Technology Newsletter
March/April 2022
In this issue:
In this issue:
- End of year device collection dates
- Watch me unravel an email scam
- Reading Fluency Tool
- FREE Snowball mic
- Have you seen all these free lessons?
- For a chance to win...tell me one new tech tool you implemented this year
- Create Drag & Drop Activities
- Immersive Reader ~ now available in Somali language
- Microsoft Forms ~ so many options and uses!
- Reminder - do you need to record a lesson?
- Switch from Chrome to Edge browser
- YouTube Shortcuts
Device Collection ~ End of the year dates to put on your calendar
PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF THE DATES BELOW: ALL DEVICES WILL BE COLLECTED - NO EXCEPTIONS
Park Side:
- May 27th - All K-1 Classroom Teachers have your iPad Carts/Student iPads returned to the library by 3:00pm
- All device carts returned to the technology classroom (Tammy's room) by the end of the day on Friday, May 27th.
- Device collection in advisory on Thursday, May 26th & Friday, May 27th (you will sign up for a date later - watch for details)
- Seniors - end of the day on Friday, May 27th
- Grades 9-11 - end of the day on Tuesday, May 31st during scheduled Ramp Up
- Tuesday, May 31st
Watch Me Unravel an Email Scam
Recent article from Free Tech 4 Teachers, author Richard Byrne:
As you know, I am a huge advocate for teaching students and teachers to respect copyright. To that end I always advocate for using your own media or media that is in the public domain whenever possible. So when an email with the subject line "DMCA Copyright Infringement Notice" landed in my inbox this morning, I immediately opened it. It turned out to be the second attempt by the same person to scam/ threaten me into linking to a website.
In short, the person emails you to say that you are using an image in violation of their copyright or that of someone they represent (in this case the person was claiming to be an attorney). They then say that you have to link to a particular website within seven days or they will pursue some kind of legal action.
I was in a particularly bad mood this morning when I received this email so I decided to fight fire with fire. I did a little research on the person who claimed to be an attorney and then told her to get lost! If you're interested in the whole process that I went through, here's the video I made to explain it.
Reading Fluency?
Have you seen all their free lessons?!
I highly recommend you check them out in Nearpod! Below is a brief overview but what I really like about Nearpod is there is a large library of already created lessons ~ you can sort by subject area and grade level, save them and edit if you would like, or use as is. Go to nearpod.com and log in with your Microsoft Account. There is a free version as well as a paid version (MHS has the paid version). Under the free account there are storage limitations.
Nearpod is a website and app-based digital tool that lets teachers create slide-based learning resources that are interactive for students to engage with and learn from.Nearpod can also use gamification of information to make learning more engaging and fun. It is also built to work well with lots of pre-existing tools, such as Google Slides, Microsoft PowerPoint, and YouTube. Teachers can easily import media to make a lesson quickly and simply using already existing resources.
Create Drag and Drop Activities
*NEW* Somali now available in Immersive Reader for translation and read aloud!
Microsoft Forms ~ so many options and uses!
Using Branching Logic in Microsoft Forms to Provide Directions
Branching logic is a great feature in Microsoft Forms that can be used to direct people to specific questions or further information based on how they answer an initial question. Learn more here!
Learn more about how to use Microsoft Forms in the following videos and blog posts:
- How to Use Videos in Microsoft Forms
- Handy Microsoft Forms Features for Teachers
- Make Sign-in/ Sign-out Sheets With Microsoft Forms
- How to Use Immersive Reader in Microsoft Forms
- How to Create a Survey in Microsoft Forms & Sort Results in Excel
credits to Richard Byrne
Reminder ~ if you are in need of recording audio/video
Park Side: one kit
MMS: 2 kits
MHS: 2 kits
Make the Switch ~ Chrome to Microsoft Edge
Microsoft’s Edge browser has a lot going for it these days, and we are recommending you switch from Chrome to Edge if you haven’t already made the jump. Why should you make the move? There are several reasons that Edge is a better choice in our environment. First off, Microsoft Edge will be the single browser vetted on new devices moving forward. Also, Microsoft Edge integrates with OneDrive in ways that Chrome cannot; meaning that you will have easier access to your files and groups in Edge than with Chrome. Additionally, since we enabled MFA on all our staff accounts, the Edge browser will better recognize your credentials and you will see the MFA prompt less than you would if using Chrome. Second, Edge’s sync functionality makes moving from one computer to another very easy, as it automatically backs up your bookmarks, passwords, saved addresses, etc. When you sign into a new computer, your browser will have all of these in place as soon as you open it. One last reason that should convince you to dump chrome – Edge and Chrome are essentially the exact same browser under the hood. They’re both built on the Chromium browser engine, and this makes them almost identical in functionality if not appearance.
So, how do you make the switch? First, you need to import all of Chrome’s data into Edge. This is a simple process that can be done by following these steps
- Open Edge and navigate to the settings page (three dots at upper right > Settings)
- Under the “Profiles” section, select “Import browser data,” then click on “Choose what to import”
- In the dropdown, select “Google Chrome,” and choose your profile. All checkboxes should be checked. When ready, click the “Import” button.
You should now see all your bookmarks and other browser data in Edge. Now, let’s make sure that Edge is syncing these settings so that when you sign into any other computer, you’ll have your bookmarks & settings imported automatically.
- Open a new tab.
- At the top right, next to the three dots/settings button, there should be a profile option. This might be your picture, or whatever you have your Office 365 picture set as. Click on it.
- Verify that it says, “Sync is on” – if it does not, click on “Turn on sync.”
That’s it! You’ve made the switch.
YouTube Shortcuts ~ how have I lived without these!
- Space or k = pause and restart video
- Right arrow = jump ahead 5 seconds
- Left arrow = move back 5 seconds
- j = move back 10 seconds
- l = jump forward 10 seconds
- , (comma) = move back one frame when video is paused
- . (period) = move forward one frame when video is paused
- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, = jump to point in video (1=10% through video, up to 9=90% through video)
- 0 or Home = jump to start of video
Your Technology Team
Karen Londgren
Nick Esping
Kent Powell
Email: karen.londgren@marshall.k12.mn.us
Website: https://www.marshall.k12.mn.us/domain/17
Phone: 507.929.2696