CPP Technology Today
A Communication of the CPP Technology Committee - Vol 3.3
In This Issue
News and Information
- CPPMS: Google Lends a Hand with Presentations of Learning - by Tammie Edinger
- Professional Development Updates
- BrightBytes Technology Survey
Digital Citizenship
- Digital Citizenship Lessons for K-12 (Or, What Now? MORE Lessons?)
- T.H.I.N.K. Like a Digital Citizen
Library Media Update
- Students Use Technology to Improve Their Reading Experience - by Jennifer Taylor
Resources Spotlight
- Elementary Technology Updates - by Jennifer Haischer
District Technology: People, Places and Things:
- Technology Committee Members
- BITS Team Instructional Technology Support
- Tech Website Moves to Google Sites
Tuesday, Nov 7, 2017, 10:00 AM
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CPPMS: Google Lends a Hand with Presentations of Learning
By Tammie Edinger, CPP Middle School
Presentations of Learning are not unusual to Corning Painted Post Middle School but using Chromebooks to reflect, collect, organize, analyze and synthesize is new. Shortly after receiving their Chromebooks, sixth graders joined their Google Classrooms, where they have been annotating text, responding to one another’s questions and comments, and turning in their assignments.
All of these digital resources have allowed students to have their work at the tips of their fingers. As they became more familiar with the the Google Suite, students used their Google Drives to organize their work and Google Slides to create their digital portfolios. Using Google Slides allowed students to upload their work seamlessly from Google Drive.
Another aspect of the Presentation of Learning is teaching students to be accountable by reflecting on their work. Students are encouraged to use their Chromebooks to check Student Portal regularly, and to check in with their teachers to be academically successful. Some sixth graders have even gone a step further and are using Google Calendar to keep track of assignment deadlines and activities.
For help using the Google Suite of programs, visit the CPP Google Hub at the district Technology Website (be sure that you're logged into your @cppasd.com Google account to access the site).
Professional Development: Opportunities
- EdPuzzle with Tammie Edinger - November 7, 6:45-7:45 AM, CPPMS
- TouchIt TV with June Keuhn - 3:15-4:15, Carder Elementary
- EdPuzzle Follow-Up with Tammie Edinger - November 13, 6:45-7:45 AM, CPPMS
Google Calendar with Carrie Howe - November 13, 3:30-4:30, MS Library
AR Review with Jennifer Taylor - 3:15-4:15, Severn Library
Google Classroom with Colin Sinko - November 14, 3:15-4:15, Gregg Library
Google Classroom with Jennifer Taylor - November 14, 3:15-4:15, Severn Library
Powtoons with Carrie Howe - November 15, 6:45-7:45, MS Library
Google Drive with Joe Melanson - November 16, 7:15-7:45AM, CPPHS room A106
Google Drive with Bryan Kelley - November 16, 3:15-4:15, CPPHS
NEWSELA with Tammie Edinger - November 21, 6:45-7:45AM, CPPMS
Google Classroom with Jen Haischer - November 28, 3:30-4:30, EV
Open Lab: Bring Questions with Carrie Howe, November 28, 3:30-4:30,MS Library
Nearpod with Joe Melanson, November 30, 7:15-7:45AM, CPPHS room A106
Nearpod with Bryan Kelley, November 30, 7:15-7:45AM, CPPHS
Online PD:
- The pilot online PD class on Google Sites is available. Check out the Staff Development page of the Technology Website (linked below)
Be Heard with BrightBytes
CPP is has opened the window for the third annual administration of the BrightBytes technology evaluation to teachers, parents and students at Corning-Painted Post.
It is important to have as many teachers, students and parents as possible take this survey, in order that we can determine the growth of the technology program, and help determine its needs. This survey helps to:
- assess student and teacher technology needs
- guide decisions around technology support and device needs
- drive professional development and planning around technology
- determine areas that can be addressed in the area of instructional technology
- meet teachers technology needs
- address parent concerns and questions about technology
- ensure students meet technology learning goals
The BrightBytes window is open through November 28. Teachers, students and parents all have different surveys, and links are available for each school. Click here to access the BrightBytes Survey page. Click the approrpriate link (teacher, student, parent), and choose the school.
Digital Citizenship
Digital Citizenship Lessons for K-12 (Or, What Now? MORE Lessons?)
