Fresh Tech Gazette Newsletters

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February 2023 Fresh Tech Gazette (email friendly version)

🔌Chrome Corner�

💻 Techie Tidbits

​

💡 Strategies & Sources

​

UDL 💚 Tech💜 Connect💙

​

🎉 PD & Prizes �