Cougar Tech Bits
Keeping you inside the technology loop
Welcome!
Welcome to Technology Services first Cougar Tech Bits newsletter! We are extremely excited to offer you technology tips, tricks, and other useful information.
Tech Teacher Spotlight
Ms. Baldwin at CKC videos her students reading their leveled readers. She then uses Daqri 4D Studio to create an Augmented Reality students can scan on the cover of a book to see a video of other students reading it. She plans to use these as another Listen To Read station during Daily 5. Students can listen to the leveled readers being read and also see print awareness modeled by their peers. If you want a sneak peek at what she does, download the Daqri app on your device and print out the Who, Who, Who? picture. Then scan it using Daqri.
Website of the Month
Free Technology for Teachers posts new information every day ranging from the power of Google products to the magic of everyday gadgets. The site is filled with helpful information for any educator at any level. Free Technology for Teachers is a must-bookmark site for every single educator in the world. Check out below!
Free Technology for Teachers website
Free Technology for Teachers website
Macbook Tip
AirPlay individual videos in Safari
With El Capitan you no longer have to share your entire browser window to AirPlay video over to your Apple TV. Now when you’re watching videos in Safari you can click on the AirPlay button on a YouTube video and pick which device you want to play it on. This will send only the YouTube video through the Apple TV, allowing you to still work on your MacBook.
With El Capitan you no longer have to share your entire browser window to AirPlay video over to your Apple TV. Now when you’re watching videos in Safari you can click on the AirPlay button on a YouTube video and pick which device you want to play it on. This will send only the YouTube video through the Apple TV, allowing you to still work on your MacBook.
iPad Tip
Text Too Small
If you’re having trouble reading text, you can make the text bigger for apps like Mail, Calendar, and Notes by going to Settings — Display & Brightness — Text Size. Then just drag the slider bar to the right. You can also increase the text size in some other apps by going to Settings — General — Accessibility — Larger Text. Then turn Larger Text Accessibility Sizes on and slide the bar to increase text size.
Google Tip
Sign into the Chrome Browser
Signing in to the Chrome browser allows you to personalize your settings and to keep those settings the same across different devices. When you are signed in to your browser, your bookmarks and history are accessible on any computer that you are signed in to. Signing in to the browser also helps if you are managing multiple Google accounts. To sign in you will click on the 3 little lines in the top right corner, go to settings, and then choose sign in to chrome. Click here to go to a more in depth guide.
Sign into Chrome
Signing in to the Chrome browser allows you to personalize your settings and to keep those settings the same across different devices. When you are signed in to your browser, your bookmarks and history are accessible on any computer that you are signed in to. Signing in to the browser also helps if you are managing multiple Google accounts. To sign in you will click on the 3 little lines in the top right corner, go to settings, and then choose sign in to chrome. Click here to go to a more in depth guide.
Sign into Chrome
Facebook Tip
Valuable information on what to do and what not to do on Facebook. This card will tell you how to change your privacy settings on Facebook to help protect your information. Click on the link below to download the Smart Card.
Facebook Tips
Facebook Tips
A Note from your Network Manager
Ransomeware stops you from using your computer and holds your PC or files ransom. Very similar to the email that came out last week asking for payment for an invoice. Click on the link below for a better understanding of what ransomeware is.
Ransomware information
Ransomware information
Technicians Corner
Many computer issues can be resolved with a simple reboot or restart. This can correct problems ranging from slowness to some internet connection issues.
Restarting your MacBook helps clear out memory, it can help reset a misbehaving program, reconnect missing network folders, and install updates that are crucial to security and stability.
Now you may be asking…
There is no set time as to when is a good time reboot. Usually if performance feels as if it has taken a hit, try rebooting and see if that helps. Personally, I reboot about every other day.
Join us next month when we enter the dark world of Software Updates.
Restarting your MacBook helps clear out memory, it can help reset a misbehaving program, reconnect missing network folders, and install updates that are crucial to security and stability.
Now you may be asking…
- Doesn’t shutting the screen shut down the MacBook? No, it doesn’t, shutting the screen simply lulls the computer to sleep and conserves battery.
- How about holding the power button until it cuts off? Pressing the power button until it shuts off is like running into a brick wall. Everything may stop, but it won’t be graceful. It will complicate issues and can even keep the computer from booting properly, if at all. Worst of all, you’re bound to lose data.
- How about I just let the battery die? Letting the battery die, well…that’s just hard on everything including the battery. Plus it doesn’t necessarily shut the computer down, it may just go into a hibernation mode so it can start quickly when it gets power.
- Move the cursor to the upper left hand corner,
- Click on the Apple logo
- Then click on either Restart or Shutdown.
- Shutting down will require the power button to be pressed to bring the machine back up.
There is no set time as to when is a good time reboot. Usually if performance feels as if it has taken a hit, try rebooting and see if that helps. Personally, I reboot about every other day.
Join us next month when we enter the dark world of Software Updates.
Meet your Technology Services team
Amy Davis
Director of Technology Services
Kim Key
Administrative Assistant
Andreas Dors
Systems Analyst
Joey Hardwick
Network Manager
Chris Lewis
Computer Technician
Jessica Barrientos
Computer Technician
Jason Sims
Computer Technician
Tracey Fletcher
Computer Technician
Amanda Castro
Instructional Technologist
Staci Eilers
Instructional Technologist
Alicia Jordal
Instructional Technologist
Brenda Quintanilla
Instructional Technologist
Crosby ISD Technology Services
Email: kkey@crosbyisd.org
Website: www.crosbyisd.org
Location: 706 Runneburg Road, Crosby, TX, United States
Phone: 281.328.9200
Twitter: @TechSvcsCISD
“We need technology in every classroom and in every student and teacher’s hand, because it is the pen and paper of our time, and it is the lens through which we experience much of our world.” ~ David Warlick