CPP Technology Today
A Communication of the CPP Technology Committee - Vol 3.1
In This Issue
News and Information
- Welcome: New Year, New Resources, New Learning!
- Technology Committee Members
- BITS Team Instructional Technology Support
- Tech Website Moves to Google Sites
- Professional Development - Techno Style
Google Apps for Education
- Chromebook Initiative Expands
- Chromebooks and the NWEA
Digital Citizenship
- Building Digital Citizens
- Digital Citizenship Bytes
Resources Spotlight
- Ease of Access - Make Your Google Account and Staff Handbook Easier to Reach - By Lori Pruyne, Bryan Kelley and Rachel Ketchum
- Sharing Is Caring (But Can be a Pain): A Google 411
District Technology Updates
- TouchIt TVs Sweep (or Swipe) into CPP Schools
Updates from Tech Services
- CPP Tech Support News
Tuesday, Sep 19, 2017, 10:00 AM
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Welcome: New Year, New Resources, New Learning!
Welcome to the first issue of CPP Tech Today for 2017-18. This year is set to be another year of advances in technology at CPP, with a lot of exciting changes that have already happened or are slated to roll out during the year. Looking ahead:
- All students grades 2-12 are 1:1!
- Grades K-1 have devices at a roughly 2:1 ratio
- Kindergarten classes are piloting new 2-in-1 devices
- Chromebooks have arrived at the Middle School
- Elementary classrooms are seeing the first wave of new interactive televisions that will take the place of SMART Boards
- Training for new software available through these devices will occur this year, with programs that will enable teachers and students to interact together through their devices and the interactive TV
- More and different formats of technology-based professional development will be available for teachers
With all of these changes, comes the opportunity for new learning for students AND for teachers! To help keep track of the changes, find resources to help with technology in the classroom and to stay updated opportunities for training, this newsletter will regularly present updates from the technology committee. Please share any thoughts, comments or needs with the people identified later in this newsletter, and have a great year with your students and in your classrooms!
Technology Committee Membership
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
Stacie Martinec
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
Tech Website Moves to Google Sites
The tech website is a district site, containing resources, links and updates for teachers. Since it is now housed on a Google Site, users must be logged into their @cppasd.com Google accounts to access the site. Content is added to the website frequently, so be sure to check in. Ideas for content can be shared with any Tech Committee member, or directly to Lori Pruyne.
- Find information and tutorials on using Google Apps
- Check out the Staff Resource area for more guides, tutorials and resources (this section is being re-designed to enable more convenient access of information, and is continually updated, so check back often!)
- K-6 Teachers, check out the Chromebook page for some quick tips on using your new Chromebooks
- Elementary teachers with new TouchIt TVs, visit the site for information on your new devices!
- After-school technology-related Professional Development will be offered district wide this year, along with hybrid PD models. Check out the Professional Development page on the website for more information!
Professional Development - Techno Style
PD will continue to be available in after-school formats this year from BITS representatives, and those offerings will be listed on the Professional Development page of the CPP Technology Website. In response to feedback regarding PD last year, where teachers indicated that they want to attend PD, but it is difficult to schedule, we are piloting a program of online tech-related professional development offerings.
Utilizing Google Apps and EdPuzzle, these online classes utilize videos and hands-on activities to help teachers learn and create resources with different programs. So far, one pilot offering is available: a training on the use and creation of Google SItes. The Form to sign up for this training is available on the PD page of the tech website.
Google Apps for Education
Chromebooks Initiative Expands
In the CPP elementary schools, our 1:1 program has grown to encompass grades 2-12, with devices at a roughly 2:1 ratio for grades K-1. Part of ensuring that all of our kids are provided with the tools to be successful online has been to find the device that best meets their needs.
Last year, Chromebooks were introduced in the elementary, for grades 3-5. These devices were chosen in response to teacher feedback regarding problems using technology in the classroom. The most prevelent issues that kept teachers from using technology in the classroom were the time the laptops took to log on, and the short life of the laptop's batteries.
Both of these problems are addressed through Chromebooks. The web-based devices run on Google Apps, not software and user information stored on the devices, which make log-on times and general activities much faster. Additionally, the batteries are good for ten or more hours of continuous use, ensuring that charged devices should easily get through a day's use.
Due to the success of these devices in grades 3-5, the use of Chromebooks is being expanded in 17-18. Students in grades 1-6 will be using Chromebooks this year, to ensure a faster, easier computing experience, allowing teachers to concentrate on content and skills instruction rather than being bogged down by "technical difficulties."
Those new to Chromebooks can find assistance on the CPP Technology website, or through connection with their BITS representatives!
Chromebooks and the NWEA
Starting soon, teachers and students will be using Chromebooks to take the NWEA. The MAP app for the exam is installed on all Chromebooks - just use the instructions below (or the included tutorial) to see how to access the test for students.
1 – Teachers will still need to set up testing sessions on their own, via the usual methods. If you need a refresher on this, view that tutorial here
2 - Students can open any Chromebook. They do NOT need to log into the device! Just turn it on.