One of the 17-18 initiatives for technology at CPP is to begin to develop a Digitial Citizenship Curriculum for students in grades K-12. The purpose for this program is to:
- Make sure that our students - ALL of whom now have regular access to their own or classroom devices - have the skills they need to use digital resources safely, efficiently and respectfully
- Provide teachers with help and resources to teach these skills, so that they aren't just left trying to figure it out without any support
Basically, kids need to be taught computer skills, and we don't want teachers to have to figure out how to do that on their own without help.
The Digitial Citizenship curriculum looks different at each level, and different resources are provided. The resources will be added to each year, based on feedback from teachers about what skills and concepts students have trouble with and which teachers would like support teaching.
Since students of different ages have different needs, the curriculum is arranged to support those needs and to fit into the curriculum and activities that are already in place at those levels:
- Elementary - lessons are coordinated with DASA character traits, and focus on basic skills that young learners are working on mastering
- Middle - lessons are aligned with MYP Learner Profile Attributes and Approaches to Learning skills. Currently, they are designed to fit into Advisory classes, and support large-scale school intitiatives
- High - Some presentations are designed to fit into Freshmen Academy, and are aligned with the MYP Learner Profile Attributes and Approaches to Learning skills. We are also working on developing a "bank" of content-neutral resources that teachers can use when particular skills need to be taught in class.
What kinds of Digital Citizenship skills might need to be taught? Any of the digital literacy skills that fall under the "Respect, Connect, Protect" components (see below) are Digital Citizenship skills. Examples include:
- Care of Your Device (Logging in, respecting it, troubleshooting)
- Making, Saving and Finding Files and Folders
- Research Skills
- Copyright and Citation Skills
- Research Skills (from simple Google searches to Database searching)
- Protecting Your Identity
- Internet Safety
- Internet Etiquette (being nice, not bullying, responding to suspicious or harrassing behavior online)
- Buying and Selling things online (lots of fundraisers are moving online!)
- Digital Test-taking skills
- Contributing You Creations to the Online Community (YouTube Famous, here we come!)
If there are particular skills or skill areas you'd like help teaching, please contact a BITS member, Lori Pruyne, or pass it on through your building principal!
Digital Citizenship Lesson for Grades 4-5: T.H.I.N.K. Like a Digital Citizen
There is a lot of conversation about how important it is to teach students to practice Digital Citizenship, but what exactly does that mean? What is a digital citizen, how does an individual know if he/she is behaving like a digital citizen and how is a teacher supposed to teach that skill?
The T.H.I.N.K Like a Digital Citizenship presentation utilizes several different approaches to:
- Define what a digital citizen is
- Explain how to be a digital citizen by practicing the CPP Components of Digital Citizenship (Respect, Connect, Protect)
- Reminding students of the T.H.I.N.K. Before You Post model
This lesson is presented via a Google Slides presentation that teachers can share with students when and how it works best in the classroom. It can be broken up into sections, can be used in connection with the first time students are making their own documents or files for a class activity, or done in centers with groups of students as they're ready for it.
The slides provide a comprehensive defintion of a Digital Citizen, with many opportunities for teachers to discuss concepts with students. The presentation is accompanied by a lesson plans and supplementary activity designed to bring parents into the conversation regarding technology and Digital Citizenship. These are intended as support and a help in determining why different information is included in the lesson. If the suggestions in the lesson plan don't work with your students, do what will help them! The same applies to the practice activities - you can use the ones included (there are suggestions in the lesson plan as to different ways to distribute them to students) or you can allow students to practice in whatever way works for them.
If you would like further clarification on the lessons, where to find them or how to utilize them, please contact your BITS person or Lori Pruyne. Check the link below to look at the K-5 version of the T.H.I.N.K. like a Digital Citizen presentation, or visit the 6-8 or grade 9 Digital Citizenship Resource pages on the District Technology website to see other versions (be sure that you're logged into your @cppasd.com Google account to access these resources).
Library Media Update
Students Use Technology to Improve Their Reading Experience
by Jennifer Taylor
Elementary librarians are screaming from the rooftops! It is true that “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” Thank you Dr. Seuss!
Teachers at Severn Elementary (and other libraries throughout the district) are reminding students of the importance of reading and are looking at the resources that their library has to offer. To learn more about the books in our library, elementary students are using the Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC). The OPAC gives a description of the book, lets students know if it is available, AR level, and where to locate it in our library.