3 – In the lower left, there is a link that says “Apps”. Click this.
4 - Click the “MAP Chromebook Testing App” link that appears
5 – This will open the lockdown browser, and students can proceed as usual
6 – To exit, the Chromebook needs to be shut off completely - there is no way to return to the main screen from the lockdown browser
Digital Citizenship
Building Digital Citizens
When we talk about "Digital Citizenship" we are talking about the skills we can teach students to help them be productive, careful and courteous consumers and creators of digital resources. At CPP, we are grouping those skills - which range from protecting your passwords to naming files, from researching effectively to safely purchasing things online - under the banner of three terms:
RESPECT - show respect for other people, the resources that they have created, for yourself and your privacy
CONNECT - use digital resources to share and seek information, help others and utilize knowledge created by others
PROTECT - follow digital rules and etiquette, protect your and others' privacy, be a balanced user of technology
Teachers can use the terms "Respect, Connect and Protect" when talking about technology to students, to help reinforce the ideals of Digitial Citizenship.
In addition, the Technology Committee is building Digital Citizenship lessons to integrate into the curriculum at different levels, to help teach both Digital Citizenship skills and grade-level appropriate technology skills. Check out the Digital Citizenship section of the technology website for more information and for specific lessons!
Digital Citizenship Bytes
One of the challenging parts of teaching Digital Citizenship is first just figuring out what it is. That definition can be easier if you just think of Digital Citizenship skills as the norms of appropriate, responsible technology use.
Another question that comes up early in any conversation regarding Digital Citizenship is, Why is it important? Often times today students and teachers misuse technology and struggle with appropriate usage. Moving towards knowing how to utilize technology appropriately and effectively will not only help you, but students in your classroom as well.
A wide variety of resources are available to help teachers incorporate Digital Citizenship teachings into their classes. Check out the links below for two Digital Citizenship lessons plans, that you can do with your students or use to inspire future teachings.
Resources Spotlight
Ease of Access - Make Your Google Account Easier to Access
The use of Google Apps across the district is continuing to expand as more teachers and students are utilizing Chromebooks, Google Classroom and Google Sites. Additionally, many buildings have started using Google Sites or Google Drive to share building information, staff handbooks, weekly newsletters and more.
To streamline the use of these new programs, use the tutorials below to:
1 - Place a shortcut on your desktop that will open up Google Chrome with your @cppasd.com Google Account already logged in
2 - Set a specific page (like your building's staff handbook, Google Drive or Google Classroom) as your "home" page, so that it automatically opens up when you open your browser
3 - If you're making the switch from Microsoft Explorer to Google Chrome, but don't want to lose all of your favorites, move them from Explorer into Chrome!
Sharing Is Caring (But Can be a Pain): A Google 411
A: By default, any Google Site created within our district's domain (@cppasd.com - "our" corner of Google that can only be accessed by students and employees of CPP) is viewable only by someone logged in with an @cppasd.com Google account. Anyone else, even if they go to the direct URL, will see the 404 message below. This helps to keep our information safe. To see a site, first go to http://drive.google.com to log into your Google account, then go to the site. You should be able to see it now!
A: This is the second layer of protection on the Google Sites! Since Sites is part of the Google suite (group) of Apps (programs), resources created in other Google Apps, like Docs and Drive, can be easily added to a Google Site. Once added, these resources keep their original sharing permissions. So, folders and documents that relate to the teachers in one building can be set to be shared with ONLY teachers in that building. If you're seeing the picture below, someone forgot to share the resource with you (oops). Ask whomever runs the page to add you to to the list!
A: Don't throw things. Most likely, you are just logged in with your personal Google or Gmail account. Even though both accounts are "Google," only the one that marks you as a CPP employee - your @cppasd.com account - has permission to access @cppasd.com resources.
District Technology Updates
TouchIt TVs Sweep (or Swipe) into CPP Schools
- Large surfaces that do not require orientation
- Built-in speakers
- Multiple points of touch (more than one user can "write" on the board at a time)
- Onboard Android (a small "computer" installed directly on the TV, so anything web-based such as YouTube videos, websites or Google Programs doesn't require connecting a computer to the TV!)
- "Whiteboard" feature that allows easy, saveable note-taking on the device
- "Transparent" annotation, allowing teachers to annotate over anything (a website, a picture of a map, diagram of a cell, piece of artwork, etc)
- Compatibility with SMART Notebook programs
- Accompanying, web-based software that allow teachers and students to interact with the TV with their devices
Many tutorials to utilize the features of TouchIt TVs, along with information about a timeline for rolling out new trainings and features, are available on the CPP Technology Website! As we all learn these new devices, we are troubleshooting and finding new solutions daily! If you're discovering new things about the boards, or have a question regarding their use, contact your BITS representative or Lori Pruyne directly!
Updates From Tech Services
CPP Tech Support News
Newletter Information
Email: lpruyne@cppmail.com
Website: sites.google.com/cppasd.com/cpptechnology
Location: CPPHS B215