Once they use the OPAC to locate a book, students are being encouraged to check if their book choice is an AR title (arbookfind.com) and utilize Accelerated Reader to check their comprehension. They are utilizing their NWEA results and Lexile.com to look for books within their lexile to challenge themselves to be better readers. And teachers who are using I-PICK are encouraging students to choose a variety of books from the library. Students are having conversations about chapter books, picture books, nonfiction and magazines. They are choosing books that interest them and that they can comprehend because they are making choices within their lexile range. Students who have the opportunity to read in their classrooms are opening their eyes to different genres, which may increase their pleasure for reading!
To access your school's OPAC, visit the CPP District Webpage and select your school under the "Schools" tab. On the school website, click the link that says "Library/OPAC." You can share the direct OPAC link with students via Symbaloo, Google Classroom or any other way you share links! (See Severn's OPAC link below!)
Resources Spotlight
Elementary Technology Updates
By Jen Haischer
If you’ve recently visited one of Corning Painted Post’s elementary schools, you would have noticed that there are a lot of changes. Not only are there major changes in the facilities themselves, but also in the technology in the classrooms.
As part of our 1:1 initiative, Chromebooks are now in the hands of all students. All students in grades 2-5 now have access to an assigned Chromebook. Students in grades K-1 also have access with a 2:1 ratio.
Another change in technology includes the addition of TouchIt! Interactive displays. The biggest difference in these displays is the onboard Android browser. No longer are you only able to run your device when hooked up to a computer.
These new LED displays also have multi-touch technology, which allows teachers to annotate over any application. In the picture above, Ms. Campbell, from Erwin Valley Elementary, is annotating over a 3rd grade math lesson. In addition to this, TouchIt technology has the capability of collaborating with the Chromebooks in your classroom.
New teacher desktops round out the list of elementary enhanced technology. Outdated computers are being replaced with Dell computers with larger 23 inch monitors and much faster processing speeds.
All of this new technology is a welcome addition for the elementary students and teachers in the Corning-Painted Post District.
District Technology Updates: People, Places and Things
Technology Committee
Lindsay Ayers
George Bacalles
Bill Cameron
Michelle Caulfield
Michael Clarke
Karen Cleary
Ann Collins
Jerry Dieg
Michael Gill
Jennifer Haischer
Kerry Elsasser
Carrie Howe
Staci Johnson
Bryan Kelley
Sharon Kendrick
Rachel Ketchum
June Keuhn
Kelley Louthan
Jeffrey Marchionda
Martie Marks
Peggy Marsiglio
Joseph Melanson
Jill Mertus
Vivian Munoz
Lori Pruyne
Kathleen Rapisarda
Heather Schupp
Colin Sinko
Shari Smith
Meghan Stewart
Jennifer Taylor
Nicole Walsh
Heather Wolfe
BITS Team - Instructional Technology Support
The 2016-2017 school year saw the start of a pilot program, through which identified teachers at all district buildings provided other teachers with advice and assistance with instructional technology, held professional development sessions, and helped share resources and support for instructional technologies. These Building Instructional Technology Support (BITS) team members are back this year, with more offerings and opportunities.
BITS concentrations will be on providing PD, assisting with implementing technology in the classroom, and implementing technology literacy skills into the content curriculum. Any hardware-related issues should still be referred to IT, with requests sent in by emailing helpdesk@gstboces.org.
BITS representatives in each building include:
Carder – June Keuhn and Stacie Johnson
Gregg – Colin Sinko and Rachel Ketchum
Erwin Valley – Jen Haischer and Peggy Marsiglio
Severn – Jen Taylor and Karen Cleary
Smith – Mike Clarke, Jill Mertus and Lindsay Ayers
Winfield – Kathy Rapisarda and Shari Smith
CPP HS – Bryan Kelley and Joe Melanson
CPPMS - Two positions, to be announced!
District - Lori Pruyne
Updates From Tech Services
CPP Tech Support News
Google Won't Remember Me!
by Jerry Dieg
Over the past week we have had a number of inquiries about Google Chrome forgetting passwords and logon information that was supposed to be saved.
I believe we have found the issue and corrected it. Google should now remember site data.
If you are still experiencing the issue, please do the following:
- Click the menu in the upper right (3 dots)
- Choose “settings”
- Scroll all the way to the bottom and click “Advanced”
- Under “Privacy and Security” click “Content Settings”
- Then “Cookies”
- Then make sure the slider next to “Keep local data only until you quit your browser” is pushed to the left (off)
Newletter Information
Email: lpruyne@cppmail.com
Website: sites.google.com/cppasd.com/cpptechnology
Location: CPPHS B215